Ghana qualifies for 2010 World Cup


  1. Joseph Appiah-Dolphyne, AfricaNews editor in Accra, Ghana
    Ghana has become the first African country to qualify for next year's World Cup finals in South Africa with two more games to spare. The Black Stars eased into the finals of the World Cup after beating the Desert Hawks of Sudan by 2:0. It is a second successive World Cup qualification for the West African nations.
    Ghana_black_stars
    The Ghana team played comfortably in front of over 50,000 supporters at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in the nation’s capital, Accra.

    Deploying a 4-4-1-1 formation with returnee skipper, Stephen Appiah playing just behind striker Mathew Amoah, the Stars dominated play for most part of the game.

    Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari opened the scoring midway through the first half in Accra in what was a dominant display from the group leaders.

    Chelsea's Michael Essien then doubled the scoreline just before the hour mark, leaving Milovan Rajevac's side seven points clear of nearest rivals Mali.

    The result coupled with closest challengers Benin and Mali drawing 1-1 in Cotonou a few hours before left a Ghanaian side boasting a 100 percent record with an unassailable seven-point Group D advantage.

    A quarter of the 32 qualifiers for the first World Cup to be staged in Africa are known with Ghana joining Australia, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands, North Korea, South Korea and hosts South Africa.

    Mali had threatened to put Ghanaian celebrations on hold by taking the lead through former France youth international Mamadou Samassa on 71 minutes only for Mohamed Aoudou to equalise three minutes from full-time.

    Starting team: Richard Kingson; John Paintsil, Harrison Afful, Eric Addo, John Mensah; Anthony Annan, Samuel Inkoom, Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah/Laryea Kingston, Sulley Muntari/Haminu Draman; Matthew Amoah/Asamoah Gyan
    Substitutes not used: William Amamoo, Opoku Agyemang, Isaac Vorsah, and Derek Boateng.



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