In 54-years of participation in Africa club competitions no Ghanaian side has ever lost an African game conceding six goals in the process.

Aduana Stars were beaten 6-0 by Raja Casablanca on Wednesday during Day 6 of this year’s CAF Confederation Cup.

This is the first time and it is not acceptable. Disappointing performance. Lamentable organization. Disgraceful scoreline and an unwashable stain on the country’s prestige.

For 90 minutes, it was as if the game was programmed to be played towards one direction – Aduana Stars penalty box. Almost every action was directed towards the area and hardly would goalkeeper Gordon Yeboah not be beaten. Very shambolic. In two games that he started against ASEC (in Dormaa) and Raja (Casablanca) he allowed 8 goals. The full blame however does not rest on his head alone as the performances of Emmanuel Akuoko, Paul Aidoo, Faruk Adams, Justice Anane at the back were equally as horrible.

As for Noah Martey and Elvis Opoku – the two central midfielders – they chased shadows throughout the whole duration and at some points in the game it appeared Aduana were playing 9 against 11.

Ghanaians have not smiled in Africa since 2004. Complaints have been made about the sharp decline of Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, nobodies in Africa in the last decade, but 6-0 is hard to take.

No Ghanaian champions deserve to lose by that margin in Africa. That is too much. It is true Kotoko were sufferers of a 4-0 thrashing in the hands of Al Ahly in 2006 in Cairo and Hearts of Oak got annihilated 4-0 at Rades by Esperance in 2015 but ideally this is not how beginners start after the Dormaa side lost by 3-0 against WAC in  a Champions league game in 2011  at the same Mohamed V stadium.

But looking back at how deep Ghana club football has fallen this was expected to happen. It was just a matter of when. The Ghanaian champions failed to keep a single single sheet in six group stage games. 15 goals conceded whilst scoring 5. The difference is a negative 10. Among the 16 clubs that contested the group stage of the Confederation Cup it is Aduana Stars that possessed the weakest defence and with that in mind the Casablanca disgrace of Wednesday August 29 is not overly surprising.

Raja proved their class. This team scored three good goals at the Agyeman Badu Park when they drew 3-3 against Yusif Abubabar’s side and they have the overall top goalscorer of the group stage,  Mahmoud Benhalib,  who scored 7 goals – 4 of them against the Ogya side over two legs.

Aduana line-up for the game: 

GK Gordon Yeboah

Emmanuel Boateng Justice Anane 21″). Faruk Adams. Paul Aidoo (Abdul Rasheed 76″). Emmanuel Akuoko

Elvis Opoku. Noah Martey. Sam Adams

Oba Ikama Ulitch. Boubacar Hainikoye.Yahaya Mohammed

Unused subs – GK Joseph Addo.

Raja goals

Mouhcine Iajour 3″

Mouhcine Iajour 15″

Hadraf Zakaria 30″

Rahimi Soufiane 33″

Benhalib Mahmoud 67″

Benhalib Mahmous 82″