Eight things to know about Ghana’s Barca-killer Emmanuel Boateng

Sports News of Monday, 14 May 2018

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2018-05-14

Emmanuel Boateng Levante,Emmanuel Boateng scored his first hat-trick to inflict Ernesto Valverde’s first league defeat

On Sunday, the unexpected happened.

Barcelona’s undefeated La Liga run was halted in their penultimate game against lowly Levante.

In a remarkable game which ended 5-4, it was Ghanaian striker Emmanuel Boateng who stole the show by scoring a brilliant hat-trick.

It’s his debut season in the Spanish top-flight, and Boateng has netted his maiden career treble, become the first player in over a decade to score three goals against Barcelona and also the first Ghanaian ever to score against both Real Madrid (in February) and Barcelona.

But what more do you know about the 21-year-old? Joy Sports has more.

1. Boateng was scouted by current Asante Kotoko gaffer Paa Kwesi Fabin during his days at Osei Kyeretwei Secondary School (OKESS). Sulley Muntari is among notable products of the school, too.

2. Boateng didn’t play in the Ghana Premier League, but he featured for Darkuman-based second-tier side Charity Stars.

3. Boateng featured for the Ghana national under-17 team in 2013.

4. He was part of the Black Satellites team that played at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, scoring once (vs Panama) as Ghana exited at the Round of 16 stage to Mali (pictured above).

5. Boateng joined Portuguese side Rio Ave in 2013, after impressing on trials from Charity Stars. There, he made 13 appearances.

6. On July 7, 2015, Boateng and his Rio Ave teammate Ernest Ohemeng made a permanent move to fellow league team Moreirense (pictured above). He was mainly used as a substitute during his first season before he started to feature more regularly during his second.

7. The highlight of his two-year stay at Moreirense was his brace against giants Benfica which helped the club clinch the Portuguese top-flight in the 2016-17 season. Clearly, he’s got a penchant for scoring in big games.

8. On August 16, 2017, Boateng signed a four-year deal with Levante. With his hat-trick on Sunday, he joins David Barral and Rigano as the only Levante players to score three goals in a single match in the team’s history.

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