Thursday January 24, 2013 Group Stage: Group B Finished Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Ghana 1 - 0 Mali

  • Wakaso 38’ (pen.)

21 comments | Write your comment

  1. African Cup of Nations - Ghana benefit from referee blunder to sink Mali

    African Cup of Nations - Ghana benefit from referee blunder to sink Mali

    Mubarak Wakaso scored a penalty to give Ghana a 1-0 win over Mali in Group B but were helped on their way by a huge error by the referee. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Ghana
    • Mali
    • 90+5' There goes the final whistle! It finishes Ghana 1 Mali 0. Not the greatest of games, but Ghana grab the three points. Thanks for joining us.
    • 90+4' The Ghana bench looking content with their lot. Have surely done enough for the win here as Dauda thumps the ball long.
    • 90+2' Bada walloped late by Mahamadou Ndiaye, who has already been booked. Fortunate not to be sent packing for that challenge.
    • 89' Some fine play by Atsu to carry the ball forward on the break for Ghana. We are into five minutes of time added on.
    • 88' Keita delivers another Mali free-kick, but Pantsil meets it with another aggressive header out.
    • 87' Maiga with the corner, but Diabate can't keep the header down. That will be a goalkick to Ghana as Dauda launches it long.
    • 86' The small gathering of Ghana fans seem happy enough with the goings on from the day, even if this has hardly been classic stuff.
    • 85' Ghana starting to get to the stage here where they will run the ball into the corners to waste time.
    • 84' Dauda comes off his line to punch clear a corner, but misses the ball. So fortunate that a Mali defender was not careering in for the loose ball.
    • 83' Asante thumps a shot two or three yards wide from distance. First touch of the match and almost a spectacular one.
    • 82' Asante is the latest Ghana player to be introduced with Adomah departing the scene.
    • 81' Gyan takes a tumble out wide. Ghana will be content to see this one out. No need to go chasing a second goal. Their work has been done for the day.
    • 80' Fulham fans will see Boateng in action. He has been heavily linked with a move to Craven Cottage this transfer window.
    • 79' Derek Boateng is wheeled on with Kwadwo Asamoah departing the scene for Ghana.
    • 79' Samassa awarded a free-kick in clutching a corner, but he is none too happy with Badu, whose foot was high in challenging for the loose ball.
    • 78' Goalkeeper Samassa dives low to his right to shove a Badu free-kick wide of goal. Good hit, but the Mali keeper equal to it.
    • 77' Samassa comes on for Mali with Traoré departing the action. Suddenly a rash of changes.
    • 76' Diabate is caught offside for Mali. Poor forward play in a game lacking true quality from both sides in the final third.
    • 75' Plenty of bookings today. I make that seven in all from a game that has never really been a kicking contest. A minor miracle there has not been a red.
    • 74' Vorsah rises well in the opposition box, but can't keep the header down as the ball drops well over the bar.
    • 73' Mahamadou Ndiaye dashes back to clear the ball with Gyan threatening to pull the trigger from inside the Mali area.
    • 72' Looks like there is going to be another yellow card. This time Mahamane Traore is booked for chopping Mohammed to the deck.
    • 71' Also a change for Mali as Samba Sow replaces Sissoko. Mali not really doing enough to try to level this match.
    • 70' Christian Atsu has replaced Wakaso for Ghana. Wakaso needing some treatment on the sidelines.
    • 69' Pantsil seems to have gone into the book for something or other. Not sure why he has been booked.
    • 68' Coulibaly has collected a booking here for a spot of dissent. The Ivory Coast referee has now booked five men today.
    • 67' Strong surging play by Adomah before he tries to pick out Gyan in the centre. Mahamadou Ndiaye marking well. Ghana appeal for a handball, but the referee was right to wave play on.
    • 66' Afful overhits a ball trying to pick out Badu. All too easy for Samassa to come off his line to collect.
    • 65' Rabiu Moahammed collects a booking for a late challenge on Maïga, but the free-kick comes to nothing for Mali.
    • 64' Diabate with an awful first touch from Sissoko's cross. A better ball there would have given him the chance to get a shot away. Ball runs harmlessly out of play.
    • 63' Sambia Diakite with a strong, probing challenge on Asamoah as Mali look to break.
    • 62' And the answer is no as Dauda decides this time to catch rather than punch the cross. That is a rare moment in the modern game.
    • 61' Vorsah forced to concede another corner at the back for Ghana. Can Mali make this one count?
    • 60' Mubarak Wakaso with Ghana's latest corner, but he fails to beat the first man at the near post. So disappointing from such a promising situation.
