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Ghana lose, but qualify for 2014 World Cup finals

Sport
CAIRO — Ghana sealed a third straight World Cup finals slot despite losing 2-1 to Egypt last night in the return leg of the 2014 playoff

CAIRO — Ghana sealed a third straight World Cup finals slot despite losing 2-1 to Egypt last night in the return leg of the 2014 playoff played at the Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.

MTN Football

The Black Stars advanced 7-3 on aggregate to become the fourth African country to qualify for next year’s finals in Brazil.

It was Ghana who fired the first warning shot when striker Abdul Majeed Waris shot narrowly wide after being put through by Kwadwo Asamoah on six minutes. Four minutes Amr Zaki earned a free-kick from 20-yards after he was clipped by defender Jerry Akaminko. Talisman Mohammed Aboutreika took a brilliant low grounder, but it was wide off target.

Egypt were dictating the pace at this moment and on 25 minutes shot ahead through Zaki after Dauda made a hush of a free-kick glided in by Aboutreika. Gradually, there was hope of an Egypt comeback and ten minutes later Dauda was forced to parry Zaki’s long range powerful strike for a corner-kick.

Bob Bradley made an early substitution when Mohammed Gedo replaced Karahba, but that could not change the scoreline before the half-time whistle.

After the break Salah made a threatening move when he cut inside and connected powerfully, but his effort was always rising.

Ghana slowed the pace down by holding onto the ball, but Aboutreika scared the visitors with an overhead effort, but that went over the bar.

Muntari also replied with a powerful free-kick which drifted wide. With a quarter of an hour left, Opare made a goal line clearance, but Ghana were defending dangerously.

Six minutes away from time, substitute Gedo was put through by danger man Salah and he blasted past Dauda.

But Ghana were still vibrant and against the run of play, Gyan slide a ball through for Kevin-Prince Boateng, who replaced Waris to connect home for a consolation. Shikabala made a glorious chance to make it 3-1 but the substitute amazingly shot wide.

Egypt looked demoralised and could not make use of the five minutes of added on time by the Ivorian referee. Ghana have joined Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Cameroon for the mundial.