Having secured a narrow victory (1-0) in the first leg in Cape Coast last Sunday, Ghanaian club Dwarfs successfully maintained their lead this Saturday in Dakar against Jaraaf Dakar (0-0) in the Caf preliminaries. Similarly, the Diambars Institute of Saly in the African League, despite their efforts, faced elimination by ASFA Yennenga of Burkina Faso (1-0, penalties 4-2).
Dwarfs, employing a defensive strategy with calculated counterattacks, executed a flawless game plan, thwarting the advances of Jaraaf’s attackers. Even with the outstanding performance of Ghanaian goalkeeper Patrick Antwi, Jaraaf failed to overturn the tide over 96 minutes of play.
As the final whistle blew, Jaraaf was left with nothing but disappointment, while the ecstatic Ghanaians celebrated their advancement. Richard Gadze’s solitary goal in the first leg proved decisive.
However, for Jaraaf’s coach and former Senegal Lions coach, Abdoulaye Sarr, the team lacked offensive efficiency despite having the best opportunities to score in both matches. The elimination was undoubtedly a setback compared to the club’s aspirations for the year.
In a similar turn of events, Diambars of Saly, Senegal’s other representative in the African Champions League, suffered elimination. Despite holding a one-goal lead (1-0) in the first leg, they conceded a late equalizer to Yennenga in the 91st minute, eventually losing in the penalty shootout (4-2).
Inexperience and the youthful nature of the squad in this competition played a significant role in Diambars’ defeat. This was their first African campaign after ten years of existence, facing a seasoned opponent like Yennenga, who boasts five-time champions in the African Champions League and are competing in their fifth consecutive campaign.
