On a thrilling evening in Barcelona, 18-year-old Ghanaian defender Hafiz Gariba announced himself in style, scoring a dramatic late equalizer to secure a 2-2 draw for Barcelona Juvenil B against L’Hospitalet.

The visitors took the lead early in the match, but Barcelona responded through Antonio Gómez, who expertly headed in an Adrian Guerrero corner. L’Hospitalet, however, struck again, regaining their advantage as the game edged toward its conclusion.

Just when it seemed Barcelona would suffer defeat, Gariba rose to the occasion—literally. The towering centre-back latched onto a precise cross in the dying moments, sending a powerful header into the net and rescuing a crucial point for his side.

Gariba’s journey to Barcelona is one of determination and promise. Discovered playing football in Teshie, Ghana, he made his way to Spain through the Maschet School academy before earning a three-year deal with the Catalan giants. With Barcelona increasingly investing in young African talents—including fellow Ghanaians David Oduro and Aziz Issah—Gariba now has the perfect stage to develop into a future star.