    • 59' Adomah showing off his ball skills out wide again, but Gyan is closed down before he can get a shot away.
    • 58' Vorsah the latest man to do some clearing work at the back for Ghana. Mali enjoying some brighter moments here.
    • 57' Mahamane Traore with the corner kick, but nobody on hard to head that goalwards. On we go with Ghana clenching this 1-0 lead.
    • 56' Gyan turns and spanks a shot a couple of yards wide of goal. Was a fine snapshot. Samassa forced to scramble across his line.
    • 55' Badu chopped to the ground in the middle of the park by Momo Sissoko.
    • 54' Adomah showing some decent skills out wide. Gets the ball into the box, but no takers on hand to finish. Not sure what Tamboura was doing. Hesitant play by him.
    • 53' Mahamane Traore's free-kick almost suprises Dauda, but the goalkeeper does enough to nudge it over the bar before Ghana deal with the corner to clear.
    • 52' A change at the start of this second period for Mali with Maïga replaced Sigamary Diarra.
    • 51' Adomah throws the free-kick into the heart of the Mali box, but Samassa is off his line to punch clear the danger.
    • 50' Mahamadou Ndiaye has been booked for a cynical foul on Mohammed out wide.
    • 49' Wakaso with a lovely swinging effort. Just a couple of yards too high, but not the worst free-kick in the world.
    • 48' Asamoah brings down Diakite, and that will be a free-kick for Ghana 25 yards or so from the Mali goal.
    • 47' Keita inches away from connecting with Traore's ball into the middle. Mali so unfortunate not to be level at the outset of the second period.
    • 46' Ghana get the second half off and running.
    • 45+2' There goes the whistle for the break. A 1-0 lead for Ghana at half-time. Work to be done by Mali in this second period.
    • 44' Dauda needing a spot of treatment here after colliding with Diabate. We are into two minutes of time added on in the first half.
    • 43' Keita goes long from just inside the Ghana half, but all too easy for Dauda to come and collect.
    • 42' Gyan controls the ball well before knocking it back to Afful. The move breaks down with Badu lifting a long-range lob well over the bar.
    • 41' Bristol City today revealed that they had rejected an unnamed bid from a club for their winger Albert Adomah. Wonder if he will be moving to a higher league after this tournament?
    • 40' Vorsah sporting a quite magnificent haircut. All blond, massive spikes. Brilliant stuff from the returning Ghana defender.
    • 39' Wakaso somehow manages to get himself offside despite looking right across the line. Should never have been caught offside from that position.
    • 38' Wakaso has been booked for lifting his shirt above his head. Never removed the shirt, but the match official felt the need to unearth the yellow.
    • 37' GOAL! Wakaso thumps the ball high to the keeper's left. No chance for Samassa. He guessed right, but was never keeping that out. A 1-0 lead for Ghana.
    • 36' Who is going to be taking this penalty? Some delaying tactics going on from Mali. Looks like Wakaso is going to be the man here for Ghana....
    • 35' PENALTY TO GHANA! Badu taken out of the game late by Tamboura. Bad challenge, certain penalty kick. Badu needing some treatment here.
    • 34' John Boye quick to pick himself up off the deck. Still limping, but looks like he may fit enough to continue here.
    • 33' John Boye is down on the deck needing a bit of treatment after colliding with Diarra. Not the best of news for the Ghana central defender.
    • 32' Samassa was never getting across his line to save that. A real let-off then for Mali.
    • 31' Badu sees a header come back off a post from Wakaso's free-kick. Superb delivery, but Mali survive.
    • 30' Wakaso taken out of the action late by Diawara. Referee seems to be sweating as much as the players out there.
    • 29' A draw wouldn't be too bad for Mali from this match, but Ghana really needing the win.
    • 28' Afful takes up a decent position out wide, but easy enough take for Samassa in the Mali goal. All too easy for the Mali goalkeeper.
    • 27' Ghana trying to get on the ball. Pantsil showing some decent touches. The former Premier League now playing his football with Hapoel Tel Avivi in Israel.
    • 26' Cheick Tidiane Diabate and Mubarak Wakaso collide competing for a loose ball, but Ghana are given the decision by the referee.
    • 25' Mubarak Wakaso thumps an effort over from 25 yards. Mali will take those sort of efforts all day long. We remain at 0-0 here.
    • 24' Sigamary Diarra caught a few yards offside. Decent ball through the middle by Diakite, but just off.
    • 23' Afful cracks an effort over the ball seconds after Adomah's corner was headed clear by the yellow shirts. Not the worst hit in the world.
    • 22' Ndiaye runs the ball out out of play for a Ghana corner. Gyan moving well up front for Ghana.
    • 21' Mali with a long diagonal ball into the left-back area, but all too easy for Afful to head the ball away.
