Ghana Crushed Egypt In The Play-Off

Ghana displayed a high quality performance and demolished Egypt 6 - 1 on Tuesday in Kumasi, in their first leg of two encounters, to the 2014 World Cup qualification play-offs.

In the game of football, one is never completely sure of the out-come of a match, no matter who you are playing. No one could've sincerely predicted, the crushing defeat of the mighty Pharaohs of Egypt. Yes, may be a 2 - 1 or 3 - 2 win, but certainly not what we saw on Tuesday. Die hard fans or not. This is one of the reasons, why football is the most beautiful game in the world.

Ghana Football Fans

All credit to the Black Stars and coach Kwesie Appiah, who understood the implication of not taking a good advantage of home game. If a team fail to take the advantage of home turff and fans, it may end up facing a Herculean task on away match. Ghana understood this reality in the game.

 

Ghana put up a five star performance, right from the kick-off time, to the final whistle and surprised not only the Egyptians, but many football fans watching the game around the world. It was the stuff of brave hearts.

In the 4th minute of the match, Gyan Asamoah, the captain, collected a pass from Waris and turned away from his marker with such a pace and struck the ball to the low, far left end of the post, which electrified the fans, with joy. It was the first of the avalanche of harvest of goals.

 

The second goal, though was an own goal by the Egyptian captain Gomaa, it was due to the individual effort and dribble skills of Michael Essien. The ball hit the captain and went into the net, for a 2 - 0 lead. But the tally was reduced, when the Ghanaian defender, Rashid Sumaila, brought down the pacey, Mohammed Salah in the box. The experienced Mohammed Aboutrika, did not miss the penalty shot, 2 - 1.

In the second half, Majeed Waris, headed the host to a 3 - 1 lead. And not very long after, the bicycle keep of Sulley Muntari, bouced up and Asamoah headed into the net for a 4 - 1 comfortable lead.

The Black Stars kept up the pressure, when the referee ruled that Majeed Waris, was brought down in the box by the Egyptian goalkeeper, Ahmed Elshenwi, who replaced the injured first choice keeper, Elramy. Sulley Muntari, calmly took the penalty and made it 5 - 1.

The second beautiful goal of the match came through the substitue, Christian Atsu. (The other was Asamoah first goal). Atsu took a good shot from the edge of the box, to the far end of the post and beat the keeper, to complete the score line to a 6 - 1 advantage. With this score, Ghana has put themselves in a very powerful position, before next month second leg in Cairo, Egypt.

All the Black Stars on the pitch played with urgency, dedication and the determination to win in a convincing manner. They played as a team, and it was worthy of emulation by some players in Africa, who play with much ego and selfishness. The players pace and passes were very impressive indeed.

The Egyptians were out-played, it was a situation that no one fore-saw. They did not look like a team, many countries wanted to avoid in the play-offs, because they were the only country with 100% record throughout the WC qualification process, untill this amazing humiliation in Kumasi.

Egypt has an uphill battle to surmount in November's second leg, while Ghana has a duty not to allow, their surprised huge advantage slip away. The Black Stars can now smell being part of soccer fiesta in Brazil 2014, their third World Cup qualification. Their qualification is in their hands.