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Ghana beats Burkina Faso 1 nil
to qualify for quarter-finals
By Masahudu Ankiilu, Ghanadot
Accra, Jan 19, Ghanadot - Ghana
reaches the final eight of the African Nations Cup after
claiming the second qualifying ticket from Group B.
The Black Stars secured a crucial 1-0 win against Burkina
Faso to progress to the quarter-final alongside Ivory Coast.
Ghana will play against hosts, Angola in Luanda on Sunday.
Ghana finished with three points after two games, one behind
Ivory Coast. Burkina Faso finished with one point. Togo
withdrew from the tournament after an armed attack on the
team bus killed two members of its delegation.
Ayew met a cross from a Samuel Inkoom's freekick on the
right side of attack and directed it past the Burkina Faso
goalkeeper Diakete after 30 minutes.
Ghana, four-time African Champions needed a win to progress
to the final eight of the competition after getting their
campaign off to a stuttering start, losing 3-1 to Ivory
Coast in Group B.
Despite a rather slow start, Ghana appeared to have finally
warmed themselves into the competition as they matched the
physical game of the Burkina Faso side who finished with ten
men following a red card to Hamadou Tall in the second half.
The opening half saw four yellow cards with three going
against Burkina Faso.
Agyemang-Badu was Ghana's second player to enter referee
Eddy Maillet's books after picking up a yellow card as the
Black Stars failed to increase the score against a
numerically challenged side.
In the absence of the injured Michael Essien who watched
proceedings from the stands, Milovan Rajevac made four
changes from the side that started against Ivory Coast last
Friday, with Asamoah Gyan, Hans Adu Sarpei, Haminu Draman
and Lee Addy all coming in.
But before the final kick, Dominic Adiyiah was handed his
Nations Cup debut as Rajevac sent him on for Mathew Amoah.
Two other changes were made with Asamoah Gyan and Haminu
Dramani giving way to Ibrahim Ayew and Opoku Agyemang.
Starting team: Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoom, Hans Adu
Sarpei, Lee Addy, Isaac Vorsah, Emmanuel Agyeman-Badu,
Haminu Draman/Opoku Agyemang, Kwadwo Asamoah, Mathew Amoah/Dominic
Adiyiah, Asamoah Gyan/Ibrahim Ayew, Andre Ayew
Substitutes: Philemon McCarthy, Ibrahim Ayew, Moussa Narry,
Ransford Osei, Jonathan Mensah, Opoku Agyemang, Anthony
Annan, Eric Addo, Daniel Adjei, Dominic Adiyiah, Harrison
Afful
Ghanadot
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