    • 20' Vorsah adding a bit of bite to the heart of that Ghana defence in making another clearing header.
    • 19' Mali are third in Africa and 25th in the world. Ghana are fourth in Africa and 26th in the world. Not much between these sides.
    • 18' Vorsah penalised for a late challenge on Diarra. Free-kick to Mali here, but Dauda is off his goal to pluck the loose ball out of the air.
    • 17' Mali earn a corner here. Diarra throws it in, but not really directed towards anybody and that is so easy for their opponents to clear the danger.
    • 16' Can't be easy for these players trying to get themselves involved when they are playing in what resembles an empty stadium.
    • 15' Wakaso drives a free-kick into the box, but wide of goal. Not a shot or a cross. Pretty lamentable stuff.
    • 14' Pantsil sent tumbling to the deck by Keita. Ghana trying to inject some pace into their play all of a sudden.
    • 13' Samassa off his line to punch clear the corner by Mohammed. Not the best of punches, but gets the job done.
    • 12' Gyan showing some real power. Gets the shot in, but deflected wide of goal for a corner to Ghana.
    • 11' Wakaso brushes Diarra off the ball out wide. Looks like a foul, but the referee waves play on. Referee not having the best of matches so far.
    • 10' Ghana yet to get going so far in this match. A hot day in Port Elizabeth, but Mali have been sharper with their passing of the ball.
    • 9' Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan has converted one of his 27 shots in this tournament since 2012 . He last scored against Mali. Will it be a different story today?
    • 8' Keita slides a free-kick inches wide. Excellent effort. Fatau Dauda would have had no chance. The goalkeeper should already be off the park.
    • 7' Fatau Dauda handles outside of the box. Keita would have been in on goal. Should have been a red card, but the referee somehow produces a yellow. Astonishing error by the referee.
    • 6' John Boye showing his physical presence in clearing a header for Ghana. Certainly not lacking in the more robust elements of the game.
    • 5' Sigamary Diarra clips a ball into the heart of the Ghana box, but that free-kick is given short shrift by a white shirt who clears the danger with little fuss.
    • 4' Mahamane Traore brought crashing to the deck by a late Mohammed challenge. Poor tackle. Fortunate to avoid a booking for that one.
    • 3' Asamoah tries to pick out a pass 25 yards from the Mali goal, but that ball is hammered long.
    • 2' Mali in yellow, Ghana in white. Mali get the action off and running. Gorgeous pitch for playing football on. Ghana thump the ball long from deep in their own half.
    • 1' Off we go with this match. Ghana won the group stage encounter 2-0 last year with Mali completing a 2-0 win in the third/fourth place play-off. Who will come out on top in the third encounter in 12 months in the same tournament? Plenty of kissing of ground and praying going on out there before kick-off.
    • 14:57 Teams on their way out. Not exactly a full house in for one, it must be said. Fans obviously still in the pub before kick-off. At least 30,000 missing from this ground.
    • 14:55 The referee is Noumandiez Doue of Ivory Coast.
    • 14:50 Mali: 1-Mamadou Samassa; 2-Fousseiny Diawara, 3-Adama Tamboura, 4-Adama Coulibaly, 21-Mahamadou Ndiaye; 6-Momo Sissoko, 20-Sambia Diakite, 12-Seydou Keita, 17-Mahamane Traore; 11-Sigamary Diarra, 9-Cheick Tidiane Diabate
    • 14:50 Teams: Ghana: 16-Fatau Dauda; 4-John Pantsil, 15-Isaac Vorsah, 21-John Boye, 23-Harrison Afful; 8-Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, 10-Albert Adomah, 11-Rabiu Mohammed, 20-Kwadwo Asamoah; 22-Mubarak Wakaso, 3-Asamoah Gyan
    • 14:45 Mali coach Patrice Carteron: "Of course [we'll change tactics]. We knew the game against Niger would be complicated against a very defensive team. This time it will be different. Against Ghana last year, the team lost easily 2-0 and so we want to show that Malian football is improving. We can play well against the best teams in Africa - like Ghana and Ivory Coast - and to get a result would be fantastic."
    • 14:40 Mali are top of group B after their 1-0 win over Niger in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. Mali captain Keita Seydou scored the only goal of the match in the 76th minute. Three points here will ensure them of a place in the last eight of the tournament.
    • 14:35 Ghana are set to make three changes. Isaac Vorsah is set to replace Jerry Akiminko with Derek Boateng dropping out for Mohamed Rabiu. Harrison Afful could also come in for Christian Atsu after the 2-2 draw with DR Congo in their opening match of the tournament.
    • 14:30 Good afternoon and welcome to LIVE coverage of the African Cup of Nations Group B match between Ghana and Mali from Port Elizabeth. There is a 3pm (GMT) kick-off in this match in South Africa.

