Ghana shows Togo class

How the nations are placed

Stars played an improved game but more room for improvement- Dossena

Accra (Ghana), Friday 28^th January, 2000

It took forty-five minutes of splendid soccer by Ghana’s Black Stars to tell all that differs between them and Les Aiglons of Togo in their second game of the Group A match played at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Stars’ classical display fetched them two goals without reply and the three points at stake to call the bluff of the Togolese who beat them two years ago in Burkina Faso and had vowed to do same.

With both teams registering draws in their opening games, the stage was set for an uncompromising encounter. The Ghanaians however proved the tactically superior side as they dictated the pattern and pace of the game for the greater part.

Three minutes into the game and Ghana had already won two free-kicks. Skipper C.K. Akunnor curled a lovely one but goalkeeper Ametokodo Messan did well to grab. Alex Nyarko blew the other kick wayward.

With playmaker Otto Addo effectively controlling the midfield, Ghana piled on pressure and came close in the 12^th, 15^th and 17^th minutes but strikers Kwame Ayew and Yaw Preko fumbled with the final touch. Ayew however was on target in the 27^th minute with a cannon of a shot from 25 metres that rattled past keeper Messan and rolled into the net for the opener.

The Stars sustained the pressure on their opponents and ten minutes later Addo dribbled two defender and dummied the goalkeeper before, planting the ball in the net to receive wild cheers from 40,000 spectators at the stadium.

With Togo still reeling Ghana could have increased their tally but their defence marshaled around Senaya Yao and Abalo Yaovi tidied up well to avoid total massacre.

The second half witnessed a not too impressive showing from the Black Stars with Eben Dugbartey receiving the marching off orders for a second book-able offence. However skipper C.K. Akunnor’s 30 metre shot could have added to the scoreline but it hit the woodwork for welcome goal-kick to the Togolese.

Goalkeeper Kingston in Ghana’s post was called on duty to parry a shot from Daudja Lantame in the 75^th minute while Coubadja Abdel Kader was stopped in his tracks by Sam Johnson as he moved threateningly towards goal in a bid to a salvage a draw for his country.

The Togolese bench replaced Fiawoo Kofi, Sherif Toure and Franck Atsou with Djima Oyawole, Akakpo Patron and Dote Franck to strengthen their attack but Ghana’s coach Dosenna tightened his defence by pulling out Yaw Preko, Christian Gyan and Otto Addo for Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Stephen Baidoo and Dan Addo.

It remained a ding-dong battle until Referee Al Arjoun Abderrahim of Morocco signalled for the end of the game.

With the win Ghana tops Group A with four points from two matches while Togo are bottom placed with a point.

South Africa scored a lone goal victory against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their Group B match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium, also on Thursday.

Forward Thurstan Bartlett scored on the stroke of half time to pick the maximum three points for the Bafana Bafana who now lead their Group with six points and have thus qualified into the next stage of the competition.

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A total of 21 goals have been scored in the seven matches so far played leaving a tournament statistics of 3.0 per match. Leading the goal-king chart is South Africa’s Thurstan Bartlett who has netted thrice. He was on target on twice when the Bafana Bafana played against Gabon on Sunday and scored their only goal in yesterday’s match.

Ghana’s Kwame Ayew and the Nigerians Austin Okocha and Victor Ikpeba have two goals to their credit.

The following have each found the net once:

John Shoe Moshoe (S. Africa), Chiva Inzigou (Gabon), Hossan Hassam and Yasser Radwan (Egypt), Otto Addo (Ghana) Foe Marc Vivien (Cameroon), Tchiressoua Guel (Cote d’Ivoire), Daudja Lantame (Togo), Azziez Walih and Selimi Adel (Tunisia), Henri Camara, Papa Sarr and Salif Keita (Senegal), Ousmane Sanou (Burkina Faso)

By EVANS OWUSU

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The Black Stars coach, Giussepe Dossena on Thursday, said though his boys played an improved game against Togo in their second group A match at the Accra Sports Stadium, there is still room for improvement.

The Stars played better in the first half, which brought the two goals, coach Dossena said at a post-match press conference at the Accra Sports Stadium.

"The spirit of the Black Stars is back and I hope we will see a much improved performance in our next match against Cote d'ivoire on Monday," he added.

Skipper C K Akunnor said although the referee was fair the red card he showed Eben Dugbartey was unmerited.

Commenting on their next game against Cote d'Ivoire, skipper Akunnor said: "we will follow the instructions of the coach as we did in today's match".

Otto Addo, scorer of the second goal for the Black Stars, said they played a great game and deserved to win.

Asked how he felt after scoring his first international goal, he said: "naturally I am happy but I think I scored for the whole team and not for himself".

The Togolese did not turn up for the post-match conference on grounds that their coach Gottlieb Goeller has been suddenly taken ill.

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