The Ghana national amputee football team suffered their first defeat in group A at the ongoing para games when they lost 2-1 to Morocco in their second group stage game at the UPSA Astroturf Stadium on Wednesday.
The victory takes the Moroccans to the top spot with six points, and has automatically qualified them to the next stage of the competition.
Ghana on the other hand, must beat Liberia in their final group game to advance to the next stage.
The host was in high spirit going into the fixture after thrashing Uganda 7-0 in their opening group game of the tournament, but were shocked by a much organised Moroccan side.
Morocco took the lead in the first half through Ilyass Sbiyaa’s outstanding free kick in the first half.
Ghana drew level right after the break through Mubarak Mohammed to send the home fans into wild jubilation.
Both teams looked like settling for a point each until late in the second half when Mohammed Elhafta scored a sublime goal to secure all three points for his side.
Ghana’s head coach, Stephen Richard Obeng, who spoke after the match said, “we knew it was not going to be an easy game despite our good preparations. I’m proud of the boys and the performance they put up,” he stated.
“Now we turn our focus to the game against Liberia which has become a must-win game to secure a qualification to the knockout stages,” he stated.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
