The returning Asamoah Gyan struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Ghana kickstarted their CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 1-0 Group C victory against Algeria in Mongomo.
Gyan
missed his side's opening 2-1 defeat to Senegal on Monday after
contracting a mild bout of malaria, but he was brought back into the
starting line-up by coach Avram Grant for a must-win encounter against
the Algerians and snatched all three points in the second minute of
injury time.
His goal lit up what had been a dire contest on a bobbly
surface and allowed Ghana to move level with Algeria and Senegal on
three points in the group before the Lions of Teranga face pointless
South Africa later.
Along with the return
of talisman Gyan, the only other change for the Black Stars at kick-off
saw Afriyie Acquah come into the midfield. For Algeria, meanwhile,
Madjid Bougherra came into the centre of the defence and took the
captain's armband, while Ishak Belfodil was rewarded for an impressive
showing from the bench in the win against South Africa with a start at
the expense of Islam Slimani, who had a foot problem.
Nevertheless,
this was not a game for attacking players, with the first half in
particular a scrappy affair marred by crunching challenges. Andre Ayew
was caught above the ankle from one high tackle, while Algeria star
Yacine Brahimi was himself the victim of a bruising interception in
midfield. The Black Stars sought to take the game to their opponents
after the restart, and Jordan Ayew dribbled into the box from the left
only for his final shot to lack power and cause Rais Mbolhi in goal few
problems.
Harrison Afful then dug out a
cross from the right which was headed across goal and wide by Gyan at
the near post, before Jordan Ayew flicked a driven ball from his brother
Andre just over from close range. Meanwhile, Algeria took 66 minutes to
really threaten, Sofiane Feghouli breaking into the Ghana box from the
left and drilling a shot across goal, only for the ball to flash wide of
the far post.
Both sides made changes in
an effort to find the breakthrough in the closing stages, although Ghana
coach Grant opted to leave the clearly tiring Gyan on. And Gyan
rewarded his coach with the winner right at the death, latching onto a
hopeful long ball downfield from Wakasu Mubarak and outpacing Carl
Medjani before firing across Mbolhi and into the net from a tight angle.
Credit: FIFA.com
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