Accra (GAR), July13, - The senior national team, the Black Stars, qualified for the 21st African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso next year, when they beat the Warriors of Zimbabwe 2-1 in their last
The Stars thus top the group with seven points, followed by Zimbabwe with four and Angola, three. Zimbabwe will clash with Angola next month to determine who joins Ghana in the group. Skipper Abedi Pele and defender Osei Kuffour (pro) scored for Ghana in the 22nd and 39th minutes, while inside left Shephered Muradzi (24th) netted for the Warriors. The Stars kicked off, but it was the visitors who nearly had the opener in the first minute, when an unexpected shot from dangerman Muradzi outside the penalty area missed the post narrowly. Abedi also had a good chance to put Ghana in the lead in the fifth minute but fumbled in the "box", with only goalkeeper Ernest Chira Mbabane to beat, after receiving a good pass from striker Fe
The Warriors, playing a more defensive game, seized the midfield, making it very difficult for the Stars to penetrate their territory. But against the run of play, Aboagye gave a long pass just outside the centre circle in the opponents' half to Abedi in the penalty area. The Stars' skipper chested the ball down and took a scissor kick, which beat goalie Mbabane for the four-time African champions' first goal in the 22nd minute. The Warriors equalised two minutes later when Muradzi picked a loose ball outside the "18" and shot into the net. The game became a ding-dong battle after the equaliser, with Aboagye and Abedi becoming the visitors' target of rough play. In the 39th minute Richard Ackon's 35 metre freekick hit the wood work and was pushed to corner by right full back Mpofu Dumasi. Right winger Robert Boateng's corner resulted in a goal area melee. The ball broke loose to defender Kuffour, who fired into the net for Stars' second goal. Midfielder Osei Kuffour (local), Abedi and Aboagye were substituted in the 46th, 63rd and 89th minutes by Shamo Quaye, Eben Hagan and Maxwell Konadu in that order.
The Warriors became frustrated in the dying stages of the game and decided to play it hard, forcing Algerian FIFA referee Dieng Ousseynou to show the only yellow card of the game to Tembo Kugawo The Stars' skipper chested the ball down and took a scissor kick, which beat goalie Mbabane for the four-time African champions' first goal in the 22nd minute. The Warriors equalised two minutes later when Muradzi picked a loose ball outside the "18" and shot into the net. The game became a ding-dong battle after the equaliser, with Aboagye and Abedi becoming the visitors' target of rough play. In the 39th minute Richard Ackon's 35 metre freekick hit the wood work and was pushed to corner by right full back Mpofu Dumasi. Right winger Robert Boateng's corner resulted in a goal area melee.
The ball broke loose to defender Kuffour, who fired into the net for Stars' second goal. Midfielder Osei Kuffour (local), Abedi and Aboagye were substituted in the 46th, 63rd and 89th minutes by Shamo Quaye, Eben Hagan and Maxwell Konadu in that order. The Warriors became frustrated in the dying stages of the game and decided to play it hard, forcing Algerian FIFA referee Dieng Ousseynou to show the only yellow card of the game to Tembo Kugawo The Warriors sent in Nkonzeka Jonathan and Mrewa Tanya for Mugeyi Williams and Masonda Liberty in the 68th and 76th minutes, but the two changes did not alter the scoreline.
