Ghana U17 vs Cameroon U17 second leg I

Gonçalo and Rui settled into the press scouting area above the central stand of the Accra Sports Stadium, setting up their equipment to film the match. From their elevated position, they had a perfect view of the pitch below, where the players were going through their warm-ups.

Gonçalo's eyes scanned the field, but his focus quickly locked onto one player—Marcel Ndonga. He was the reason they were here. Normally, a scout with his level of experience wouldn't make the trip for a youth qualifier, but something about this kid told him he had to see more.

As he adjusted the camera, he stole a glance around the scouting section. A handful of other scouts were present, some scribbling notes, others just watching. He carefully scanned their badges and jackets, looking for any signs of competition from Europe.

"Checking to see if we have rivals for Marcel?" Rui teased, leaning back in his seat.

Gonçalo smirked but kept his eyes scanning the crowd. "Yeah… but so far, it's just local scouts and maybe some smaller club representatives. No one serious—yet."

Rui nodded, watching as the players continued their drills. "That makes sense. Marcel only started playing competitive club football a few months ago. Outside of Africa, no one even knows his name. And even if they do, I doubt they'd take him as seriously as we are right now."

"That's what I'm counting on," Gonçalo said, his fingers drumming against the table. "I just hope we're not looking at another player who never makes it past the second team."

Rui let out a short laugh. "Still thinking about the last few prospects?"

"No," Gonçalo said with certainty. "This one feels different. I've had my fair share of mistakes, but my instincts tell me Marcel is special." He exhaled slowly. "The only problem is his age. He's still too young."

"Yeah, and that means we can't sign him unless his parents agree to move to Portugal," Rui said, shaking his head. "But from what I've heard, his family isn't struggling financially. He's not like Eto'o, who had to leave everything behind just to get a shot in Europe. That could make things complicated."

Gonçalo's jaw tensed slightly. "What really worries me is the AFCON U17. That's where things will get serious. More scouts, more exposure. If he plays well there, bigger clubs will start circling. And if Cameroon qualifies for the U17 World Cup…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

Rui raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You're actually hoping they don't qualify just so we can have a clear path?"

Gonçalo didn't answer immediately, a knowing smile forming on his face. Rui didn't understand how many talents he had lost because of moments like these. Timing was everything in scouting. If too many eyes turned toward Marcel too soon, Benfica might lose their advantage before they even had a chance to act.

For now, they could only watch.

...

...

In the locker room, the tension was thick despite the air of confidence among the players. Coach Atangana stood in front of them, his sharp gaze moving from one face to another. He clapped his hands together, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Alright, boys, this is it. We're just one step away from qualifying for the AFCON," his voice was firm, carrying the weight of the moment. "But listen well—we're not there yet."

Some players exchanged looks, a few even grinning. Atangana narrowed his eyes. "I see too many smiles in here. Forget the first leg. That 3-1 win? It means nothing now. If we go out there thinking Ghana will just let us walk through, we'll regret it."

He let his words sink in before continuing. "You play like you did in the first leg, with the same hunger, the same discipline, and we'll get the job done. But if you let arrogance creep in, thinking they're weak, you'll suffer."

His tone sharpened as he pointed toward the exit. "So when you march onto that pitch, act like it's still 0-0. No distractions. No complacency. We fight for every ball, every second, until that final whistle blows."

Marcel sat quietly, absorbing his words. But as he looked around the room, he noticed that not everyone was taking it as seriously as they should. Some players smirked, others nodded absentmindedly, their body language too relaxed.

Even Jean, sitting beside him, had a confident smirk, his body language oozing self-assurance—maybe too much.

Marcel leaned in and murmured, "Yo, bro, stay focused. Look around—some of the guys are way too relaxed. We can't afford to underestimate them. If we do, we'll suffer."

Jean chuckled, placing a reassuring hand on Marcel's shoulder. "Relax, man. We won by two goals. Ghana isn't that strong. We just have to do what we did in the first leg, and it's over."

Marcel frowned slightly, but seeing how relaxed everyone was, he sighed. Maybe he was overthinking things. Maybe they really had this under control.