  • Summary

    • 78' Goalkeeper Samassa dives low to his right to shove a Badu free-kick wide of goal. Good hit, but the Mali keeper equal to it.
    • 64' Diabate with an awful first touch from Sissoko's cross. A better ball there would have given him the chance to get a shot away. Ball runs harmlessly out of play.
    • 56' Gyan turns and spanks a shot a couple of yards wide of goal. Was a fine snapshot. Samassa forced to scramble across his line.
    • 37' GOAL! Wakaso thumps the ball high to the keeper's left. No chance for Samassa. He guessed right, but was never keeping that out. A 1-0 lead for Ghana.
    • 35' PENALTY TO GHANA! Badu taken out of the game late by Tamboura. Bad challenge, certain penalty kick. Badu needing some treatment here.
    • 31' Badu sees a header come back off a post from Wakaso's free-kick. Superb delivery, but Mali survive.
    • 12' Gyan showing some real power. Gets the shot in, but deflected wide of goal for a corner to Ghana.
    • 8' Keita slides a free-kick inches wide. Excellent effort. Fatau Dauda would have had no chance. The goalkeeper should already be off the park.
    • 14:50 Mali: 1-Mamadou Samassa; 2-Fousseiny Diawara, 3-Adama Tamboura, 4-Adama Coulibaly, 21-Mahamadou Ndiaye; 6-Momo Sissoko, 20-Sambia Diakite, 12-Seydou Keita, 17-Mahamane Traore; 11-Sigamary Diarra, 9-Cheick Tidiane Diabate
    • 14:50 Teams: Ghana: 16-Fatau Dauda; 4-John Pantsil, 15-Isaac Vorsah, 21-John Boye, 23-Harrison Afful; 8-Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, 10-Albert Adomah, 11-Rabiu Mohammed, 20-Kwadwo Asamoah; 22-Mubarak Wakaso, 3-Asamoah Gyan

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Ghana

    Manager: Kwesi Appiah

  • Mali

    Manager: Patrice Carteron

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

    Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account.

