Ghana held on to win their first Africa Cup of Nations game 1-0 against Uganda, thanks to an Andre Ayew penalty in the first half
That’ll be your lot from me. Cheers for reading, and take care of each out there.
Well, that was a grind for Ghana. They dominated the first half, but lost all of their momentum in the second, and it was only due to some errant long shots and crossing from Uganda - who improved after the break - that they hung onto their victory.
Full-time: Ghana 1-0 Uganda
Peeeeeeeeeeeeeep
90 mins + 2: Andre Ayew wins a free-kick on the right (read: he was chucked to the floor by Wasswa), then tries to keep the ball there, the wily old fox.
90 mins: Ochaya flings a cross into the box from the left, but Brimah claims that one with more confidence.
88 mins: Shaban tumbles in the area, but the referee shrewdly spots that he had run into Amartey and thrown himself to the ground, rather than being actively felled by his opponent.
87 mins: Oh my! Brimah very nearly gifts Uganda a goal, barreling out for a cross and punching it straight at Miya, but the forward can’t control the ball properly. What a chance that could’ve been
85 mins: One final change for Ghana - Afriyie Acquah is on for Jordan Ayew. ANd then they have a great chance to wrap up the game, as Atsu latches onto a ball over the top, but Onyango produces a wonderful save from the powerful shot at goal.
82 mins: Oh! So close for Uganda. It looked like the Ghana defence was opening up, as Massa gets down the right and puts in a nice cross, but the ball is just whipped away as Serunkuma pulls back his foot to shoot on the edge of the six-yard box. 80 mins: A defensive blunder nearly lets Jordan Ayew in, but he’s wrestled to the ground by Wasswa. From the free-kick, Onyango comes out to claim the cross when he absolutely should not have done, but he somehow claims the ball in the air, tumbling to the ground and immediately springing up to get rid of the ball. 77 mins: A lot of overhit crosses from Ghana. There’s another one, from Acheampong, after good work from Andre Ayew. That one was so strong it sparked a Uganda counter-attack. 75 mins: For all their dominance in the second-half, Uganda have been largely restricted to longish range shots. That’s partly their own fault, shooting when they could perhaps have tried to pierce the defence a little more carefully. There’s another one, as Miya scuffs a shot that Brimah saves. 72 mins: And a switch for Ghana now - Gyan is off, and Emmanuel Badu is withdrawn. A more defensive switch from Avram Grant, recognising the tide of the game, but going too defensive with only a goal lead and 18 minutes left could be an error. 70 mins: A relatively rare Ghana attack arrives, but Partey’s shot flies over the bar. A change for Uganda, and Micho is going for it: striker Geofrey Serunkuma comes on for defender Isinde. An attacking tactical rejig ahoy. 69 mins: Another Uganda attack, another Massa shot, but this one dribbles at Brimah. Massa had better options there, but Uganda’s control over the game continues. 68 mins: A free-kick to Uganda about 35 yards out, which Massa takes a Roberto Carlos run-up to, wallops the thing towards goal but it’s always rising, and goes over the bar. 67 mins: Ghana try to exert something approaching control to the game, but Partey on the right balloons his cross way over the waiting attackers in the centre. Uganda then counter-attack, and substitute Shaban chases a ball with Boye, gets a toe to it and almost gets the ball past Brimah, but the keeper just about keeps it out. 64 mins: Ochaya runs forwards from the left, assesses his options, doesn’t see a great deal to get excited about so launches a long-range shot, but it goes wide. They’re getting closer, though. 62 mins: From the corner the ball breaks out to Mawejje again, who rifles a shot that goes just, just, just wide of the post. Fine effort, that. Uganda on top now. 61 mins: Some neat, one-touch passing from Uganda creates an attacking chance. Two Ghana defenders leave the ball for each other and the ball breaks to Mawejje, whose long-range effort is deflected wide. 59 mins: Ghana’s first attack of much note in the second half when Jordan Ayew dashes behind the Uganda defence, at first thinking he was offside, but delays his cross too long. So long, in fact, that the linesman flags for it going out of play on the byline, even if that decision did look a little harsh. 57 mins: Sub for Uganda now, as Muhammad Shaban comes on for Luwaga Kizoto. Mawejje tries a shot from somewhere in Libreville, which goes well, well, well over the bar. Fine optimism, but daft in the end. 54 mins: Atsu escapes the attentions of his marker for a moment, but Gyan is caught offside from the ball over the top. Again, a scrappy start to the half. 52 mins: A relatively slow start to the second half, just as was the case with the first. Uganda seem to be doubling up on Atsu, but he still manages to get a cross into the box from the right, which is cleared. 50 mins: Oloya tries to chisel some sort of attacking chance out on the right, but the ball dribbles out of play, but not before he yells some sort of non-specific complaint to the linesman, standing by. 48 mins: Gyan pulls off a backheel. It doesn’t come to anything, but it’s nice that they’re trying to entertain us all. 46 mins: And with that, we’re off again. Even in the early moments, Uganda look a little more positive. Sub at half-time for Uganda - off goes Azira, and on comes Moses Oloya. Before the second half starts, could we recommend you read today’s Fiver? Well, Ghana should probably be further ahead than just the one goal, such has been their dominance, but Uganda did at least show some attacking intent later in the half. Atsu has been good for Ghana, providing plenty of threat from the right, but Avram Grant might be fretting slightly that they only broke through thanks to a moment of daftness from Isinde. Peeeeeeeep. 45 mins + 1: Mawejje tries the most ambitious of shots, from about 30 yards out, but it merely dribbles into the arms of Brimah. A little attacking intent from Uganda though, at last.
Half-time: Ghana 1-0 Uganda