You might call it an uninspiring yet professional performance. But all said and done, the Black Stars of Ghana have topped Group D and qualified for the quarter finals in the on-going 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after their encounter with the Syli National of Guinea ended in a scored stalemate (1-1).
The Black Stars shot into the lead courtesy an Agyeman Badu thumping volley from a corner in the 27th minute when the Udinese midfielder after a short corner, flicked the ball up and just smacked the goal of the tournament into the top left, BOOM!
However deep into injury time, the Guineans equalised when a cross-cum-shot by Camara sails over Larsen. Freak goal by all standards.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Ghana v Guinea in African Cup of Nations Group D. Guinea name their strongest line-up, unsurprisingly, with only one change in Mamadou Bah coming in for Aboubacar Camara, who scored in the 6-1 win over Botswana.
So for Ghana both John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah return from suspension but the former - who is the captain - is left out due to the form of John Boye. Gyan is supported by Andre Ayew and Kwadwo Asamoah.
PERMUTATIONS:
Ghana has six points and a draw is enough to top the group. Guinea have to better Mali's result against lowly Botswana to qualify; but there is an outside chance of Ghana crashing out if they lose this match - a heavy Mali win would see the head-to-head come down to goal difference in the matches played between these teams.
TEAMS - Ghana:
Larsen, Pantsil, Alhassan, Vorsah, Boye, Inkoom, Annan, Agyemang-Badu, Asamoah, Andre Ayew, Gyan; Subs: Adjei, Opare, John Mensah, Boateng, Muntari, Tagoe, Jordan Ayew, Addy, Takyi, Jonathan Mensah, Abu, Sowah ///
Guinea:
NM.Yattara, I.Diallo, T.Bah, B.Balde, Zayatte, L.Camara, M.Bah, Traore, Feindouno, S.Diallo, I.Bangoura; Subs: Keita, I.S. Bangoura, Abdoul Camara, I.Yattara, Conte, Cisse, Soumah, Kalabane, A.Bangoura, JH.Balde, Barry, A.Camara
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1' The first half is underway!
2' Ghana with early possession. If Guinea win this get the calculators out...
3 (Yellow Card) Masahudu Alhassan of Ghana is booked for a foul. Looked harsh.
4' Good run by Bangoura, who wins a corner off the outstretched leg of Pantsil.
5' Feindouno puts in a poor corner though and Ghana clear.
6' Camara on the run wide left but his cross doesn't reach Bangoura, Vorsah heading clear. Down the other end Gyan is offside. Zayatte stepping up
7' Very cool defending from Vorsah but the whistle goes for a foul by Diallo.
8' Ayew sweeps it wide for Inkoom, high cross and the keeper claims. Shove from Ayew on a defender, spotted by the ref.
9' Good run down the right by Traore but Vorsah again blocks. He's a fine defender - now Guinea are in transition, Ghana easily have the best back-line in Africa and one of the tightest units around period.
10' Balde and Bah get a bit confused under pressure but clear upfield. Gyan with a clever diagonal run but they recovered well in the end.
11' Shout for a penalty after Larsen rushes out and takes down Traore but play on says the ref! A diagonal ball sent Traore clean through with Ghana split for once, but the ref said he got the ball.
12' The replay shows Larsen did NOT get the ball at all, half pulling out and catching Traore with his feet! Should have been a penalty if you ask me!
12' More positive play from Guinea as they win a corner on the left.
13' Feindouno takes it short and the net result is just as poor as his earlier cross. Out for a throw now on the left wing.
15' High boot from Feindouno on Badu so Ghana have a free-kick. Taken short.
16' The short option does not yield anything for Ghana, a bit of a lull now after a decent start.
18' Diallo on the left finds Camara, he takes on Pantsil and wins a corner.
19' Bangoura with a superb cross but Boye does well to hack behind for a corner - that just fizzed across the six-yard box!
20' Feindouno takes a more direct corner this time but Ghana clear. Pantsil runs away with it and is chopped down by Bah.
21' Now that should have been a foul as John Paintsil is hacked down. Oddly a throw is given but it's Ghana's ball so same result. Alhassan lobs it down the line, Diallo clears and Badu is fouled. Scrappy play i should say.
22' (Yellow Card) Feindouno doesn't retreat and has dissented his way into the book.
23' Camara again takes on Pantsil but good defending from Boye once more to clear.
24' Gyan is sent through after a super run down the left by Inkoom but he strays a yard offside.