    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      Yellow Card 6 -
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 6.2 -
      6.4 -
      5.5 -
      6.8 -
      Midfielders
      6.9 -
      Yellow Card 6.5 -
      Substitution Out84′ 6.6 -
      Goal Yellow Card Substitution Out71′ 7.7 -
      Strikers
      Substitution Out78′ 6.9 -
      5.4 -
      Subs
      Substitution In78′ 1 -
      Substitution In84′ 6 -
      Substitution In71′ 1 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.1 -
      Defenders
      7 -
      Yellow Card 7.7 -
      Yellow Card 6.1 -
      6.6 -
      Midfielders
      8 -
      7.9 -
      Substitution Out68′ 7.6 -
      Strikers
      Yellow Card Substitution Out76′ 7.9 -
      Substitution Out45′ 7.4 -
      6.5 -
      Subs
      Substitution In76′ 10 -
      Substitution In45′ 10 -
      Substitution In68′ 10 -

Comment 1 - 21 of 21

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. but for the penalty we Ghana wouldn't have won or­ what?

    From Daniel Nonah, on Thu 24 Jan 17:05

  2. Europe have finished African Football. No local league­ again as everyone now watch only the European teams.­ All the teams play alike

    From TIM, on Thu 24 Jan 16:47

  3. Someone please tell the UK commentators that deliberate­ handball by a goalkeeper outside the penalty area is­ not an automatic red card. Like any other foul, is it­ about denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Poor­ commentating criticising the referee without knowing­ the rules!

    From Mike, on Thu 24 Jan 16:32

  4. African football is a shame,this guys can`t trow 2 to 3­ passes completely.

    From Josh Williams, on Thu 24 Jan 15:58

  5. Is Akinabooboo playing?

    From N W, on Thu 24 Jan 15:40

  6. gostava que o Mali ganhasse este joga para dar uma­ alegria aquele povo que tanto esta a sofrer

    From Pedro, on Thu 24 Jan 15:31

  7. Hope not a draw again......

    From mailvin afanyui, on Thu 24 Jan 15:30

  8. The pronunciation of Ghana's goal keeper's name­ is da-aw-da. This is to the commentators please pass it­ on, Mr administrator.

    From Benjamin, on Thu 24 Jan 15:15

  9. Oseeeeyyyy Ghana

    From RosemaryA, on Thu 24 Jan 15:14

  10. Ghana must win this game.....come on blackstars

    From RosemaryA, on Thu 24 Jan 15:12

  11. Neste momento,Keita está a jogar em que clube?

    From Cícero, on Thu 24 Jan 14:56

  12. ghana 4 pe

    From KWAME EVANS, on Thu 24 Jan 14:56

  13. If Ghana did not win this game they will not win the­ cup

    From KWAME EVANS, on Thu 24 Jan 14:56

  14. we will do it in style Ghana...Gyan will open the goals­ doors. Go Ghana Go...

    From uriah, on Thu 24 Jan 14:37

  15. ghana 5-0 mali

    From A REECE, on Thu 24 Jan 14:11

  16. Ghana 2 0 Mali

    From Emmanuel, on Thu 24 Jan 13:49

  17. mali will lose toinght

    From A REECE, on Thu 24 Jan 10:49

  18. join game with me

    From A REECE, on Thu 24 Jan 10:48

  19. come on ghana

    From A REECE, on Thu 24 Jan 10:48

  20. Ghana will win by all means

    From kingsley, on Thu 24 Jan 7:24
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account