Ivory Coast beat Ghana to advance into the Quarter-Final
Today’s only CAN game was a Group B match between big boys Ivory Coast and Ghana. With Togo’s departure from the competition – and this group – the winner of the match was assured a place in the next round.
Ivory Coast were the favorites for this tie and they proved their on-paper dominance with a great on-field display. Gervinho opened the scoring for them after twenty-three minutes and they were looking comfortable with little threat from the Ghanians. Ghana did fight back towards the end of the first half but they went in 1-0 down at the break.
In the second half Ghana made some changes to try to get back into this game and after fifty-five minutes they got their wish when Ivory Coast man Eboue was sent off for a needlessly aggressive double footed tackle – twenty yards inside his own half. Ghana’s spirits were raised and they showed their intent when Amoah smashed a volley off the foot of the post less than a minute later.
Despite their ten men disadvantage the Ivory Coast weren’t finished yet and they doubled their lead on sixty-seven minutes after a cracking free-kick from Tiene found its way into the top corner, before Drogba headed home a third on ninety minutes. Seconds later Ghana were awarded a penalty which Asamoah Gyan converted but the goal came far too late and was little more than a consolation.
Ivory Coast will now advance past the Group stage with Ghana needing a win against Burkina Faso to do the same.
