Asamoah Gyan headed Ghana into the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations yesterday while Uganda were condemned to an early exit after an agonising defeat to Egypt in Port-Gentil.
Gyan scored the only goal of the first match of the day in a Group D double-header in the Gabonese port city, securing a 1-0 win for the Black Stars against Mali. Four-time winners Ghana, the runners-up in 2015, are one of only two teams to have clinched qualification for the quarter-finals with a match to spare, the others being Senegal.
“In tournaments you need to be winning games and that is what we did today,” said Gyan, who has now scored at six consecutive Cup of Nations tournaments. “We are satisfied about our performance. Whether we play an excellent game or not, at the end of the day we just want to win and move forward.”
After back-to-back 1-0 wins, Avram Grant’s side will secure top spot by avoiding defeat when they play Egypt in their last group match on Wednesday.
The teams had been prevented from warming-up on the pitch in order to prevent the damaged surface from further deteriorating, and when the game began it was Ghana who adapted quickest to the conditions. Andre Ayew should have put the ball in the net rather than poke wide from a Christian Atsu assist, before the goal arrived in the 21st minute. Gyan headed in a Jordan Ayew cross for his eighth goal at the Cup of Nations — his first came on home soil in 2008 — and Ghana then soaked up Malian pressure after the break.
Mali, who were eliminated from the group stage after a drawing of lots in 2015, must now beat Uganda in their last match and hope Egypt lose if they are to stay in the competition.
“The players are disappointed but not completely knocked down. They will be ready to lift their heads for the last match,” said the Mali coach Alain Giresse.
