After losing out to Nigeria’s Bayelsa Queens in penalty shootouts to represent the West African region at last year’s CAF Women’s Champions League in Cote d’Ivoire, the Ampem Darkoa Ladies of Ghana have had a second shot to book a place at the Africa’s continental elite competition in a 1-0 win over Delta Queens at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
With Ophelia Amponsah’s lone goal two minutes before the break to have the Nana Mma’s nose in front, after a long-range shot off the resulting free-kick which led to a poor goalkeeping clear-out in the depth of the Delta Queens’ box and was effortlessly tapped into the back of the net.
The Delta Queens’ coach, Tosan Bob Blankson will resume the second half by throwing in the fresh legs of Mercy Omokwo and Temitope Owoeye straight into the heat, to salvage a possible equaliser in the wake of the game but to no avail.
A few minutes went to the half-hour mark, Anderline Mgbechi’s superb save saw off Ampem Darkoa’s Mary Amponsah’s close-range shot to keep things abreast, with Delta Queens’ attacking arsenal – Effion-Anwan Ekeng teaming up with Temitope Owoeye, to set Mercy Omokwo up in the 18-yard box, but denied by the sturdy gloves of 15-year-old Aishetu Fatao Awinimi.
Delta Queens will have another big chance to goal from a dangerous attack; Mercy Omokwo’s brilliance was no match for the Ghanaian shot-stopper, as she briskly reacted to the ball in an applauded manner.
A disciplined Ampem Darkoa’s defensive line was all that stood them out from Delta Queens’ fire-pumping aggression towards the remaining ten minutes to the final whistle, but nothing came out of the tricky minds to force the game into extra time.
Ampem Darkoa, however, after another trial at the WAFU-B Qualification Playoffs of CAF Women’s Champions League, will then fly their blue and white colours at the third edition of the main tournament slated to be held between November 5-19 in Ivory Coast.