| quarter-finals: South-Africa
- Ghana 1 : 0
Before the match
Each game has its own psychology.
And a match in which a team
goes with three goals advantage is always a critical one. Not only at the
Nations Cup, it can be witnessed at European Cup matches each year.
So the Ghana almost-desaster
against the Côte d'Ivoire should not be rated too high, at least
as far as prognosis for the quarter-finals is concerned.
This match starts with zero
and you should not expect an ride for South Africa.
Nevertheless the South Africans
have looked a very solid team with the ability to score. What is something
that has been a problem for Ghana for a long time now.
Ghana players have expressed
their confidence in the Kumasi crowd whom they believe to rally behind
the team. South African players have stated a desire to play in front of
a packed stadium even if the crowd might be hostile. An open game with
a very slim favorite: South Africa.
> Ghana:
Otto Addo in a short portrait by The Shot That Passed Right Through
The Net 1998
(remark: in the end Otto
Addo opted for Ghana while Gerald Asamoah has applied for German citizenship)
Reuters:
South Africa: 22-Andre Arendse;
4-Lucas Radebe, 5-Mark Fish, 15-Pierre Issa, 21-Eric Tinkler, 19-Dumisa
Ngobe, 10-John Moshoeu, 11-Helman Mkhalele, 7-Quinton Fortune, 9-Shaun
Bartlett, 17-Siyabonga Nomvete.
Ghana: 1-Richard Kingson;
2-Eben Dugbartey, 3-Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, 4-Samuel Osei Kuffour, 15-Samuel
Johnson, 14-Christian Gyan, 20-Otto Addo, 8-Mark Edusei, 7-Charles Akunnor,
7-Yaw Preko, 9-Kwame Ayew
Referee: Mourad Daami (Tunisia)
1st half
-kickoff 1603h
-('2) Algeria with pressure
on the Cameroon build up, connquering balls early, have already indicated
danger potential
Cameroon continue getting
robbed of the ball early, but react with awaiting the Algerian counters
with a crowded defence
-('8) One of the dangerous
throw ins of Geremi Njitap, this time to the penalty spot: A cameroon player
heads it in direction to the goal, where another Cameroon player stands
all alone (seems to be Eto'o) and kicks it into the goal. An Algerian defender
seems to have been closer to the goal, so no offsides - 1:0
-('11) almost a second goal:
Cameroon counterplay, Tschoutang kicks it in from the right and Eto'o,
after some difficulties with controlling the ball, backheels it in direction
to the goal, where a defender scratches it from the line
The right attacking side
becomes a factor for Cameroon - all attacks come from here and also Geremis
throw in had been from this side. The goal has clearly shifted the momentum.
-('15) a must goal for Cameroon,
this time through the middle: great through ball by Eto'o on Olembe, who
ends up having passed the goalkeeper and firing the ball from 5 meters
across the bar (seems to be a highly infectious desease at this tournament)
-('16) a cruel looking late
challenge by Song against Benhamlet
-('19) another late challenge
(Njanka?)
-('20) A Cameroon counter
attack shows: the Cameroon attackers are superior to the Algerian defenders
in one against one, and another Geremi throw in causes troubles
-('21) another huge counter
attack by Cameroon but Eto'o can't get it across the line
-(''23) A free kick from
the right, the ball is defended, but comes in again from the left by a
Tchoutang cross ball: Foe throws in his body and heads it into the net
- 2:0
-(26) Algeria: half chance
but Song interecpts the square ball inside the penalty area
-('29) Cameroon: unlucky
scene for Eto'o when he gets fouled, stumbled and runs into a kick of another
player - but he returns a minute later
-('36) Cameroon: Tchoutang,
dribbling in from the right sets up Mboma who can get off some kind of
shot which is grabbed by Benabdellah
-('38) Cameroon: Tchoutang
from the right, this time doing it all alone - hits the outside of the
net
-('40) Olembe steals the
ball from Dziri but Benabdellah quite easily saves the Mboma? scoop
Halftime: 1:0
South Africa looked dominant,
but the goal came when Ghana had just emancipated. Ghana answered the goal
by attacks, but the psychological momentum is now on the side of the South
Africans. Unless they draw back and concentrate on defending. Then the
momentum could reshift.
Do all the players for Ghana play at Europe?
who has been champions
of South Africa 1996?
the author has just informed
me that the new African Yearbook
2000 is out now
want
to support the match acoustically?
2nd half
-('46) Ghana: Ofori-Quaye
comes in for Otto Addo, who had not had much impact in the first half
South Africa start as
if they want to decide the match early
-('48)
South African Eric Tinkler commits a very small foul, and the referee shows
him a second yellow card (what in fact he has forgotten in the cabin) -
a very harsh decision
-('49) Ghana: the free kick
finds Johnson to head it to Kuffour who heads it against the crossbar.
following a minutelong confusion in the South African penalty area.
-('51) Ghana: Johnson heads
another free kick wide
-('53) South Africa: Nomvete
all alone approaching the goal from the left side hits the outside of the
net
-('55) Ghana: Appiah replaces
Akonnor
-('61) Ghana: S.Kuffour
free kick wide
-('62) South Africa: Nomvete
with another solo run, but no harm
-('64) Ghanaian keeper Kingston
with risk and skill escapes some pressure
-('68) South Africa: Nomvete
tries a surprise shot from a difficult angle and hits the outside of the
net - maybe a wasted chance as there were two other South African players
with him
-('70) Ghana: Emmanuel Kuffour
avoids a chance as he fouls Mkhalele 18 meters to the goal - the referee
seems unwilling to show any more yellow cards
-('70) South Africa: Fortunes's
free kick is saved by Kingston for a corner
-('72) Ghana: Ayew header
across the bar - Ghana win many headers in the Soth African penalty area
for which they play in the second half
-('75) Ghana: South African
defence await a free-kick as a cross from the left, but it is a square
loq pass to Appiah who anleahes a rocket from 20 minutes that misses the
target only close
Against the low passing
and dribbling the South Africans defend well
Nomvete is still conspicious
and most counter attacks involve him, relieving the defence
Arendse makes no mistakes
in shooting away the passes back to him
-('86) South Africa: Ndlanya
replaces Nomvete
-('87) Ghana wants a handball
penalty, but referee waves on
-('88) Ghana: a more than
25 meter Ofori-Quaye freekick granade misses by inches
-('injury time) Ndlanya
tries to catch the keeper by a near post shot but misses wide
-('injury time) Ghana: crosses
fly into the South African penalty area but defenders can prevent a clear
opportunity
Final: 1:0
South Africa with the tighter
defence and attackers with more impact won the match despite being one
man down in the second half (discussions might have been high if Ghana
had won). It was the expected close and thrilling match.
Ghana have not overcome
their goal production problem, they scored 3 goals in 4 home matches
(> preview
Ghana)
South Africa looks really
strong, a well balanced team. They will play the winner of the match Nigeria-Senegal
in the semi-finals at Lagos |
Zusammenfassung
in Deutsch ]
