Meteors faces South Africa today for final Olympics spot

Ghana’s Black Meteors are set to face South Africa today in their final chance to seal qualification to next year’s Olympics in Tokyo.

The Meteors could have secured a spot at the tournament with a win over the Ivory Coast in Tuesday’s semi-final but they suffered a 3-2 loss on penalties after the match ended 2-2 after extra time.

The side will now have to beat South Africa to book a place at the Olympics, a competition the Black Meteors have been absent from since 2004.

South Africa suffered a hammering against Egypt on same Tuesday, losing 3-0 to the hosts in the other semi.

Egypt and Ivory Coast fill two of the three spots for Africa at the Olympics, regardless of the results from the final.

Meanwhile President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has charged the team to lift themselves up and fight for a ticket to next year’s Olympic Games. 

“This match is gone. Let’s focus on the next match on Friday and our next opponents. All hope is not lost. Our ambition is to qualify to the Olympics. If we fight like we did in the second half (against Côte D’Ivoire) we will make it to the Olympics”, Mr Okraku noted.

He, however, implored the players to remain positive ahead of the third place play off.

“Let’s be positive about Friday and get the conviction that we can do it. This team has gone through battles and people have lost hope. Once again we will give hope back to the entire nation on Friday by securing a ticket to Tokyo”, he reiterated.