[ 2014-11-20 ]

Ghana pound Togo to book AFCON place
The Black Stars of Ghana have qualified for the
2015 AFCON tournament following a convincing 3-1
victory over the Hawks of Togo in Tamale.
Mubarak Wakaso teed of Majeed Waris for the first
goal before firing a screamer from 35 yards to end
the proceedings of the first half.
Togo came back strongly in the second half with a
crucial Jonathan Aryittey header but an own goal
late on means Ghana would ride high on a palanquin
to Equatorial Guinea while their West African
counterparts crash out next year's tournament.
It was billed to be a cliffhanger with the
visitors hugely optimistic of causing an upset in
Tamale especially in the absence of three of
Ghana's influential players- Asamoah Gyan, Dede
Ayew and Kwadwo Asamoah. And the game lived up to
its billing.
It was the depleted Ghana side who were on rampage
with Jordan Ayew making an incursion in the
opening embers of the game. The France based
striker beat his marker beautifully but his final
cross to Majeed Waris was intercepted by Agassa in
post for Togo.
The host initiated several attacks from the flanks
with Baba Rahman and Solomon Asante running at the
opposing defence men from the left and right
respectively but the Stars strikers almost always
missed the net by inches.
It was only a matter of time for the Stars to
break the dead lock and that time came.
Mubarak Wakasu served a delightful cross from the
right in the 23rd minute and the diminutive Majeed
Waris connected with a glancing header from close
range for Ghana's first goal.
Four minutes later Wakasu turned from being a
provider into the scorer with a 35 yards screamer
- a goal which may well be the best of the
qualifiers.
It would have been three if the Stars' stand-in
skipper Agyemang Badu had been been selfless.
It would have been three if the Stars' stand-in
skipper Agyemang Badu had been selfless in the
30th minute.The Udinese midfielder had Jordan Ayew
in full view and better positioned to score but he
went for goal instead of laying the pass to his
striker. Jordan was mad and understandably so.
The Togo attack had been kept in check with
skipper Emmanuel Adebayor dropping deep on most
occasions to receive the supplies but that would
not work out.
In the second half it was the guests who came with
an early scare pulling a goal back from a Jonathan
Aryittey header.
Togo came close to drawing parity with a swift
counter attack but the final pass to Adebayor was
cleared to safety by Jonathan Mensah.
In what would break many a Togo hearts, Skipper
Agyemang Badu beat his marker and whipped in a
cross but in a desperate bid to clear the ball the
Togolese defender turned the ball into own net,
restoring Ghana's two goal lead.
The game turned a bit physical with skipper
Emmanuel Adebayor being the biggest culprit.
The game ended 3-1 in favour of Ghana.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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