With a deep breath, he stood up, joining his teammates as they marched out of the locker room toward the tunnel, where the roar of the stadium awaited them.

…

"Welcome, everyone, to the second leg of the African U17 Championship Qualifiers! We're live from the Accra Sports Stadium, where Ghana is looking to pull off a miraculous comeback against Cameroon! The Baby Lions dominated the first leg with a 3-1 victory, displaying exciting football from the young Marcel Ndonga and a rock-solid defensive performance. But today, it's a new match, a new challenge. Can Ghana turn it around? Or will Cameroon finish the job and secure their ticket to the tournament? We're about to find out!"

"The referee blows his whistle—AND WE'RE UNDERWAY! Ghana kicks us off!"

"They start by moving it back to their defenders, looking to establish early control. The center-back switches it to the left, and the left-back—OH, HE WASTES NO TIME! He fires it up the wing immediately!"

"Ghana isn't holding back! They know they need goals, and they're attacking right from the start!"

"The left winger takes a great first touch—Cameroon's defense is reacting late! Where's the pressure?"

"Now he's looking up, waiting for support—OH, WHAT A PASS! He threads it right through to his midfielder, who's darting forward between the lines!"

"Dangerous position here! Cameroon's midfield is scrambling! Njike steps up—Hongla joins him—BUT HE GHOSTS RIGHT THROUGH THEM! Brilliant footwork!"

"He's into the left flank now, just outside the box—still going! Here comes Hongla, trying to poke it away—NO! He slips the ball to his left-back, who's made a darting run inside the box!"

"Djoubairou tracks back—CLEAN DEFENDING! But the ball stays with Ghana! The left-back turns away from goal and plays it back to a midfielder at the top of the penalty arc!"

"What's he thinking here? He's got space! Ngoah steps in to cut him off—OH NO, IT GOES THROUGH HIS LEGS! The ball rolls into the perfect spot for a shot!"

"THIS IS A CHANCE! HE WINDS UP—"

BOOM!

"AND HE STRIKES IT CLEAN! The ball knuckles through the air—DJOMO DIVES—BUT IT'S IN!!! GOAL FOR GHANA!!!"

"GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!! UNBELIEVABLE! 24 SECONDS INTO THE MATCH, AND GHANA HAS SCORED!!!"

"THE ACCRA SPORTS STADIUM EXPLODES! The fans are on their feet, flags waving, chanting at the top of their lungs! Ghana couldn't have asked for a better start!"

"Look at the faces of the Cameroonian players! Stunned. Completely stunned. They weren't ready for this! They were still waking up, and Ghana punished them!"

"The aggregate score is now 3-2! Just ONE goal separates these teams! This changes everything! Ghana is right back in the fight!"

"What a strike from the Ghanaian midfielder—cool, composed, and absolutely clinical! He saw the opening, and he buried it! Cameroon's defense simply fell asleep!"

"Coach Atangana on the sidelines—hands on his hips, shaking his head. He knows his team just gifted Ghana a dream start!"

"Now the real question: Can Cameroon wake up and respond? Or are we about to witness a historic comeback from Ghana? Buckle up, folks—this match is going to be explosive!"

...

...

Marcel stood frozen for a moment, unable to believe what had just happened. The game had barely started, and they had already conceded. He wasn't even fully locked into the match, and Ghana had struck first. This was exactly what he feared—if they didn't regroup quickly, things could spiral out of control.

His eyes darted toward Jean and the rest of the team—stunned expressions, heads slightly lowered. They were rattled.

No, this couldn't happen.

Marcel clapped his hands loudly, snapping everyone's attention back. It wasn't his job to rally the team, but if no one else did, then he had to step up.

"Hey! Wake up, guys! We're still in this match! We still have the lead! It's just one goal—we can still win this. It's still the beginning!" Marcel shouted, his voice cutting through the tension.

Coach Atangana strode toward them, nodding approvingly at Marcel before raising his voice.

"Yes! Wake up! If you keep playing like you're half-asleep, we'll concede again and lose everything! You fought too hard in the first leg to throw it away now. Focus!" Atangana barked.

