Ghana’s Black Sharks put on a dominant display this weekend, defeating Ivory Coast’s Sand Elephants 5-3 in the first leg of their 2024 Beach Soccer qualifier.
The victory sets the stage for a thrilling second leg in Abidjan next week.
The match, played at Keta Emancipation Beach Arena, was a back-and-forth affair that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. Alfred Kwame Torsu opened the scoring for Ghana early on, followed by a quickfire brace from Wise Nyamadi within five minutes. Ivory Coast clawed one back before halftime, showing their determination.
Despite strong pressure from the Sea Elephants in the second half, the Black Sharks held firm. Ticor Kini sealed the win with two goals in the closing minutes, although Ivory Coast managed to pull two goals back through a penalty and a late strike from Hans DjedDjed.
“We have to stay focused and disciplined,” stressed Ghana’s coach, Daniel Neequaye Kotey. “The job isn’t done yet. We need to replicate our performance next weekend and stay focused as a team.”
With a two-goal advantage, the Black Sharks are in a strong position, but they know the job is far from over. The return leg in Abidjan on July 27th promises to be a tense battle, with both teams vying for a coveted spot in the 2024 Beach Soccer AFCON finals in Egypt.