25' Zayatte is hurt after sliding in during that incident. Just a bit dazed, the former Hull man now playing in Turkey with Istanbul.
26' Traore has the ball in the back of the net after a great pass from Feindouno, and a lovely finish under Larsen, but he was half a yard off. Good call from the lino.
27' GOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!!!
WHAT A GOAL! Ghana take the lead with a screamer! Badu with a thumping volley from a corner! Wow! It was taken short, he flicked it up and just smacked the goal of the tournament into the top left. Boom!
28' Guinea had been doing rather well too, they'd had the better of the opening stages. But with class like that you can see why these lads are favourites, and how they got to the quarters of the World Cup.
29' Ghana have another free-kick, on the right, Pantsil to take. Guinea clear though and launch a counter...
30' Bah on the right finds Bangoura but he can't do anything with it and out for a goal kick.
31' The flag goes up as Diallo challenges Vorsah. Not sure if for an offside or foul but Ghana have a free-kick.
32' Free-kick to Ghana on the right, curled in by Badu but over Gyan's head and out for a goal kick.
33' Ayew is down hurt. Worrying for Ghana. A collision with Zayatte.
34' Ayew is still down hurt. Elbow, but not deliberate as both went for the header.
35' Ayew has some ice on his head and should be okay. Ivory Coast became the first team to qualify from a CAN group without conceding, and Ghana are on track to be the second.
36' Play restarts as Traore has a pop after cutting back from the right, Inkoom tracking back to block. Corner.
37' The keeper pushes the corner away, another high one comes in and he palms it over for another corner on the right.
38' This time Traore's corner is punched well clear though and Ghana have a free-kick on halfway.
39' A delay with a player down injured....
40' That was a penalty to Ghana no doubt. Gyan who has been quiet for a while gets a one-on-one situation with Zayatte. The Al-Ain striker flicks it over Zayatte and nutmegs him too, he's in and goes down but no foul says the ref!
41' JUST WIDE BY INKOOM! Causing havoc with Gyan as Guinea fall apart defensively with Balde and Zayatte unable to clear their lines, Gyan on the ground knocks it back in and Inkoom can only put it wide.
42' Camara takes down a high ball brilliantly, he's past Pantsil but the young Ghanaian goalie Larsen saves the situation. Good positioning by Kwarasey
43' Alhassan goes down but he tripped over his own shoes and gets nothing.
44' Balde with a powerful header clear. Ayew wins a free-kick on the right though.
45' Gyan gets the ball wide right, he flicks it in and drills a low shot near post but side netting! May have clipped the post...
45+1 Two minutes added time being played.
45+2 ANOTHER SPECTACULAR GOAL!(Guinea)
Not sure Camara meant it though, a cross-cum-shot that sails over Larsen and in. Ghana concede for the first time this tournament! Freak goal!
45+3
Half-time and 1-1, two cracking if very different goals. This means Guinea are still third on head-to-head but if they score again - and if it stays goalless between Mali and Botswana - we could be in for a super finish!
46' Here we go..AGAIN. Ghana gets the second half underway
47'Early pressure from the Guineans as they push Ghana back.
49' SHOCKER!!! Botswana lead for the first time ever in an African Cup of Nations finals match. Well, I'm not sure if Guinea know what has happened but there is a ripple in the crowd in the stadium! If it stays like this, Guinea go through!!
(Ngele who sparks the game into live with his goal. It's very slack defending from Mali as Moemedi Moatlhaping gets in behind on the right and cuts back for Ngele, who dispatches a fine finish from the centre of the box)
What that goal means is that Guinea, currently drawing with Ghana, are heading through to the quarter-finals at Mali's expense.
49' Back to the Ghana/Guinea game. Free-kick to Ghana on the right now. I'm processing some terrible news though - AT LEAST 25 have been killed in a riot and stampede after Ahly-Masry in Port Said. Reports also indicate that Cairo International Stadium is on fire too.
51' Another goal in the Botswana-Mali - bad news for Guinea, as Mali have levelled. Botswana 1-1 Mali! Maiga gets a firm header to a cross from Abdou Traore, drawing a fine save from Marumo. However, Dembele is on hand to follow up and smack the ball home for the equaliser
52' OKAY to the match of the day. Ghana on the back foot again as Guinea come close to scoring. Bangoura is in and he could score a second for Guinea but a fine stop by Larsen!
53' A delay due to an injury to Larsen after that incident.
54' Larsen is getting a bit of treatment but he's okay.
55' Another injury delay now as a Guinea player gets some sponging on a head knock... Also Vorsah is down for Ghana..