…

The players shook themselves out of their daze. The referee signaled, and the match resumed with Cameroon in possession.

Ganago tapped the ball back to Jean, who took a few quick steps forward toward the center circle. A Ghanaian striker immediately pressed, but Jean calmly sent the ball straight to Djoubairou, who shifted it quickly to Namekong on the right flank.

Namekong's first touch was slightly heavy, and the ball skipped ahead on the rough pitch. He rushed forward, barely managing to regain control before the Ghanaian left-back could poke it away.

Shifting his body, Namekong evaded the challenge with a quick feint, then sent a sharp through ball into the box for Ganago.

"A dangerous pass into the box—Ganago is there!" the commentator exclaimed.

But just as Ganago prepared to shoot, a Ghanaian center-back slid in with a perfectly timed interception, clearing the ball away.

The clearance wasn't far—it fell straight to the Ghanaian striker just before the center circle. Seeing an opening, the striker immediately tried to switch play to the left wing, but Njike read it perfectly, stepping in to intercept.

Njike pushed forward aggressively, covering ground quickly before slotting a pass to Namekong, who controlled the ball near the top of the penalty arc. Without hesitation, he went for goal—

"Namekong winds up… but oh no! That shot is flying straight into orbit! Was he aiming for a bird?" the commentator joked as the ball sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.

…

Cameroon maintained control after the restart, forcing Ghana to sit deeper. A throw-in from Kalamou found Ngoah on the left flank. He quickly returned it to Kalamou, who wasted no time whipping a cross into the box.

The Ghanaian keeper read it well, jumping over Ganago to pluck the ball out of the air, ending the attack.

Immediately, he launched a high ball deep into Cameroon's half. The Ghanaian left winger and Njike both jumped for the aerial duel—Njike won it, but his header lacked power, sending the ball bouncing awkwardly in midfield.

Djoubairou tried to contest it, but a Ghanaian midfielder muscled him off the ball, taking possession before laying it off to his left-back, who surged forward.

Cameroon's defense scrambled to adjust as the Ghanaian full-back advanced down the left. With no clear passing options, he turned his back to goal, shielding the ball from Hongla and Djoubairou before rolling it back to a teammate positioned wide.

With a sudden burst of speed, the Ghanaian midfielder sprinted up the wing and delivered a curling cross into the box—

"Dangerous ball in! The right winger gets there—HE HEADS IT!"

The crowd held its breath as the ball soared toward the net—

"No! It's over! A huge missed chance for Ghana!"

The Ghanaian winger buried his face in his hands. That was a golden opportunity to level the tie in aggregate.

…

After a Ghanaian free-kick was blocked by the wall in the 5th minute, Jean attempted to clear the loose ball, but his clearance was weak, floating toward midfield.

Ganago reacted first, sprinting forward to intercept. He beat his marker to the ball, turned sharply, and charged into Ghana's half.

Three Ghanaian defenders closed in. He couldn't advance anymore and look around.

He spotted Namekong in space on the right and sent a quick pass.

Namekong received it and dashed toward the right edge of the box, but he was quickly surrounded. He cut back, passing to Njike, who immediately switched the play with a sharp ball to Hongla in the left half-space just outside the box.

Hongla controlled it smoothly before feeding Ngoah near the top of the penalty arc.

One touch.

A quick pass between Ghana's center-backs.

Ganago—perfectly positioned—received it inside the box.

But instead of shooting, he surprised everyone by sliding the ball across the left side of the six-yard box—

"And Marcel is there!"

Marcel took one step, his left foot planted, his right boot striking cleanly—

A powerful shot aimed for the far post!

The Ghanaian keeper reacted instantly, diving full stretch—

"OH, WHAT A SAVE!"

The keeper's fingertips barely pushed the ball past the post!

The crowd erupted, some in relief, others in frustration. Marcel clenched his fists.

"That was Cameroon's best chance so far! Marcel struck it well, but the Ghanaian keeper pulled off a fantastic save to deny him!"

Cameroon had a corner, but it ended up safely in the hands of the goalkeeper, bringing the attack to an end.

