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Ghana 4-0 Cameroon: Starlets thrash Cameroon in U17 Afcon opener

Ghana opened the 2017 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon with a 4-0 pummelling of Cameroon on Sunday.

Captain Eric Ayiah and winger Ibrahim Sulley each scored twice to earn the Black Starlets three points at Stade de Port-Gentil.

Hosts Gabon had earlier succumbed to a 5-1 defeat to Guinea in the tournament opener.

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Sunday’s match marked Ghana’s return to the championship after a four-year absence.

Eric Ayiah opened the scoring in the 25th minute. The frontman beat his marker to drive home a close range shot to the near-post of goalkeeper Boris Junior Essele after Gabriel Leveh sent a low cross into the box.

The Starlets then made it 2-0 through Ibrahim Sulley, who, like the case of the first goal, slotted home from the box after finding himself on the end of a cut-back from Edmund Arko-Mensah.

It was not long before Ghana made it a triplet of goals from a counter attack. Mohammed Iddriss picked a loose ball from just outside Ghana’s 18-yard box following a Cameroon corner, raced to almost halfway before picking out the on-rushing Sulley. On top speed, the New Life FC winger, with his third touch, effortlessly dinked the ball over on-coming goalkeeper Essele to put the game beyond reach.

Ghana’s fourth goal in the 64th minute was equally beautiful. Cheetah FC attacker Emmanuel Toku beat his marker on the right before drilling a cross into the box. Ayiah picked up the ball, and from an acute angle, drove in a mighty volley into the roof of the net to seal three points.

The Black Starlets play hosts Gabon in their next game on Wednesday before rounding off the group fixtures against Guinea three days later. 

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