Ghana became the second side to book a quarter-final place at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon when they edged Mali 1-0 in Group D at the Stade de Port-Gentil on Saturday.
Experienced forward Asamoah Gyan grabbed the only goal of the game to become his country’s leading all-time scorer in the continental championship with an eighth career strike across six tournaments.
Egypt needed a goal two minutes from time by substitute Abdallah Said to beat Uganda 1-0, a result that ensured the east African side would be the first team eliminated from the tournament.
Photo: AFP
Ghana lead the pool with six points from two games, followed by Egypt with four, Mali one and Uganda zero.
Ghana rode their luck against Mali, but joined Group B side Senegal in the next round and now face a shootout for top spot in the group with Egypt on Wednesday.
West Ham United striker Andre Ayew missed a sitter when he shot wide of an open goal, but four minutes later Ghana were ahead as his younger brother Jordan Ayew whipped in a cross for Gyan to powerfully head home.
Ghana goalkeeper Razak Brimah had to make two excellent late saves to deny Kalifa Coulibaly and Bakary Sako as Mali pressed for an equalizer.
“We are pleased with our performance,” Gyan told reporters. “Whether we play an excellent match or not, we just want to win and advance in the tournament.”
It looked as though Egypt were headed for a second successive 0-0 draw, but were rewarded for their persistence when Said drilled the ball through the legs of Uganda goalkeeper Denis Onyango after being teed up by Mohamed Salah.
Egypt’s Argentine coach Hector Cuper was relieved that his side pulled off the win in testing conditions.
“It was difficult on that pitch and in this climate, but we won and that is the important thing,” he said.
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
New Zealand yesterday reached 231-9 at stumps on a first day of the first Test against the West Indies shortened by rain after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47. After Matt Henry went for 8, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on 4 when bad light stopped play after 70
Robin Smith, the batter who shone for England in a period when it was beaten regularly in Test cricket, has died. He was 62. Smith’s family said in a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that he died unexpectedly at his home in Perth, Australia, on Monday. No cause was given. He played 62 Tests for England from 1988 to 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67 with nine centuries. His signature shot was the square cut. Smith also played in 71 one-day internationals and was part of England’s squad who reached the 1992 ICC World Cup final. His unbeaten
SSC Napoli on Sunday joined AC Milan at the top of Serie A after winning 1-0 at title rivals AS Roma, as Inter kept pace with the leading pair by beating Pisa SC 2-0. David Neres stroked home the only goal of a feisty game in the 36th minute at the Stadio Olimpico, ending a blistering counterattack with a calm finish which put Napoli on 28 points. Napoli are behind Milan on goal-difference, and just one point ahead of both Roma and Inter in a tight scudetto battle in which Antonio Conte’s team are to host Juventus at the weekend. “To come to
RSS