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Post by Avinalaff on Jan 21, 2015 23:57:40 GMT
Burkina Faso on brink after finding Equatorial Guinea’s posts but not net Equatorial Guinea 0-0 Burkina Faso Burkina Faso’s Bertrand Traoré, right, is challenged by Equatorial Guinea’s Javier Balboa, during their Africa Cup of Nations match. Burkina Faso’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations hung by a thread after they could only draw 0-0 against Equatorial Guinea, the hosts, in Bata. Burkina, who lost their opening Group A game 2-0 against Gabon, have one point from two matches while Equatorial Guinea have two following their 1-1 draw against Congo. Burkina Faso failed to convert the game’s best chances, hitting the woodwork twice, while Equatorial Guinea relied on counterattacks. Gabon take on Congo in the group’s other second matchday game later on Wednesday. Gabon will be difficult opponents for the hosts in their final match. Burkina Faso went close in the 20th minute when Alain Traoré’s whipped 30-yard free-kick struck Felipe Ovono’s right post. Equatorial Guinea’s Diosdado Mbele was lucky to escape a straight red card in the 28th minute for a dangerous tackle on Jonathan Pitroipa, who was racing towards goal from the left flank. The hosts’ woodwork was involved again in the 39th minute when Ovono deflected Traoré’s volley from close range on to a post. The Equatorial Guinea keeper was busy again soon afterwards, parrying away Bertrand Traoré’s powerful long-range effort. Equatorial Guinea, however, looked dangerous on the break. Shortly after the hour, Kike’s fierce shot was blocked by the Burkina Faso goalkeeper Moussa Germain Sanou. Kike, arguably Equatorial Guinea’s best player on the day, was substituted eight minutes from time.
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Post by Everton News. on Jan 23, 2015 19:02:50 GMT
Christian Atsu played the full 90 minutes as Ghana grabbed a dramatic 1-0 win against Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations. After a 2-1 defeat to Senegal on Monday, Ghana required at least a point to keep their hopes of qualifying from Group C alive. And they earned the full three on offer to give themselves every chance of doing just that. In an even contest of very few chances, the only goal of the game came in injury time as former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan converted following a long ball forward. South Africa take on Senegal in the other Group C game later on Friday evening, with Atsu and Ghana next in action against the former on Tuesday.
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Post by Football News on Jan 23, 2015 19:45:19 GMT
Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan strikes late to give his side victory over Algeria
• Ghana 1-0 Algeria; Gyan 90 • Relive the action with Simon Burnton’s MBM report Algeria’s Carl Medjani and Rais Mbolhi can only look on as Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan, centre, scores the winning goal during their Africa Cup of Nations match. Ghana, quadruple Africa Cup of Nations winners, are back in contention for a place in the quarter-finals after their captain, Asamoah Gyan struck deep into stoppage time to earn his side a 1-0 victory over Algeria on Friday. The striker, who missed the opening 2-1 defeat by Senegal due to a mild bout of malaria, drilled home an upfield punt just as a tepid clash between the continent’s two heavyweights seemed to be heading for a stalemate. The result left Ghana, Algeria and Senegal on three points in Group C with the latter playing South Africa, who are yet to earn a point in this year’s tournament, in the Friday evening kick-off. Littered with errors and fouls in the first half, the game came to life after the break but produced no clear-cut chances until the talismanic Gyan struck to ease the pressure on his manager, Avram Grant. Gyan showed his class when he took the ball from Wakasu Mubarak in his stride and, with the Algeria defender Carl Medjani closing him down, produced a bobbling shot that beat the goalkeeper, Rais Mbolhi, from a tight angle. Guardian Algeria, the top-ranked team in Africa, dominated the opening 30 minutes but Madjid Bougherra had to glance away a teasing cross from the right to deny Gyan a clear header at goal. Gyan then twice misfired woefully wide from good positions, either side of a flicked effort by Jordan Ayew which fizzed just over the bar. With time running out and Grant frantically yelling instructions from the touchline, Gyan produced a moment of magic to delight his team-mates. “This is a game with a lot of emotion,” Grant said. “I didn’t like it when we conceded a goal in the last minute [against Senegal] but this time we scored in the last minute. “We deserved it. We were the better team. Asamoah has a fantastic attitude and he proved his ability in an important game but I have to praise the whole team because they worked very well as a unit in both good and bad moments.” Algeria’s French manager, Christian Gourcuff, who took charge despite the death of his mother on Thursday, rued his team’s costly lapse in concentration. “It’s cruel to lose a game in the last minute and it fundamentally changes the group,” he said. “A draw would have put us closer to the next round and we deserved that. The pitch and the weather were also a factor. We now have to go all out in the next game against Senegal.”
