The Black Stars of Ghana rekindled hopes of participating in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations when they fought from a goal down to beat their Togolese counterparts 3-2 at the Kegue Stadium in Lome.
It wasn’t a vintage performance by the Ghanaians but the victory kept their hopes alive for the Morocco competition after a disappointing start to the qualifiers when Uganda held them to a 1-1 draw at the Baba Yara Stadium last Saturday.
The Stars began yesterday’s game on a low note, and for seven minutes struggled to keep possession as both sides restricted possession to the midfield.
Eleven minutes later, it was Togo that broke the deadlock as Ayite Floyd was fed through by Emmanuel Adebayor to chest down the ball before surging inside Ghana’s penalty box to whip it under onrushing goalkeeper Stephen Adams for the opener.
The Stars were on the back-foot as the home fans went agog. However, the Stars’ first threat came in the 18th minute when Asamoah Gyan put through Andre Ayew in the Togolese penalty box but his final delivery was too feeble to cause any havoc.
Gyan responded quickly in the 23rd minute when he soared to head home Kwadwo Asamoah’s cross to silence the vociferous home fans.
Ghana survived another scary moment as unmarked Vincent Bossou’s free header flew just above the crossbar, leaving Stephen Adams stranded.
Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, who was ghosting inside the Togolese penalty box, increased the tally in the 33rd minute when Baba Rahman was fed through by Jordan Ayew to send in a low cross which the Udinese midfielder headed calmly to displace goalkeeper Agassa Kossi.
Kwasi Appiah’s men returned from recess maintaining the tempo and in the early minutes had a penalty appeal disallowed after Andre Dede Ayew claimed to have been shoved in the box.
This was after Bossou was forced to clear his lines in a dangerous situation after Christian Atsu had cut in from the flanks and sent in a cross to the goal area.
For some time, the Ghanaian fans were made to sit on the edge of their seats as the Stars sat back and soaked the pressure, with the Hawks making several incursions into their territory, including winning a number of corner kicks, but were unable to find the back of the net.
Their persistence, however, earned them a free-kick just at the far end of Ghana’s penalty box in the 75th minute which, Adebayor again, rose to nod home for the equaliser to revived Togo’s hopes .
Two minutes later, Jordan Ayew nearly fetched the needed winner for the Stars after he had beaten through a forest of legs but shot over the bar with only goalkeeper Agassa to beat.
Atsu finally brought back the smile on the faces of Ghanaians in the 84th minute when he fetched the much needed winner to silence the home crowd.
Black Stars: Stephen Adams, Asamoah Gyan, Harrison Afful, Baba Rahman, Jonathan Mensah, Awal Mohammed, Kwadwo Asamoah, Christian Astu/Edwin Gyimah, Agyemang Badu/Wakaso Mubarak, Jordan Ayew, Andre Ayew/Rabiu Mohammed.
Subs: Fatau Dauda, Edwin Gyimah, Yaw Frimpong, Rabiu Mohammed, Wakaso Mubarak, Solomon Asante, Majeed Waris.
Togo:.Agassa Kossi, Emmanuel Adebayor,. Bossou Vincent, Mamah Gafar, Wome Dove/Gakpe Gerge, Amewou Komlan/Arouna Fauod, Ayite Floyd, Romao Alexis, Ouro Akoriko Sadate, Atakora Lalawole/Ayite Jonathan Donou Kokou
Subs: Mensah Gedrie, Akakpo Gerge, Segbefia Junce, Arouna Fauod, Ayite Jonathan, Abraw Gamaldine, Gakpe Gerge
