Underperforming Ghana must win to survive group stage

African Nations Championship favourites Ghana must win their last Group B fixture Sunday against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Ivory Coast to be certain of reaching the semi-finals.

The maiden edition of a competition reserved for footballers playing in their national league has not been kind to joint top seeds Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Group A losses to Zambia and Tanzania condemned Ivory Coast to a shock first round exit from the eight-nation tournament and Ghana have twice had to come from behind to force draws against less fancied rivals.

Midfielder Ibrahim Ayew, eldest son of former African Footballer of the Year Abedi “Pele’ Ayew, rescued the “Black Stars’ against Zimbabwe with two goals and a strike from substitute Edmund Owusu Ansah foiled Libya.

With three of the four matches drawn at the Peace Stadium in the central textile city of Bouake, every team from leaders DR Congo to bottom-of-the-table Libya are in contention for knockout-phase places.

DR Congo have four points, Ghana and Zimbabwe two each and identical goal differences, and Libya one to set up an intriguing climax with numerous scenarios.

It could come down to disciplinary records, a situation Ghana will fear as they are the only Group B team with a red card and have also received five cautions, more than any rival.

An added problem for Ghana is that Serb coach Milovan Rajevac cannot take his place in the dugout having been sent off late in the Libya game for persistently stepping outside his technical area.

Rajevac, who succeeded Middle East-bound Frenchman Claude le Roy last year, has praised the resilience of his squad but not their performances as Ghana seeks a second African Football Confederation title within two months.

The “Black Satellites’ won the African youth championship in the Rwandan capital Kigali this month after outplaying Cameroon in the final of another biennial competition.

While Ghana prepare to tackle Mabi Mputu-inspired DR Congo in Bouake, Libya and Zimbabwe travelled south to the coastal Ivorian economic capital Abidjan for another win-or-bust showdown.

Victory for the Zimbabwe and they are certain to feature in the semi-finals while a win for Libya would take them through unless Ghana win and DR Congo finish with a better goal difference than the North Africans.