Burkina Faso 0-1 Ghana
Ghana join the Ivory Coast in the quarter finals
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Tuesday, 19, Jan 2010 05:51
By Matt Hallam.
Ghana secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations with victory over Burkina Faso in Luanda.
Dede Ayew scored the vital goal, heading a curling cross into the corner of the net after half an hour.
The Black Stars were without a number of regulars and also had Michael Essien missing after he was injured in training earlier in the week.
The inexperienced Black Stars line-up dominated large parts of the game though, and although they were assisted by a harsh sending off in the second-half, they deserved their win which sees them join Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals.
Burkina Faso were first to try their luck at goal with Charles Kabore hitting a free-kick high and wide in the opening minutes before Ghana's Mathew Amoah hit a rising drive over the bar.
Ghana began to control the game as the first-half continued and took the lead before the half-hour thanks to some poor defending.
Amoah picked up the ball on the right and swung a cross in for Dede Ayew to nod into the corner under no pressure from the Burkina Faso defence.
Kwadwo Asamoah looked to double Ghana's lead after half time but dragged his shot wide from the angle on the left after picking up a long ball from the back.
Burkina Faso continued to struggle and were lucky not to concede a second when Inkoom burst down the right and sent in a dangerous cross which Asamoah dived to late to get his head to.
Ghana came close to conceding themselves soon after though with a free kick from the right whipped into the back post which Bakary Kone couldn't stretch to meet.
Burkina Faso looked to be building confidence, however, they were reduced to 10-men with 25 minutes remaining when Hamadou Tall was shown a red card for elbowing Asamoah Gyan.
Ghana had a handful of chances to take advantage of their extra man but their delivery from wide areas was poor and Haminu Dramani wasted two good chances, shooting into the side netting from the right of the box.
Burkina Faso were also wasteful in promising positions and were unable to equalise with Kone firing a free kick high over the bar in the final minute.