Ayew gives Ghana narrow win over Uganda – DR Congo stun Morocco

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PORT-GENTIL, Gabon, Jan 17, (AFP): Andre Ayew converted a first-half penalty as Ghana started their latest bid to reclaim the Africa Cup of Nations title with a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Uganda in Port-Gentil on Tuesday.

The West Ham United star’s 32nd-minute conversion from the spot was all that separated the sides on an awful pitch as Ghana withstood Ugandan pressure in the second half and ended their recent poor record against the Cranes.

The Black Stars, who have not won the continental title since 1982 and lost on penalties to the Ivory Coast in the final two years ago, can now look forward with confidence to their next game against Mali.

Meanwhile, Uganda will have to wait a little longer for their first goal and points in their first appearance at the Cup of Nations since 1978.

Mali and record seven-time champions Egypt meet later on Tuesday, at 8pm local time (1900 GMT).

Eight of Ghana’s line-up started the final in Equatorial Guinea in 2015, the only exceptions being Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew and Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey.

Ghana had struggled in recent matches against Milutin Sredojevic’s side, failing to win any of three encounters spread over the qualifiers for the 2015 Cup of Nations and the 2018 World Cup.

However, Uganda were without key players in centre-back Murushid Juuko and midfielder Khalid Aucho through suspension, and they spent most of the first half on the back foot.

Twice skipper Asamoah Gyan headed just wide and Christian Atsu fired narrowly over before Andre Ayew steered a low shot towards goal only for Denis Onyango to save.

After knocking on the door in the first half-hour, the breakthrough came when Gyan robbed Isaac Isinde inside the area before being held back.

The referee from Botswana pointed to the spot and booked the defender, with Ayew waiting for Onyango to commit before slotting in the penalty.

Christian Atsu, the star of the 2015 tournament, tested Onyango soon after but by that point Ghana had lost left-back Abdul Rahman Baba, stretchered off with what looked like a hamstring injury.

Spurred on by a small but lively band of supporters decked in red, yellow and black, Uganda finished the first half with a flourish, and Faruku Miya of Standard Liege should have done better than send in a shot that grazed the post on its way past.

Tonny Mawejje came close and captain Geoffrey Massa tried his luck from a 30-yard free-kick that flew inches over Razak Brimah’s bar, as Ghana held on.

Indeed, they might have won by more had Atsu not been denied by Onyango five minutes from the end.

Junior Kabananga pounced on a goalkeeping error to give the Democratic Republic of Congo a 1-0 win over Morocco in an Africa Cup of Nations upset in Gabon.

Success came two days after the central Africans refused to train over a bonuses row and a red card and an injury meant they were briefly reduced to nine men in the closing stages.

Victory took the “Congolese Leopards” to the top of Group C after the opening round as defending champions the Ivory Coast were held 0-0 by Togo in the first half of a double-header.

Kazakhstan-based midfielder Kabananga profited from a mistake by Munir Mohamedi in the Morocco goal to score from close range 10 minutes into the second half.

Defeat was a major blow for France-born Morocco coach Herve Renard, winner of the competition with Zambia in 2012 and the Ivory Coast in 2015, who has set a last-eight place as his minimum target.

After the disappointment of watching the Ivorians and the Togolese draw 0-0 in a dour duel, the small crowd in Oyem were hoping for more excitement in the second match.

They almost saw a goal in the second minute as Morocco midfielder M’bark Boussoufa rattled the crossbar with goalkeeper Ley Matampi well beaten. It was a sign of things to come as the “Atlas Lions” from north Africa stamped their authority on the early exchanges only to be let down by poor finishing.

The Congolese, third at the last Cup of Nations behind the Ivory Coast and Ghana, were reduced to hopeful long-range shots during the opening half.

Striker Cedric Bakambu tried his luck from well outside the box and the effort was comfortably held by Mohamedi. Defender Chancel Mbemba was equally ambitious with his shot on goal that flew wide.

The opening half ended with Morocco, whose lone Cup of Nations title came in 1976, on top territorially but with nothing to show for it.

And the frustrations of Renard turned to disappointment when his team fell behind 10 minutes into the second half largely due to a blunder by Mohamedi.

The Spain-based goalkeeper failed to grasp a routine cross and when the ball broke loose, Kabananga nipped in to score with a left-foot shot.

Renard made several substitutions as the match entered the closing stages, but the lack of goals that afflicted Morocco in recent World Cup qualifiers continued.

The Congolese were reduced to 10 men with eight minutes left when a wild challenge from Joyce Lomalisa earned a second yellow card.

DR Congo were temporarily reduced to nine men when injured captain Gabriel Zakuani had to leave the field for treatment.

He returned to see Matampi pull off a great save from a Youssef El Arabi header to keep the two-time African champions in front.

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