[ 2012-08-16 ]

Ghana, Ivory Coast draw comfort from Cup warm-ups
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Ghana and Ivory Coast will be
encouraged and Morocco and Togo dejected after
midweek warm-up games ahead of 2013 Africa Cup of
Nations qualifiers next month.

The Black Stars of Ghana forced a 1-1 draw in
China and the Elephants of Ivory Coast achieved a
similar result in Russia with both African teams
displaying strength and stamina to come from
behind.

But the Atlas Lions of Morocco went down 2-1 in
Rabat against Guinea and the Sparrowhawks of Togo
conceded three goals within 10 minutes to fall 3-0
against Burkina Faso in France.

All the African teams will be involved in two-leg
Cup of Nations qualifiers during September and
October with places at the 2013 tournament in
South Africa up for grabs.

Ivory Coast were paired with Senegal in the
highlight of the 15 fixtures and recently
appointed French coach Sabri Lamouchi must have
left Moscow satisfied with the way his team clawed
back after conceding an early second-half goal.

Abdul Razack, a 19-year-old debutant from English
Premier League champions Manchester City, hit the
post before Max Gradel nodded the equaliser after
seeing his first attempt rebound off the
woodwork.

Africans teams tended to crumble outside the
continent in the past when they fell behind, but
the Ivorians never panicked and some of their
passing left the Russians dizzy.

Ghana prepared for Malawi by travelling to China
with a depleted squad that had little time to
prepare and after falling behind early in the
second half, clawed back and Richmond
Boakye-Yiadom equalised.

A surprise decision was coach Kwesi Appiah not
using substitute striker Asamoah Gyan, back after
ending a self-imposed exile following criticism of
his missed penalty in the 2012 Cup of Nations
semi-finals defeat by Zambia.

Morocco have failed to spark under multi-trophy
winning Belgian coach Eric Gerets and it took a
stoppage-time goal from Yassine Salhi to make the
result more respectful.

The Atlas Lions went to the last Cup of Nations as
one of the favourites only to make a first-round
exit and will be grateful that they have modest
opponents next month in Mozambique.

Togolese joy at star striker Emmanuel Adebayor
ending the latest of several "retirements" by
coming on as a second-half substitute was severely
diluted when a defensive collapse allowed
Abdoulaye Traore claim a hat-trick.

Gabon, co-hosts and quarter-finalists at the 2012
African tournament, face Togo for a ticket to
South Africa and the Saint Leu Le Foret result
confirmed the Panthers as favourites.

Botswana trailed twice and led once in a 3-3
Gaborone thriller with Tanzania, Tunisia came from
behind twice to hold Iran 2-2 in Hungary and a
home-based Nigeria team had the better of a 0-0
stalemate in Niger.

African champions Zambia lost 2-1 in South Korea,
Egypt conceded a late goal when drawing 1-1 in
Oman, hosts Equatorial Guinea edged Liberia 1-0
and Angola scored twice after half-time to defeat
visiting Mozambique 2-0 in other games.

Source - AFP

... go Back