…

Cameroon maintained control of the match, dictating play and keeping Ghana pinned in their own half. Marcel dazzled the crowd with his full range of dribbling skills—Marseille turns, step-overs, elastico moves—but every time he found a way past one defender, another was there to close him down. He was forced to either pass or send in a cross, but the Ghanaian defenders and their keeper were always in position to deal with it.

Frustrated, Marcel tried different approaches. He struck shots with power, attempted curling efforts, but nothing found the net. Some were blocked by Ghanaian defenders, others rattled the crossbar or the post, and when he did get them on target, the keeper was there to deny him.

Cameroon had already registered eight shots, while Ghana had just five. The Baby Lions were controlling possession, pushing forward with direct attacking football, but Ghana had no intention of keeping the ball, instead focusing on defensive resilience and counter-attacks.

Then, in the 13th minute, disaster struck.

Under pressure from a Ghanaian player, Djoubairou lost possession on the right flank of Cameroon's half. Desperate to recover, he lunged in with a tackle, sending the Ghanaian to the ground. But before the referee could react, Ghana's left winger pounced on the loose ball.

Before he could make a move, Kalamou rushed in with a sliding challenge, sending the ball out of play for a Ghanaian throw-in.

One of Ghana's midfielders stepped up to take the throw-in, launching it toward the right winger just outside the box. Ngoah immediately closed in, applying pressure, but the winger quickly laid it off to his supporting midfielder, who was instantly pressed by Ngoah.

Under pressure, the Ghanaian midfielder switched play, sending the ball to his advancing right-back. Without hesitation, the right-back delivered a quick pass into the box for the right winger, who had made an intelligent run behind the defense.

Danger! Cameroon's defense is caught off guard! The commentator shouted.

The Ghanaian right winger shielded the ball, using his arm to hold off Kalamou, taking small, measured touches as he edged toward the center of the box near the six-yard area. Jean and Toukam rushed forward, bracing for a shot—but just as they stepped up to block, the winger slipped the ball sideways to his left winger, who was lurking at the far post.

A fatal mistake.

The Ghanaian left winger, completely unmarked, struck a first-time shot toward the goal. Djomo reacted, diving low, stretching as far as he could—

But it wasn't enough. The ball hit the net.

GOAL!

Gooooooooooal! The commentator erupted. Ghana have done it again!

What a disaster for Cameroon! After dominating the game since conceding the early goal, they have been caught off guard once more! Against the flow of play, Ghana have doubled their lead!"

It's 2-0 for Ghana! 3-3 on aggregate! And here's where things get interesting—if the score remains like this, Ghana will qualify on home advantage!"

But with the way this match is unfolding, you get the feeling we're in for more goals. The only question is—will it be Ghana securing the comeback? Or will Cameroon find their response? We'll find out in what is turning into an electrifying match!"

…

Marcel stood frozen for a moment, his gaze lifting toward the sky as frustration and doubt crept into his mind. Was he cursed?

Yes, the game wasn't over, but if it ended like this, it would be the second time he failed to lead his team to victory in a crucial match. How did they let a two-goal lead slip away?

He turned his head toward the touchline, his eyes landing on Coach Atangana. The usually composed coach had his head buried in his hands before exhaling sharply and snapping back into action, barking out orders, urging the team to focus and not lose hope.

Marcel, however, wasn't even registering the words.

His hands instinctively found his hips as he lowered his gaze to the ground. His breathing was steady, but his mind was racing. Why was this happening?

He had activated the Defensive Cohesion Boost at the start of the match, yet their defense had fallen apart. Were they simply too overconfident? Were they unfocused? Or was this his punishment for missing that earlier chance?

None of it mattered now. He couldn't turn back time.

Marcel clenched his fists before slapping both his cheeks, a sharp jolt to snap himself out of his thoughts. His brows furrowed, and his jaw tightened. He refused to be eliminated before even reaching the main tournament. That would be unacceptable.

He jogged back toward his half for the restart, his resolve hardening.

If it wasn't working so far, he just had to try harder.

If they had lost confidence, he had to give them a reason to believe again.

If the team needed something to change—then he would be the one to change it.

He exhaled, eyes locked ahead.

He just had to score.