The Black Stars of Ghana whitewashed the Walia Antelopes of Ethiopia by five goals to nothing on Sunday afternoon at the BabaYara Stadium in Kumasi.

Coach Kwesi Appiah paraded a youthful lineup made up of three debutants namely Agbenyenu Lumor, Thomas Agyapong and Raphael Dwamena and it worked to perfection as the latter grabbed a brace.

Ghana started the game brightly and got the opener before the quarter hour mark when skipper Asamoah Gyan connected home with a beautiful header from a Thomas Agyapong cross.

Ghana continued to put pressure on the East Africans and it did not take long for centre-back John Boye who was lurking inside the opponent box to create space for himself and hit a brilliant effort which went straight to the far corner of the net.

The Walia Antelopes at this stage recoiled to their shells but Ghana kept pushing more men forward as the second have drew to a close. Striker Raphael Dwamena made it three for Ghana on the stroke of full time with a predatory strike after grabbing a loose ball in the Ethiopian box.

Ghana finished the first half 3-0 up.
The Black Stars started the second half with the same eagerness and seized the wings with Thomas Agyepong being in the thick of affairs.

Ebenezer Ofori who was operating in an unfamiliar central midfield role drifted a little wide and beat his marker before unleashing a ferocious 20-yard shot which zoomed into the net in the 65th minute with the opposing goalkeeper well beaten.

Raphael Dwamena completed his double in the 78th minute after he tapped in a rebound after the Ethiopian keeper had failed to grab an Andre Ayew strike.

The goalie got injured in the process and had to be substituted whilst Ghana also brought on the likes of Majeed Waris, Afriyie Acquah and Jordan Ayew for Asamoah Gyan, Andre Ayew and Thomas Partey respectively.

The Walia Antelopes came threatening in the final ten minutes but goalkeeper Richard Ofori made three great saves to still keep the scores at 5-0.

Ghana are now on top of the group and will play as Guests to the Harambee Stars of Kenya in match day two on 27th March 2018 in Nairobi.