Football Live

Monday January 28, 2008 Finished Ohene Djan Stadium

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Ghana

  • Essien 26’
  • Muntari 44’

Morocco

  1. African Cup of Nations - Stars see Ghana through

    African Cup of Nations - Stars see Ghana through

    Hosts Ghana moved safely through to the knockout stages of the African Cup of Nations with a dominant 2-0 victory over Morocco in Accra. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Ghana
    • Morocco
    • - Thanks for joining me this afternoon; make sure you stick with us for all the latest news from the African Cup of Nations.
    • 91 FULL-TIME: Ghana go through as group winners, ensuring a quarter-final in Accra in the next round. Morocco couldn't find a way to get anywhere near the hosts' goal as Ghana completely dominated. Essien and Muntari provided the crucial goals, although it could have been many more.
    • 89 Abderrahman Kabous goes down with cramp...he has covered a lot of grass this game. There are a lot of tired legs out there.
    • 87 Now Gyan is down after claiming an off-the-ball incident with Abdeslam Ouaddou. Players falling like flies here.
    • 86 Muntari is being taken off on a stretcher after accidentally running into the backside of a Morocco midfielder.
    • 84 ACTION! First Agogo has an effort cleared off the line after another strong run through the defence, before Gyan rattles the crossbar with an overhead kick - although the referee has already blown for offside.
    • 82 Namibia have equalised in the other game in Group A; it doesn't really change anything, still Ghana and Guinea through at this stage.
    • 81 Monsef Zerka appears to catch Mensah with a swinging arm as the pair jumped; the defender leaves the pitch with an ice-pack on his head, but seems okay.
    • 80 GOOD DOUBLE-SAVE! Owusu-Abeyie Quincy takes advantage of an enormous hole in the Morocco defence, cutting in from the left before shooting near-post. Lamyaghri gets down to keep the effort out and the subsequent rebound.
    • 79 Youssouf Hadji attempts a long-range shot, blocked on the edge of the box...Morocco are completely devoid of ideas; they have barely got near the Ghana goal.
    • 78 GOOD DEFENDING! Mensah holds off substitute Tarik Sektioui as he tries to pass him in the box...the Morocco man goes to ground claiming a penalty, but the referee isn't interested.
    • 76 Nadir Lamyaghri again keeps his side in it, tipping Essien's drive from distance over the crossbar.
    • 73 SUPERB SAVE! Agogo picks out Gyan with a low cross fired into the middle...the striker has to score with his near-post header - but Nadir Lamyaghri makes a reflex save.
    • 72 Marouane Chamakh shows his frustration after being pulled up for another foul; all the little decisions seem to have gone against Morocco.
    • 69 It has been all Ghana after the break...Morocco don't seem to have any idea how they might get back into the match, and they are giving the ball away far too easily.
    • 68 SCUFFED! Owusu-Abeyie Quincy cuts in from the right onto his left foot...but his shot from 25 yards is scuffed and straight at the keeper.
    • 66 Essien is caught by Safri in the follow-through of a challenge; it's unintentional, but Essien seems to be in some pain here.
    • 65 GREAT STRIKE! Essien blasts a long-range effort a couple of yards over the crossbar. Fine effort from the Chelsea midfielder, who seemed to think that shot was going to dip in the corner for a moment or two.
    • 64 Another pacy run down the right wing from Owusu-Abeyie Quincy ends in a slightly disappointing end product, a high, hanging cross beyond the far post.
    • 62 Back in Accra, Nadir Lamyaghri comes through a crowd to get a firm punch on a deep cross. Morocco look completely deflated at the moment.
    • 61 Guinea have taken the lead in the other match in Group A...they are almost certain to finish runners-up now.
    • 59 Abderrahman Kabous is booked for persistent offending, the straw that broke the referee's back a foul on Muntari in midfield.
    • 57 OFF THE BAR! CLOSE! Strong, tireless run from Agogo who sprints past his marker down the left before sending a cross into the middle...the ball beats the keeper but rebounds off the crossbar...Asamoah Gyan fires the rebound over.
    • 55 WHERE IS EVERYONE? Hicham Aboucherouane curls a dangerous cross into the middle of the Ghana penalty area...Kingson does well to claim an awkward bounce - but there was only one Morocco player in the penalty area! Not much committment from the visitors.
    • 53 Agogo just strays offside as he tries to get on the end of another prodded through-ball.
    • 52 There is going to be a lot of counter-attacks from Ghana in this second half...Agogo and Gyan are going to get a lot of long balls down the channels to chase as the game opens up.
    • 49 ALMOST! Essien tries to reverse a pass through to Muntari down the inside-left position, but just over-hits it and the keeper collects. Nice idea.
    • 47 LACK OF CONFIDENCE! Gyan breaks down the middle, powering on to Agogo's flick on...he breaks into the area, but instead of shooting, tries to return a pass to Agogo - cut out for a corner.
    • 46 The second half is underway...
    • 45 HALF-TIME: Ghana are all-but through now, and Morroco are staring down the brink of a grou-stage exit. Two fine goals for the hosts, Muntari setting up Essien; Essien setting up Muntari - two goals made in the Premier League.
    • 44 GOAL! A SECOND FOR GHANA! MOROCCO SURELY OUT NOW! Essien bursts at pace through the middle, doing really well to stay on his feet before flicking the ball to Muntari...a superb piece of control brings the ball down, and a low drive under the keeper has the crowd in raptures.
