World Cup qualifying: reviews and videos

I had a rotten day yesterday after a torrent of rain poured down the capital (we're in the rainy season)

Anyway because of that and to save time I will accumulate the rest of the weekend's qualifying videos into this post.

Burkina Faso 2 - Cote d'Ivoire 3

Barcelona’s Yaya Toure opened the scoring in the 11th minute but Jonathan Pitroipa levelled in the 27th-minute. A Mamadou Tall own goal and a third from Chelsea striker Didier Drogba gave the visitors some breathing space before Aristide Bance pulled one back with 12 minutes remaining. See the highlights here.

Zambia 0-2 Algeria

Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra opened the scoring and Rafik Saifi doubled the lead just after the hour mark.



Tunisia 0-0 Nigeria

The point for the visitors ended the hosts’ perfect record, but the Carthage Eagles remain two points clear of the Super Eagles at the top of the table.



All the above games were played on Saturday, June 20. However, on Sunday Mali played Benin. Mali started badly going down to a goal from Benin’s Seidath Tchomogo in the 12th minute from a corner. But the scores were level 10 minutes later when Modibo Maiga fired home. Mamadou Diallo put Mali into the lead sliding the ball in from close range in the second half, and then with seven minutes remaining Fredi Kanoute scored a diving header to confirm the Eagles’ win.

See the highlights here.
_____

Sudan 0-2 Ghana - video

I was in the studios of TV3 at the time this game was played.

Spain - South Africa was on and we were talking about that so immediately we went off air, we had two games to watch, obviously because Ghana - Sudan was important as well.

In the 5th minute Prince Tagoe laid the ball to Matthew Amoah who put the ball where it belonged. The NAC Breda man followed in the second half with one similar to the one he scored against Mali.


Sudan 0 - Ghana 2



Shared via AddThis


The win hands Ghana 9 points in Group D and have a hundred percent record in the qualifiers so far.

Ghana line up:

Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoom, Harrison Afful, John Mensah, Eric Addo, Michael Essien, Anthony Annan, Opoku Agyemang/Isaac Vorsah, Mathew Amoah/Junior Agogo, Prince Tagoe/Haminu Draman, Kwadwo Asamoah.

Unused Subs: George Owu, Samuel Kyere, Moussa Narry,and Jonathan Quartey.
_____

Sudan - Ghana preview

Sudan - Ghana

Venue: Al Merreikh Stadium, Omdurman

World Cup/ Nations Cup qualifier

Saturday 20 June 2009

Kickoff: 1730 GMT

So, the Black Stars have left Kenya for Sudan. Today, they play in this important World/Nations Cup qualifier. A win for Ghana would surely mean they are through to Angola - at the very least. A fortnight ago, the Ghanaians were powered to a fine 2-0 win over Mali in Bamako.

Not too far from there - in the African sense - is Omdurman. There, Sudan would love to cause an upset and beat Ghana.

Ghana are at the top of Group 4 with six points and a victory will boost their chances of making their second World Cup finals appearance.

Sudan, on the other hand, lost 1-0 to Benin and complicated their chances of qualifying for South Africa. Yet, the door to Angola 2010 is not closed to them as yet.They are with only one point from two games.

After training in Kenya and beating locals Oserian FC 3-0, the Black Stars will have to do without important players such as skipper Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan, Laryea Kingston.

Defender John Paintsil (suspended) will miss the game and feels a bit down - but not out:

"Yes, It's two things now. First of all I feel disappointed I am not with the team that am not playing because I have two yellow cards but am confident of a win," Paintsil told ghanasoccernet.
"What I can say now is that each and every one of us is prepared to die for the nation and there's competition.

"So am not panicking now. I have full confidence in the team that travelled to Sudan and I believe that they are going to deliver."
Samuel Yeboah was included in the squad to strengthen the attacking line.

Meanwhile Sudan's coach Stephen Constantine is also as optimistic as Paintsil yet he is keeping his cards close to his bosom, as he told BBC Sport:

"It'll be a very tough game but we're looking forward to it."

"We believe we can cause an upset. "Obviously it's a big game for us here in Sudan, playing against a team like Ghana with all their European stars."

Sudan full squad:

Bahaeldin Abdallah, Mahjoub El Moez, Mohamed Ali Khider, Ahmed Al Basha, Musa Al Tayeb, Amir Damar, Alaeldin Ahmed Gibril, Khalid Hassan, Yousef Alaeldin, Omer Bakheit, Badreldin El Doud, Saifeldin Ali Idris, Hassan Isaac Korongo, Rashard Justin Lado, Mugahid Mohamed, Haitham Mostafa, Mohamed Tahir, Abdelhamid Amari, Faisal Agab, Alaeldin Babiker, Haitham Tambal.

Ghana full squad:

Richard Kingson, George Owu, John Mensah, Eric Addo, Isaac Vorsah, Micheal Essien, Mousa Narry, Samuel Kyere, Samuel Inkoom, Bernard Kumordji, Ernest Papa Arko, Prince Tagoe, Kodjo Asamoah, Mathew Amoah, Opoku Agyeman, Junior Manuel Agogo, Haminu Dramani, Joe-tex Frimpong, Anthony Annan.

Officials:

Centre: Jamel Ambaya (Libya)

Assistants: Abdulfatah Etriki/Ibrahim Farkash (Libya).

Fourth official: Mohamed Imhamed (Libya)

Prediction

Sudan 1-3 Ghana

___

WCQ qualifying games around Africa

Group 1
Gabon 3 - 0 Togo
B. Ecuele
R. Meye
M. Brou

Group 2
Tunisia 2 - 0 Mozambique
A Yahia
O. Darragi

Group 3
Zambia 1-0 Rwanda
R. Kalanga

Group 5
Malawi 0 - 1 B. Faso
M. Dagano

Friendly
South Africa 1 - 0 Poland
Fanteni
____

WCQ qualifying games today

These African/World Cup qualifying matches are yet to be played.

Cameroon - Morocco

Benin - Sudan

Nigeria - Kenya

Guinea - Ivory Coast

Mali - Ghana

Algeria – Egypt
____

Sudan beaten, good news for Stars?

Bright Sunday morning.

In news that would do the average Ghanaian supporter a lot of good, Sudan have been beaten 4-0 by Tunisia.

Tunisia got off to a quick start with Oussemma Darragi and Sami Allagui combining to give Tunisia the opener as early as the 10th minute. Sami Allagui doubled the hosts lead, before Radhi Jaidi added the third off a trademark header in the 22nd minute. Radhaouane Felhi completed the rout when he met Khalil Chemmam’s corner after the break.



Seeing that Ghana plays the Sudanese soon in the World Cup, Nations Cup qualifiers, does it mean the Stars have a good chance?

No. The Sudanese, for me just had a bad patch and will recover in time for the September 5 game in Ghana.

PS: I'm having internet problems here, that explains the lull in posts yesterday. Working on them, though

____