Ghana, Algeria advance

AFP

MALABO

A late diving header by Andre Ayew took Ghana through to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday alongside favourites Algeria in a dramatic denouement to Group C.

Ghana came from behind to beat South Africa 2-1 in Mongomo to secure their berth in the quarter-finals as winners of the group, having looked set to finish bottom with barely 20 minutes to play.

Meanwhile, the Algerians beat Senegal 2-0 in Malabo thanks to a goal in each half from Premier League stars Riyad Mahrez and Nabil Bentaleb to go through in second place at the expense of the Lions of Teranga.

The Black Stars of Ghana, who have reached at least the semi-finals of each of the last four tournaments, were heading out when Mandla Masango smashed home on 17 minutes in Mongomo to give South Africa the lead.

However, their hopes were revived when defender John Boye equalised on 73 minutes, and with the momentum behind them, Avram Grant’s side went on to get the win they required when Marseille winger Andre Ayew headed home with seven minutes to go from a cross by Abdul Rahman Baba.

“We deserve it because South Africa were not better than us. We have finished first in the group of death, which is not bad,” said Ghana’s Israeli coach Grant.

Algeria also had to win against Senegal to be sure of going through and Christian Gourcuff’s team were on their way when Leicester City winger Mahrez slotted home on 11 minutes. At 1-0, both sides were going through until events of the final 10 minutes in Equatorial Guinea. First, Sofiane Feghouli set up Bentaleb to lash home and put Algeria 2-0 up, and then Ghana’s winning goal in the other game condemned Senegal to an early exit.

AFCON 2015 STANDINGS
P W L D GF GA Pts
Group A
Congo 3 2 0 1 4 2 7
Eq. Guinea 3 1 0 2 3 1 5
Gabon 3 1 2 0 2 3 3
Burkina Faso 3 0 2 1 1 4 1
Group B
Tunisia 3 1 0 2 4 3 5
DR Congo 3 0 0 3 2 2 3
Cape Verde 3 0 0 3 1 1 3
Zambia 3 0 1 2 2 3 2
Group C
Ghana 3 2 1 0 4 3 6
Algeria 3 2 1 0 5 2 6
Senegal 3 1 1 1 3 4 4
South Africa 3 0 2 1 3 6 1
Group D
Cote d’Ivoire 2 0 0 2 2 2 2
Mali 2 0 0 2 2 2 2
Cameroon 2 0 0 2 2 2 2
Guinea 2 0 0 2 2 2 2
*THE TABLE DOES NOT INCLUDE YESTERDAY’S GROUP B RESULTS

Top scorers
Thievy Bifouma 2 (Congo)
Ahmed Akaichi 2 (Tunisia)
Andrew Ayew 2 (Ghana)
Islam Slimani 1 (Algeria)
Seydou Doumbia 1 (Ivory Coast)
Max Gradel 1 (Ivory Coast)
Aristide Bance 1 (Burkina Faso)
Oupa Manyisa 1 (South Africa)
Yannick Bolasie 1 (DR Congo)
Mohamed Yattara 1 (Guinea)
Ibrahima Traore 1 (Guinea)
Mame Biram Diouf 1 (Senegal)
Moussa Sow 1 (Senegal)
Modou Kara Mbodji 1 (Senegal)
John Boye 1 (Ghana)
Javier Balboa 1 (Eq. Guinea)
Iban Salvador Edu 1 (Eq. Guinea)
Emilio Nsue Lopez 1 (Eq. Guinea)
Heldon Augusto 1 (Cape Verde)
Mohamed Ali Moncer 1 (Tunisia)
Yassine Chikhaoui 1 (Tunisia)
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang 1 (Gabon)
Fabrice Ondama 1 (Congo)
Malick Evouna 1 (Gabon)
Prince Oniangue 1 (Congo)
Emmanuel Mayuka 1 (Zambia)
Given Singuluma 1 (Zambia)
Benjamin Moukandjo 1 (Cameroon)
Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo 1 (Cameroon)
Mandla Masango 1 (South Africa)
Thuso Pala 1 (South Africa)
Sambou Yatabare 1 (Mali)
Bakari Sako 1 (Mali)
Nabil Bentaleb 1 (Algeria)
Faouzi Ghoulam 1 (Algeria)
Riyad Mahrez 1 (Algeria)