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Post by Everton News. on Jan 28, 2015 2:03:42 GMT
Man of the Match Christian Atsu played the full 90 minutes in Ghana’s sensational final Group C Africa Cup of Nations clash against South Africa. The Black Stars were heading out of the competition up until the 73rd minute, Bafana Bafana going ahead through a stunning volley from Mandla Masango. Bottom of the group thanks to Algeria beating Senegal, two goals in an incredible 10 minute spell turned Ghana’s fortunes around. First defender John Boye guided home a neat finish from inside the penalty area, then Andre Ayew powered a header past Nhlanhla Khuzwayo. Those two strikes saw the Black Stars leapfrog their rivals to the summit of Group C – a position they held thanks to Algeria’s 2-0 success over Senegal. Atsu and his fellow Black Stars must now wait to see who they will face in the quarter finals, as Group D takes its final shape on Wednesday. As it stands, Avram Grant’s side will face second-placed Mali, but with every team on two points and the drama showing no signs of abating, Ghana could face any of Ivory Coast, Cameroon or Guinea instead.
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Post by Football News on Jan 28, 2015 4:48:16 GMT
Nabil Bentaleb leads Algeria into last eight with stunner against Senegal • Senegal 0-2 Algeria • As it happened: read Ian McCourt’s minute-by-minute report Algeria's Nabil Bentaleb, centre, celebrates his goal against Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations Algeria clinched a place in the last eight at the Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 win over Senegal that eliminated their opponents in their Group C match on Tuesday. A superb late Nabil Bentaleb goal wrapped up the victory after an early Riyad Mahrez goal set the Algerians on their way, leaving Senegal, who needed a draw to advance, heartbroken. Algeria finished as runners-up level on six points with the group winners Ghana who secured a 2-1 victory over South Africa in the other group game with a late goal in Mongomo. On Sunday, Ghana will play the Group D runners-up in Mongomo while Algeria face the Group D winners in Malabo. Algeria began the game with Senegal under pressure following their lethargic showing and late defeat by Ghana on Friday. Nerves were evident in their defence as the Senegalese sought to attack with pace down the flanks in the early stages. However, it was the Algerians who broke the deadlock when Mahrez was picked out by Madjid Bougherra and he finished calmly underneath goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul. Senegal had several chances to equalise in the first half but failed to find the net. Sadio Mane’s pace and darting runs were of particular concern to Bougherra and his defensive partner Carl Medjani, while Papy Djilobodji went close with a long-range free kick after 30 minutes. Mame Biram Diouf was then thwarted by Rais M’Bolhi six minutes later when he was beaten to the ball. Algeria sought to close the game down in the second half and stoppages became increasingly frequent. M’Bolhi was booked for time-wasting after 76 minutes, although Algeria did go close when Kara Mbodji was forced into a goal-line block. The defeat sends Senegal out of the tournament following Ghana’s victory in Mongomo after late goals from John Boye and Andre Ayew cancelled out Mandla Masango’s opener and sent Avram Grant’s side into the quarter-finals. The quarter-final involving the host Equatorial Guinea has been moved from the small town of Ebebiyin to the country’s biggest city, Bata. The African Football Confederation also decided the quarter-final in Mongomo would be moved to Malabo, the capital city. “These two pitches have been adversely affected by a combination of wear and tear from the six games played or to be played in each of them, and the unstable weather conditions seen lately,” CAF said in a statement. Guardian
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