The Black Galaxies of Ghana will be making a return to the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) for the first time in eight years after eliminating West African rivals Nigeria in the qualifiers on Saturday.
The qualification was decided through the penalty shootouts after the game had ended 2-2 on aggregate after both legs.
Ghana had gone into the second leg with a two-goal advantage courtesy goals from Daniel Afriyie Barnie and Seidu Suraj at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
The Black Galaxies were able to hold their Nigerian counterpart in the first half of the second leg but goals from Zilkifilu Mohammed and Chijoke Nnamdi in the second half gave the Super Eagles a chance of qualification but they blew it up during the penalty shootouts.
Nigeria missed one of their spot kicks as the Black Galaxies converted all their kicks to win the game at the Moshood Abiola Sports Stadium in Abuja.
The team arrived in the country in the early hours of Sunday and were met by the Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku at the Airforce base.
The GFA President thanked the team for qualifying for the CHAN tournament next year.
“I am here to thank and congratulate you. Before you travelled we had a lengthy conversation and
indeed you’ve gone to Abuja to make the nation proud.
My mission here tonight is to express the gratitude of the GFA and the nation to each one of you for
the honor done our dear country. You went in there to seek qualification and no matter the Challenges you were able to qualify.”
On Coach Annor Walker, the GFA boss recalled the confidence the association reposed in him when
he was named as Head Coach of the Black Galaxies and also thanked him for his achievements.
“I want to thank coach Annor Walker for this achievement. I remember the day we gave him this job
I promised him that he has the confidence of the FA. Today he and his assistants have vindicated us
for the confidence we had in them,” he intimated.
The Black Galaxies team have received commendation and applause from the sporting public, clubs and Sports Ministry for achieving this feat.
Ghana are two-times runners up in the CHAN tournament in the first three editions and will be going into the tournament in Algeria in search of a first title.
The African Nations Championship (CHAN) is a tournament exclusively for home-based players who ply their trade in the various leagues across the continent.
By Herbert BOAKYE YIADOM