Ghana reached the final of the African Cup of
Nations with a 3-0 win over Equatorial Guinea after the match was suspended due
to crowd trouble.
Ghana were coasting with a three-goal advantage, set to end the dreams
of the stand-in host nation, before Equatorial Guinea's fans' missile-throwing
forced their rivals to seek shelter on the pitch around eight minutes from the
end of normal time.
Ghana had made the breakthrough three minutes before half-time as Kwesi Appiah was fouled by goalkeeper Felipe Ovono inside the penalty area.
Jordan Ayew took the resultant penalty, casually
rolling it into the net. And they doubled their lead on the break in time added
on at the end of the half, with Christian Atsu playing in Wakaso Mubarak, who
made himself space in the middle to smash it home.
Andre Ayew wrapped the game up 15 minutes from
time with a tidy tap-in from a neat squared pass from Appiah on the left.
But the game had been marred by some unedifying scenes throughout as
Equatorial Guinea fans threw bottles and other objects onto the pitch from the
stands. It reached a nadir eight minutes from time when Ghana's supporters were
forced to leave their seats and seek shelter with riot police on the pitch.
After more than half an hour's interruption in play, during which Ghana
fans were escorted away to safety, the match resumed, but for only three
minutes before the referee blew the final whistle and brought to an end a truly
shocking and strange night of football as Ghana advanced to the final.
KEY MOMENTS
21' CHANCE! Atsu is played in by Appiah, whose ball is just a
touch too heavy - again Ovono is eager out of his hutch.
30' CHANCE! Atsu plays it back to Wakaso on the edge of the box, and that bounces
across the turf and wide of Ovono's right-hand post.
40' PENALTY TO GHANA! Ovono was simply not quick enough to the ball as
Appiah raced through on goal. The goalkeeper took the ankles and got a booking
for his troubles.
42' GOAL! Ayew takes...and casually rolls it into the net as Ovono goes the wrong
way.
45'+1 GOAL! ...and on the break, Atsu sets it up, Wakaso Mubarak makes a terrific
run, moves into the middle, and smashes it home
75' GOAL! Neat little tap-in from Andre Ayew from a squared ball across the box
from Appiah, who's done well to lure Ovono out from his sticks again.
82' PLAY IS HALTED as Ghana's fans take shelter on the pitch after
they are pelted with missiles.
Nasty displays of petulance and dissent from Equatorial Guinea, with
ominous echoes of the weekend just gone were put into perspective with the
scary scenes in the stands as the host nation's fans pelted the pitch and their
rivals with missiles throughout, causing the match's abandonment.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Wakaso Mubarak (Ghana): Involved in everything.
RATINGS
Ghana: Razak 6, Afful 7, Baba Rahman 7, Mensah 7, Boye 7, Wakaso 8, Acquah 7, J
Ayew 8, Atsu 7, A Ayew 7, Appiah 7. Subs: Badu 7, Acheampong 6.
Equatorial Guinea: Ovono 6, Evuy 6, Mbele 6, Rui 6, Belima 6, Senobua
6, Ellong 6, Iban Esono 6, Balboa 5, Nsue 6, Edu 5. Subs: Fabiani 6, Sipo 7,
Ganet 5.
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