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By Rainos Mukanya

(news Of The South) – The Black Stars of Ghana were not at their usual best, but did enough to dismiss a battling Congo 1-0 in an African Nations Championship Group C match played in South Africa on Monday.

A fortuitous goal by striker Theophelus Anobaah in the 34th minute was enough to hand Ghana the three points. Yet the opening five minutes of the match was misleading as the Congolese threatened to overrun the Black Stars.

First Congo striker Obassi shot wide from close range in the 4th minute before another goal bound shot from him deflected off a defender for a corner. From then on Ghana took control of the match creating numerous scoring chances which were fluffed by their strikers.

They were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty in the 13th minute after Congo’s Boris Moubhio had brought down Yahaya inside the box but the referee adjudged that it was a free kick. Several chances were created, but the Black Stars strikers seemed to have left their shooting boots at home. It seemed as if the half would end in a stalemate.

The goal finally arrived in the 34th when a wild clearance by Lory Nkolo hit Anobaah’s boot and ricocheted into the net to give Ghana the lead. The goal seemed to awaken Congo from their slumber as they began to dictate the pace of the match creating scoring chances. By that the Ghanaian defence was guity of some calamitous defending.

A 40th minute shot from Bhebey Ndey was blocked by the Ghanaian keeper and fell invitingly for an unmarked Nkolo who blazed his shot wide with the keeper stranded. It was nil nil at half time. The second half began as the first had ended, with Congo trying to find the equaliser.

By this time Ghana’s defence had regained shape to restrict the Congolese to long range efforts which went either wide or were saved by the keeper. Ghana could have stretched their lead in the 58th minute, but Yahaya’s curling freekick was acrobatically saved by the keeper.

By the stroke of full time Ghana were on the backfoot and toiling, desperate for the bell. Meanwhile, in another Group C match Libya dismissed Ethiopia 2-0 with goals from Abdnaf and Abdelsalam Omar to lead the Group ahead of Ghana on goal difference.

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