Stars virtually crushed out after Zimbabwe loss
Ghana’s home-based Black Stars are the second team likely to exit the 2011 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after losing 0-1 to Zimbabwe on Wednesday in Wad Madany.
The Stars joined Uganda in the trail of teams to bid farewell to the competition after CAPS United striker Archford Gutu’s 70th minute goal separated the two sides.
The Black Stars were yet again off colour despite Coach Herbert Addo revising his tactical approach with three new faces in his starting line-up.
Addo handed starting roles to keeper Sammy Adjei, Edwin Gyimah and Mohammed Sabato and but for Adjei, the inclusion of others was hardly felt.
The Stars lost out on the midfield in the early stages as Gyimah, a replacement for Abdul Basit failed to fill the big shoes of the Berekum Chelsea midfielder whilst Yaw Alexander and Sabato struggled to find their rhythm defence.
The Zimbabweans, who surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against Stars in their previous meeting at the same stage in 2009, were in no mood for such stuffs and had the upper hand in the midfield as they dominated the first half.
After a barren first half, both teams resumed the second half strongly but it was the Zimbabweans who showed much urgency in their game.
Coach Addo brought on Emmanuel Clottey and Obed Owusu in the second half, and their presence was very little in reviving the team’s almost non-existent attack.
On 70 minutes, the determination of the Warriors paid off when Gutu Archford headed home a cross from the right flank from Norman Maroto for the only goal of the match.
Few minutes later, goalie Adjei denied the Zimbabweans another goal making a spectacular save of Marato’s shot, after the latter had thorn the Ghanaian defence apart.
As the clock ticked, the Stars could barely trouble the Zimbabweans, who defended gallantly to keep their lead intact.
Earlier, South Africa beat Niger 2-0 thanks to a brace by striker Myron Shongwe to qualify for the quarter finals.
The local Black Stars face Niger on Sunday, but the outcome of the match will serve only a academic purposes.
Source: GNA