Gyan the hero as Ghana beat Algeria

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Asamoah Gyan dedicated his all important strike against Algeria at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea on Friday night to “all the beloved people of Ghana”, adding he hoped the team will rake up the much needed confidence from this result at the Estadio de Mongomo to help them bag a fifth continental gong.

In another reaction from the other contest staged at the same venue later on, South Africa coach Shakes Mashaba insisted he doesn’t regret his pre-tournament comments that suggested his charges were among the favorites to win the competition, despite statistical permutations after the second round of group games now showing the 1996 African champions were more likely to be bundled out of the tournament from the group stage having failed to win either of the their two opening matches. “

Gyan who sat out of Ghana’s 2-1 loss to Senegal in both teams’ opening match of this tournament with “malaria like symptoms”, was handed a starting berth against the vastly improved Desert Foxes by coach Avram Grant, a decision he repaid in the best possible way, by netting the winning goal of the game with virtually the last attack.

The goal illicited huge cheers and celebrations among a majority of supporters at the venue, with the 28 year old scorer racing to celebrate with a section of fans sitted at the terrace to the left of the facility’s main dias, before joining his teammates in the team’s famous ‘Azonto’ celebrations dance.
In contrast, the few Algerian fans at the venue could barely watch the proceedings, with a couple of journalists walking out of the media centre in perceived shock.

And with the Black Stars keen to regain support from their own fans in the wake of strained relations between the two parties that were initiated by a below par performance at last year’s FIFA World Cup, alongside well publicised off the pitch issues, the Middle East based Gyan seized the opportunity to extend the apologetic hand to the support base moments after receiving the Orange player of the match award.

Rallying cry
“That goal goes out to all the beloved people of Ghana, without their support we wouldn’t be here and cannot even win this tournament” the English based midfielder who was mobbed by his colleagues and l Ghanaian journalists in the dressing room after the match said.

Reports suggest the Black Stars players have since held a series of meetings with Ghanaian journalists in Mongomo, with a view to having the scribes reach out to the residents at home to rally behind the team.
The result over Algeria staged before a capacity crowd at the newly constructed 5,000 seater venue, situated just outside the deserted country side town of Mongomo, some 150 km West of the Port City of Bata, ensured the Black Stars picked up their first three points of the group and moved to second behind Senegal who came from behind to hold South Africa to a 1-1 draw.

This outcome left Shakes Mashaba charges on the brink, as they now require a huge margin win against Gyan and Co. in the final group game on Monday to stand a chance of making it to the last eight.
“We fight till the end, that is the spirit within the team, obviously the situation can change very quickly the moment we get to the quarters, so we need to try and get there” Mashaba said.

Senegal in the meantime, only need a draw to secure passage to the last whilst Ghana and Algeria will progress outright with a win.

The two games played at a high tempo and competitive spirit provided the thousands of supporters at the venue, most of whom had navigated the three hour drive from Bata to the country side with value of their money and time.

The trip through quality roads and beautiful landscape so the vehicles move through several banana plantations and roadside graves into the town located in the Western part of the country.
The final group games involving South Africa versus Ghana and Senegal against Algeria, are set to be contested simultaneously on Tuesday.