|
|
Black Stars
stun host nation Angola
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
The Black Stars of Ghana on Sunday stunned host nation the
Palancras Negras of Angola with a lone goal victory in a
nerve wracking quarter finals encounter at the 11th November
Sports Stadium in Luanda.
In a highly unfriendly atmosphere with boos and hoots
greeting the presence of the Ghanaian players during pitch
inspection, warm up and the final trotting unto the pitch
for the crucial game, it was a one sided affair as the
Angolans mounted series of attacks in the
Ghanaian in search of the opener in the early minutes of the
game. With a huge attendance that overcrowded the handful of
Ghanaian supporters at the 50,000 capacity 11th November
Sports
Stadium in Southern Luanda, which was painted in the Angolan
national colours and combined with the ever popular
vuvuzelas, the host nation was in full control and had all
the set pieces coming their way but lacking the final bite
to cause any havoc. Within a spate of four minutes, Andre
Ayew's name had gone on the booking sheet of the Algerian
referee, with the host earning a
corner and free-kick but all were subsequently wasted.
So
intense was the pressure on the Stars that Lee Arday nearly
scored two own goals but for the intervention of keeper
Richard
Kingson under the first quarter of the game. Coach Milovan
Rajevic adopted the traditional 4-4-2 system with Opoku
Agyeman taking over Mathew Amoah's role, indicating a
slight change in the set up that defeated Burkina Faso in
the last group game at the same venue for his men to
cautiously soak the
pressure from the host nation with occasional breaks.
It was
during one of such occasional raids that Asamoah Gyan
stunned the entire stadium with a perfect goal in the 15th
minute
when Kwadwo Asamoah located him deep in the opponent's area
after winning a midfield battle and the lone striker wasted
no time in
directing the ball into the corner of the goal post. As if
the goal will unsettle the host nation, it rather gingered
them to search for the much needed equalizer whilst the
Stars were
kept on the edge in an electrified atmosphere even though
they occasional made some breaks.
The Stars' attempt to create a barrier at the midfield did
not work to perfection as the Angolans continued with their
dominance in
the Ghanaian area with over five set pieces in the last 30
minutes of the game and nearly had the equalizer in the 29th
minute through
a header from Alberto Mateus Manucho but keeper Kingson was
alert to save the situation. In a desperate attempt for the
equaliser, Jose Mabina Albert was yellow carded in the
process but the team remained resolute and
the 43rd minute saw a loose ball falling on Manucho but he
surprisingly shot over the bar. The attacking pair of Amado
Flavio and Manucho however remained a constant threat to
Ghana's victory as the pressure continued
even though the Angolans failed to get the equalizer at the
close of the first half. The second half was not different
from the first half as Ghana struggled to find its rhythm in
the game with the home side still
dominating the game but lacked the bite up front to find the
net. Ghana was compelled to withdraw Gyan for Mathew Amoah
whilst the Angolans brought on Job Estevo Ricardo for Cruz
Stelvio but
the presence of the two on each side did not create any
immediate difference but it was Ricardo who later proved his
worth as he
brought more bite in the hosts attack. Despite the Angolan
pressure they were unable to create any clear cut chances as
the striking pair of Flavio and Manucho found the
Ghanaian defence difficult to penetrate with Ghanaian
however getting their brightest chance in the 65th minute
when Dramani
picked up a volley from Agyerman Badu but his shot went
straight into the hands of the goalie.
Four minutes later
Angola created a melee in the Ghana goal area but there was
no connection to cancel the lead with the
subsequent set pieces wasted whilst a free header for
Manucho again missed the target. Stars Eric Addo came on for
Dramani to add strength to the midfield whilst Asamoah took
a move further into attack but the
pressure never ceased from the Angolans but the desire to
walk the ball into the net failed them when it mattered
most.
But for some brave defence work from Isaac Vorsah in
the added on time of the game, the Stars will have let off
the lead as the
defender was on hand to scoop the ball out of the goal line
which incidentally was the last opportunity for them as
referee Benouza
Mohamed of Algeria signalled for the end of proceedings to
the delight of the sparse Ghanaian fans.
LINE UP:
Ghana: Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoom, Hans Adu Sarpei,
Isaac Vorsah, Lee Arday, Agyeman Badu, Opoku Agyeman, Kwadwo
Asamoah, Dede Ayew/Rahim Ayew, Haminu Dramani/Eric Addo,
Asamoah Gyan/Mathew Amoah
Angola: Fernando Carlos, Alonso Kali Carlos, Costa Fernardo
Chara, Santos Zuela/Enoque Guileherme, Gilberto Amaral/Paulo
Baptista
Zekalanga, Felisberto, Campos Djalma, Marques Rui, Amado
Flavio, Cruz Stelvio/Job Estevo Ricardo, Alberto Mabina,
Alberto Mateus Manucho.
Ghanadot |