56' Vorsah limps off with what looks like a leg problem. Corner to Guinea...
57' Punched clear by Larsen, Bah has it though and knocks it across but Ghana scramble clear.
58' Traore on the right but he loses his footing and the ball spins out for a goal kick.
59' Guinea on the charge, Feindouno finding Camara who wins a corner off Pantsil.
60' Danger mounting for Ghana. Pinball this is. A surprise low ball in is flicked by Zayatte, miskicked by a defender but hooked away to safety. Traore puts the second in longer, but Diallo hacks his shot miles wide.
OK, so the deaths and pitch invasion was in Port Said; Cairo international stadium IS on fire but in a separate incident during Zamalek's match.
64' Play has become very bitty...Ghana are now doing a good job of killing the tempo of this game, but Guinea have enough about them to snatch something. Still 1-1 in the other game.
65' A succession of throws for Guinea on their left. Cleared all the way back and with the keeper.
66' Yattara, in post for Guinea almost plays it straight to Gyan but just beyond him! The former Sunderland striker goes down, over-stretching.
67' Great chance for Guinea. Diallo tries to dance into the Ghana box but Pantsil clears. This is better from Guinea.
68' Tell you what, if Guinea gets a goal i wouldn't be surprised. Ghana has not made more than two incursions into the Guinean half in this second period. Guinea come forward again but Pantsil does his job to clear from Traore.
69' RED CARD (Guinea)
Second yellow card for Bah! Already booked, he clobbers Pantsil and he is off. Oh dear. It was for a cynical trip on Pantsil and Bah is really angry as he stomps off down the tunnel.
71' Pantsil is carried off on a stretcher. Sure he'll be okay for the quarters, if not back in a jiffy.
72' GOAL! Botswana 1-2 Mali! It is star man Keita who gets a crucial goal for his side. He first does excellently to hold under the ball under pressure and then receives it back from Diabate before producing an accomplished side-foot finish. That goal will render this game somewhat academic.
As things stand Ghana top the group with seven points, Mali have six, Guinea four and Botswana zero
73' Ayew swings over a corner that Yattara has to push behind for a second one. He claims it had already curled out. Corner anyway.
73' This time Yattara claims the corner well enough.
I'm not saying much as there is yet another delay after an 'injury'. This could drag on for some time...
76' GHANA SUB: Tagoe on for Gyan. Keeper Larsen still receiving treatment on the pitch;
77' GUINEA SUB: Balde (Habib) on for Feindouno.
78' GHANA SUB: Annan comes off for Boateng. Still delayed as Larsen gets treated. He's up now and restarts play.
There will be around five or six added minutes in this match I would say.
80' A Guinea attack breaks down as a miscontrolled, weak cross from Bangoura lands for Larsen.
82' Okay, the Black Stars begin to make their one-man advantage count They win a corner on the left... Swung in by Badu but headed clear.
83' Vorsah is down hurt after being taken out when Yattara punched the ball.
84' Out of the blue Ghana nearly grabs a second goal. A bouncing ball almost catches the Guinean goalie, Yattara out but it sails over. Just.
85' Ball in play now. Guinea come forward again. Camara swings in a free-kick which yields a corner. That is cleared though and Guinea have to go all the way back to Yattara.
87' GHANA SUB: Ayew comes off for Takyi
88' Camara puts in the corner but the sub Tagoe clears easily for a throw near halfway.
89' Clear trip on Alhassan by Balde. Mali-Botswana in stoppage time, still 2-1 Mali....
90'Five minutes added time signalled.
90+1 Great chance for Ghana. Prince Tagoe is ahead of the Guinean defender but Bah takes him down on the edge of the box. Another booking for Guinea
90+2 Asamoah curls the free-kick in but straight at Yattara. Wasted effort.
FULL TIME. Mali come from behind to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Dembele and Keita. They are almost certainly in the quarter-finals but we must await the result from the Ghana/Guinea game. It is currently 1-1, which takes Mali through.
90+3 Boye goes down as his keeper claims a high ball. He's been okay.
90+4 Another chance for Ghana. Good cross from Takyi but Tagoe heads high and wide. Decent chance that!
90+5 The five minutes are up and its all over !!!!!!. 1-1 it ended. Referee Benett of South Africa brings proceedings to an end. Ghana have drawn 1-1 with Guinea so that means Mali are through in second place and will face Gabon. Ghana top the group, Guinea are out!
Ghana will play Tunisia on Sunday at 7:00 while Mali plays co-host Gabon
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