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Ghana/Gabon: Stars Back on Top After Gabon Revenge
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Kickoff Ghana (Cape Town)
23 June 2008
Posted to the web 23 June 2008
Ghana moved back to the top of the joint 2010 African and World Cup qualifying Group 2 with a 2-0 win over Gabon at the Ohene Djan Stadium.
Saudi Arabia based striker Prince Tagoe and midfielder Sulley Muntari scored the goals that not only gave Ghana a deserved win but a measure of revenge for the Black Stars who lost by the same score line in Libreville last week.
Ghana are now tied level on points in Group 5 with North Africans Libya ahead of a September 5 meeting between the two sides but have top spot on account of a superior goal difference of 4 against Libya’s 2.
But that goal difference should have been a lot more after Ghana had the better chances against a Gabon side who set shop to put as many men as possible behind the ball whenever the Ghanaians got on the ball.
The Black Stars on the other hand, having been heavily criticized after that defeat in Libreville responded well, attacking from the moment South African referee Damon Jerome called the two teams into action. Junior Agogo pulled an intelligent ball back into the box after two minutes but Prince Tagoe at full stretch couldn’t reach it.
Laryea Kingston brilliantly set up Junior Agogo but his boots got underneath the ball which flew over the bar on 14 minutes before Gabon goalkeeper Didier Ovono lost the ball in midair only for Muntari’s connection to be cleared off the line by the Gabon defence.
But Ghana’s pressure was mounting and Prince Tagoe went close for the Stars when he hit a really good first time shot in the six-yard box that came off the foot of Ovono’s goal with the Georgia based goalkeeper well beaten.
Ten minutes later on the half hour mark, Tagoe found the net after a brilliant piece of individual work. Sulley Muntari lifted a hopeful ball into the Gabon area which Tagoe was the first to get to. He rode the first challenge with his head before forcing his way through Bruno Manga and Nguema Obami to toe poke the opener for the Black Stars.
Gabon responded well though. Richard Kingson saved well from Rogur Meye when he was through on goal while Stephane Nuguema shot wide from a free kick which had been needlessly given away by John Mensah.
Two minutes before the first half break, Anthony Annan thought he had scored his first goal for the Black Stars but his 30 meter shot was ruled out by Damon who said Junior Agogo was interfering with play in an offside position at the time the Norway based player hit the ball.
Ghana had the momentum though and built on it in the second half with Prince Tagoe, famously nicknamed the Prince of Goals during his days at Accra Hearts of Oak leading the charge in a stadium he made his name.
Four minutes into the second half, Laryea Kingston hit a wonderful 30 yard pass that Tagoe was quick to get to but he took one touch too many and Ovono was quick off his mark to close the space and force a corner kick instead.
Tagoe’s movement was a major worry for the Gabonese and when he attacked a cross by Muntari on the Gabonese right, the Azingo National were once again saved by the post.
Moments afterwards, Michael Essien who was having a quiet game by his own high standards was put through by Muntari from a free kick but once again Ovono’s goalkeeping was spot on, doing just enough to tip the Chelsea star’s acrobatic effort just wide.
A second goal looked inevitable and it came fifteen minutes from the end through Muntari. Quincy Owusu Abeyie ignored once too often during the qualifiers had come on for Laryea and it didn’t take long before he wove his magic.
He picked up the ball from the left side and has so often done in a Ghana shirt, delivered a low cross that Muntari got the needed touch to for his 12 th goal for the Black Stars in 41 games.
It was no less than Ghana deserved and as Laryea Kingston had promised the perfect response after a week in which their commitment had been questioned on every platform.
John Mensah looked like the player who has been linked every week to one club or the other while Anthony Annan and Sulley Muntari roamed the midfield in the manner that endeared him to many Ghanaians so often.
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The only worry for Ghana on a satisfying afternoon was a shoulder injury to Annan that forced him to be taken to the hospital and forced Ghana to play the last five minutes with ten men.
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