West African giants Ghana were thrashed 3-1 by an academy side Attram De-Visser Soccer Academy as they wrap up preparations for this weekend’s African Nation Championships (CHAN) first leg final round qualifier against Burkina Faso.
The Black Stars B, coached by Maxwell Konadu, head coach when Ghana defeated Nigeria at the semi-final stage in 2014, were previously unbeaten in tune-up friendlies since they began preparations for this weekend’s game against the Etalons.
Striker Reginald Thompson scored twice for Attram De-Visser (an academy owned by former Ghana International, Godwin Attram) in Monday’s warm-up while Ashanti Gold attacker Safiu Mumuni scored the Black Stars’ solitary goal in the encounter played at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Though unbeaten in their last friendlies, Monday’s loss will come as a worry for Konadu ahead of the Burkina Faso game. Ghana failed to qualify for the last African Nations Championships in Rwanda and Ghanaians can hardly accept any form of failure from the team of locally based professionals over the two legs.
“It was a good exercise. This was the first time we have been beaten and for me it serves as a wake up call even though we did not start with the best of our available players,” Konadu said after the game.
“We needed to give other players the opportunity to see what they have got, so now I have a clearer idea of those making the trip. It is good to see these players in match situations, if they are at the clubs they can be fantastic but when they don the national colours, it is a different situation all together,” added the 44-year old ex International.
The Black Stars will depart Accra for the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s first leg clash at the August 4 Stadium, Ouagadougou with the return leg scheduled for the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana eight days later.
Winner of the tie will join 15 other African nations at next year’s Championships to be hosted by Kenya starting from January the 11th.
