ANC Qualifiers: Ghana 4-1 Zimbabwe

ACCRA, Oct 8 (Reuters)(DS) African Nations Cup group six qualifying match
Scorers:
Ghana - Stephen Appiah 28, Emmanuel Duah 42, Charles Amoah 48, Charles Akunnor 78 pen.
Zimbabwe - Benjamin Mwarawan 47
Halftime 2-0; Attendance 50,000


Black Stars: Kingston, Baidoo, Nettey, Samuel Kuffour/Sarpei, Johnson, Edusei, Appiah, Otto/Preko, Amoah/Emmanuel Kuffour, Duah, Akonnor.

Graphic Report
The Black Stars of Ghana yesterday crowned an afternoon of fluent football with a 4-1 demolition of Zimbabwe’s Warriors and zoomed to the top of their group in the run up to the 2002 Nations Cup finals.
The Accra Sports Stadium venue of the well-hyped clash had been jam-packed by enthusiastic fans, some flowing over the stadium, in anticipation of a cliff hanger.
That high expectation found strong roots in Zimbabwe’s soaring reputation as an emerging force in African football; an image recently boosted by the country’s first international football title, the COSAFA Castle Cup. And though the absence of team icon, Peter Ndlovu, on club duty at Birmingham City in the English League, threatened to steal some of the glamour from the Zimbabwean game, the first minute of the game alarmed the home crowd that the Stars had a match on hand.
Within the ferocious opening minute of the match, Zimbabwe signalled they would play the macho while the Stars opened up the game and the first victims of that robust opening were offensive midfielder Otto Addo and goalkeeper Richard Kingston.
By the third minute, Zimbabwe’s hatchet man in defence, Daniel Choto had earned the yellow card for two bad tackles and the sobering effect it had on the visitors, that Egyptian referee El Ghandour would brook no recklessness, provided a fine setting for the magic in Stephen Appiah and Emmanuel Duah to flourish.
With powerful brass band sounds adding rhythm to a huge football show, every touch of Stephen Appiah’s in midfield, was a moment for celebration. But after masterminding a few scrambles in the opponents’ vital area, Appiah chose the 28th minute to extend the range of his adventure deeper upfield. He pounced on a piercing cross from deadly striker Charles Amoah, dummied his marker with a dazzling feet shuffle and with a clear view of target, slammed the ball to the far side of the net with an unfamiliar left volley. The Zimbabwean resistance so artfully shattered, the Stars intensified their attacking game with a sweet flow of Ghana made football, a blend of speed and skill, putting Zimbabwe under intense pressure.
Even at that stage of battle, the exchanges were not as lopsided as the scoring chances may suggest. But it certainly was not as close as anticipated. It showed when the Warriors took a big gamble, committing their entire midfield strength to support a 40th minute search for a goal. Led by Mwaruwan, Zimbabwe got dangerously close but his final assault was halted by Sam Johnson who instantly initiated a counter attack.
Defender Stephen Baidoo pushed the counter further, and, dashing along the touchline, he hammered a shot across the opponents’ goal and Emmanuel Duah materialised there at the right time to head in the second goal for Ghana to hold on till half time.
The opening minutes of the second half was even more dramatic with two rapid goals withing three minutes setting the stage for another 45 minutes of a soccer thriller.
It was a half defined by the speed of Yaw Preko, the Turkey-based pro, who replaced Otto Addo and cut through the Zimbabwean defence with no limitation to his acceleration.
Two minutes before the full effect of Preko’s speed on the Zimbabwean defence, a slip by Sam Johnson brought hope to the opponents. Surrounded by three attackers, a moment of indecision on how to deal with an aerial lob caused Johnson to slip with a backward header. The misdirection fell for Bernard Mwaruwan to shoot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Richard Kingston to claw one back for the visitors.
Within one minute from the restart, Preko’s speed prevailed. He dashed like a hare to the right, leaving a host of markers behind and fired a shot across for Swiss-based Amoah to head in his fourth international goal in three caps.
In the 70th minute, Preko broke loose again but confronted only by goalkeeper Mandizuidza, his finish was brilliantly halted. By the 80th minute, Zimbabwe still reeled under the Stars’ pressure and in yet another clear position to score, Preko was this time hacked down by Zimbabwean defeder Mungeyi. For that offence, Mungeyi received the marching off orders and skipper C.K. Akonnor converted the resultant penalty to give Ghana a 4-1 victory.

Black Stars Wallop Zimbabwean Soccer Warriors - JoyFM

A classy goal by Italy-based Stephen Appiah inspired the senior national team, the Black Stars, to thrash the Warriors of Zimbabwe 4-1 in their second group six Africa Cup of Nations qualifier before an expectant 60,000 capacity crowd at the Accra Sports Stadium.

However, one hour before kicked off, pandemonium broke out at the popular stand (Zongo) as a result of tear gas fired into the fans by security personnel. The reason for the action was not known. Subsequently, the fans scaled on to the pitch while a few others took advantage of the situation to cross-over to the north wing and the Osu Stand where fares were higher. That aside, the Zimbabweans also refused to honour the match after their officials have complained to the match officials that some of their players have been affected by the tear gas. It took officials of the Ghana Football Association some time to persuade the visitors to rescind their earlier decision.


But it was all joy after kick off especially when Appiah had served the fans with a delicious opener. He connected a one-two with Charles Amoah, turned his marker inside-out and chipped the ball with his unusual left foot which sent the goalkeeper sprawling on the turf. The goal was greeted with a thunderous applause from the fans, many of whom had thronged the stadium as early as 9 a.m.


That goal notwithstanding, the visitors played a highly tactical game, playing on break, which in most cases caught the Ghanaian sloppy defence, marshal by Sam Johnson, wanting. The Zimbabweans who looked stronger on the ball, hustled the feeble Ghanaian attackers especially German-based Otto Addo who in the 30th minute was literally thrown off the pitch onto the tartan tracks. But Emmanuel Duah brought the fans back onto their feet with a clinical header into the Zimbabwean net from an inswinger by defender Stephen Baidoo.

Two minutes after the restart, Sam Johnson gave the visitors a cheap goal when his header was intercepted by Benjamin Mwarawan, who raced with the ball unchallenged before firing into the net. Ironically that goal, rather galvanised the Stars who added another goal a minute later. Substitute Yaw Preko who jinking down the right flanks sent a through pass for Charles Amaoh to head into the net for the Stars third goal. Skipper Charles Akonnor added the fourth in the 78th minute from a spot kick after Preko had been brought down by defender William Mngeyi, who was sent off for a second bookable offence.


Zimbabwe: George Mandizuidza, Thalani Noube, Dickson Choto, Luke Jakukle, Benjamin Mwarawan, Robson Chisongo, Blessing Makanike, William Mugeyi, Norma Mpenza, Andrew Chitamba, Master Masika.