WAFU Cup of Nations : Senegal crowned the champions of the 2019

WAFU Cup of Nations after beating Ghana 3-1 in a penalty shootout following 120 minutes of football in the final which ended 1-1.
The match winner on the day was the Lions of Teranga shot-stopper Pape Seydou Ndiaye who made two saves in the shootout.
The first half failed to produce many goal scoring opportunities with both teams cagey in attack. The best chance in the opening 45 came as early as the tenth minute when Habib Mohammed met a left-sided free-kick from Augustine Okrah, but his eight-yard header struck the post.
The second half saw Senegal taking control of the match, but their passing and decision making in the final third let them down. Their best chance of the second stanza came in the 57 th minute when Assane Mbodj met a corner-kick at the back post, but he headed wide from only a couple of yards out.
Neither team could find a winner in regulation time and the match entered an additional 30 minutes which produced high class entertainment, including two goals in three minutes.
Sengal almost took the lead in the 105 th minute of extra time when swift work down the left resulted in substitute Youssouph Badji meeting a cross from Ousseynou Niang, but his eight-yard attempt struck the post.
Two minutes into the second half of extra time the game finally got its first goal when Badji connected with another cross from Niang, but this time he turned the ball into the net from six-yards out, 1-0.
Ghana were not going down without a fight and equalised in the 110th minute when a right-sided free-kick resulted in a goalmouth scramble which concluded with Joseph Esso firing home from eight-yards out, 1-1.
In the penalty shootout Ndiaye made two saves to deny Augustine Okrah and Justice Blay while Ghana’s Fatawu Mohammed struck the crossbar to see Senegal win 3-1.
The Man of the Match, which is sponsored by Royal Air Maroc, for the final between Senegal and Ghana was Lions of Teranga midfielder Moussa Ndiaye.
The top goalscorer in the tournament was Ghana’s captain Shafiu Mumuni with four goals to his name while Guinea’s Jean Mouste was handed the Best Player of the tournament award.