    • 43 Good hold-up play from Agogo, who neatly feeds Muntari with a neat pass...but the attack ends with a wild drive hit over the bar from a tight angle. Not a good option...Muntari had men waiting across the face of goal.
    • 42 Anthony Annan goes to ground with a great flourish...the referee isn't impressed and waves play-on...
    • 41 The flag stays down as Youssouf Hadji runs on to a lofted ball over the top...but John Mensah shows good strength and awareness to keep him on his right side and force out a weak shot.
    • 39 Gyan sprints on to a pass down the right...he backheels to Owusu-Abeyie Quincy, but the winger's cross is poor. He's not so good on his right-side, the former Arsenal youngster.
    • 37 Badr El Kaddouri's cross is easily claimed by Kingson in the Ghana goal...he launches a massive kick up field in an immediate counter-attack....Gyan is fouled as he tried to head on.
    • 36 Michael Chretien needs some treatment after taking a stray arm in the face from Gyan as the two jumped for the ball. The Ghana man is perhaps lucky the referee didn't see that one.
    • 34 Morocco have to push forward now - they need a win here. A draw isn't good enough for the north African side. And the more space they leave at the back, the more chance Ghana will feel they can get a second to kill the game off...
    • 33 Muntari comes in to meet Pantsil's cross towards the back post...he heads narrowly over the bar, although the referee blows for a foul on his marker.
    • 32 The first half-hour of this match has flown by...great stuff from these two teams, with much more to come, I'm sure.
    • 30 CLOSE! GYAN ALMOST GETS GHANA'S SECOND! The under-fire, out-of-form striker cuts in from the left and unleashes a low shot...which flies just the wrong side of the post.
    • 29 GOAL! WON'T COUNT! Pantsil puts an inswinging cross into his own net...only to see the goal chalked off for offside. Harsh decision from the linesman...the offside man was at the back post and a long way from interfering with play
    • 28 That will really settled Ghana down, and Essien looks delighted that it was he who got the goal - especially after being clattered and targetted early on by Morocco.
    • 26 GOAL! CLEVER WORK FROM GHANA! Muntari resists the temptation to blast the set-piece, instead cleverly chipping into the path of Essien, who turns and hits a first-time volley past the keeper!
    • 26 Elamine Erbate is unfortunate to concede a free-kick, 35 yards out, when he climbs to win a header above Agogo...
    • 24 Still goalless in the other match in this group...at the moment Guinea would be the team going through, alongside Ghana.
    • 22 Essien is bundled over as he ran with the ball in midfield, this time by Houssine Kharja...it seems like the Chelsea man has been targetted by Morocco.
    • 21 Abdeslam Ouaddou and Asamoah Gyan show extraordinary pace as they chase down a long ball down the left channel...the Moroccan wins a free-kick for a shove by Gyan just as they reached the ball.
    • 19 Hicham Aboucherouane chases down the ball after a mistake in a sliced clearance by Mensah...Kingson comes out of his goal to clear.
    • 18 There is a fine atmosphere for this match; the home fans have really come out in force to support their side this afternoon.
    • 17 Essien is still off the pitch, receiving treatment for the injury he suffered a couple of minutes ago in that horror tackle.
    • 16 FINE STRIKE! Sulley Muntari blasts the subsequent free-kick towards the top corner...Nadir Lamyaghri seems to be going the wrong way initially, but recovers to dive and paw the ball clear.
    • 14 Elamine Erbate is lucky to stay on the pitch after flying through Essien with a truly dreadful challenge.
    • 13 Marouane Chamakh has shown a few good moments of pace as he gamely chases down through-balls...this time he puts John Mensah under pressure, although the centre-back stays cool and wins a throw.
    • 11 Ghana had promised before the match that they would be going for the win and not simply playing for a point...an early goal would really settle their nerves.
    • 9 Good pressure for Morocco, who are making Ghana look nervous at times in defence.
    • 8 Junior Agogo almost gets on the end of a long ball pumped forward, but Badr El Kaddouri comes round on the cover to nod back to his keeper.
    • 7 Essien breaks down the right channel before feeding Owusu-Abeyie Quincy...his cross is just over-hit. Good strong play from Essien.
    • 5 DECENT EFFORT! Michael Chretien crashes in a shot from 20 yards on the angle....Richard Kingson palms the ball up in the air before claiming.
    • 4 The grass is again a little too long to suit the hard-running style of Ghana, who have lots of players who love to run with the ball at their feet. It's a pity, because it does affect.
    • 2 Ghana win an early free-kick, out on the left...Muntari swins the ball into the middle, but Essien can't get a decisive touch at the near post. Good start.
    • 1 OFF WE GO!
    • - The players are shaking hands and in their final team huddles...
    • - Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has been singled out for criticism after he missed several chances against the Namibians; his family have allegedly been receiving nasty phone calls, prompting the Udinese striker and his brother Baffour to threaten a walk-out on the team.
    • - The hosts only need a draw to go through, although a win would guarantee top spot in Group A.
    • - Hello, welcome to this crucial African Cup of Nations clash from the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana...

  • Summary

    • 78 GOOD DEFENDING! Mensah holds off substitute Tarik Sektioui as he tries to pass him in the box...the Morocco man goes to ground claiming a penalty, but the referee isn't interested.
    • 65 GREAT STRIKE! Essien blasts a long-range effort a couple of yards over the crossbar. Fine effort from the Chelsea midfielder, who seemed to think that shot was going to dip in the corner for a moment or two.
    • 57 OFF THE BAR! CLOSE! Strong, tireless run from Agogo who sprints past his marker down the left before sending a cross into the middle...the ball beats the keeper but rebounds off the crossbar...Asamoah Gyan fires the rebound over.
    • 55 WHERE IS EVERYONE? Hicham Aboucherouane curls a dangerous cross into the middle of the Ghana penalty area...Kingson does well to claim an awkward bounce - but there was only one Morocco player in the penalty area! Not much committment from the visitors.
    • 47 LACK OF CONFIDENCE! Gyan breaks down the middle, powering on to Agogo's flick on...he breaks into the area, but instead of shooting, tries to return a pass to Agogo - cut out for a corner.
    • 44 GOAL! A SECOND FOR GHANA! MOROCCO SURELY OUT NOW! Essien bursts at pace through the middle, doing really well to stay on his feet before flicking the ball to Muntari...a superb piece of control brings the ball down, and a low drive under the keeper has the crowd in raptures.
    • 43 Good hold-up play from Agogo, who neatly feeds Muntari with a neat pass...but the attack ends with a wild drive hit over the bar from a tight angle. Not a good option...Muntari had men waiting across the face of goal.
    • 41 The flag stays down as Youssouf Hadji runs on to a lofted ball over the top...but John Mensah shows good strength and awareness to keep him on his right side and force out a weak shot.
    • 29 GOAL! WON'T COUNT! Pantsil puts an inswinging cross into his own net...only to see the goal chalked off for offside. Harsh decision from the linesman...the offside man was at the back post and a long way from interfering with play
    • 26 GOAL! CLEVER WORK FROM GHANA! Muntari resists the temptation to blast the set-piece, instead cleverly chipping into the path of Essien, who turns and hits a first-time volley past the keeper!
    • 19 Hicham Aboucherouane chases down the ball after a mistake in a sliced clearance by Mensah...Kingson comes out of his goal to clear.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Ghana

    Manager: Claude Leroy

    On the Field

    • Kingston
    • Sarpei
    • Pantsil
    • Mensah
    • Addo
    • Abeyie
    • Essien Goal
    • Muntari Goal
    • Annan
    • Gyan
    • Agogo

    Subs

    • Gyan
    • Dramani
    • Adjei
    • Barusso
    • Ayew
    • Dauda
    • Asare
    • Illiasu
    • Afful
    • Kumodzi
    • Asamoah

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Morocco

    Manager: Henri Michel

    On the Field

    • Lamyaghri
    • Chrétien
    • Erbate Yellow Card
    • Ouaddou
    • El Kaddouri
    • Kabous Yellow Card
    • Kharja Substitution Out (46′)
    • Safri
    • Hadji
    • Aboucherouane Substitution Out (55′)
    • Chamakh

    Subs

    • El Karkouri
    • Fouhami
    • Zerka Substitution In (55′)
    • Sektioui Substitution In (46′)
    • Alioui
    • Kissi
    • El Moubarki
    • Mahdoufi
    • Bagui
    • Chahiri
    • Alloudi

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None