AFCON: 2019: What Ghana Black Stars need to do to qualify to the knockout stages after draw with Cameroon
The Ghana Black Stars took on The Indomitable Lions Of Cameroon in what was touted to be a game the Stars could not afford to lose.
Following their 2-2 draw with minnows Benin, the Stars had it all to do against the defending champions who had won their first game and were looking to secure qualification into the next round.
It was no surprise that Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah chose a cautious approach in this encounter following the defensive lapses that lead to them conceding 2 goals in the opening game.
Jonathan Mensah returning to the side following the suspension of John Boye and Baba Rahman replacing Lumor at left. The third change was the introduction of Kwadwo Asamoah after the injury to Thomas Agyapong.
The stars started brightly causing Cameroon trouble in the early exchanges but nothing penetrative or decisive enough to cause a goalmouth threat.
Cameroon, however, grew into the game and started dominating play, Bassong the tormentor in chief forcing a goal-bound save from Richard Ofori. Atsu who many felt should not start had an injury after his attempted shot from long range left him feeling some pain in his thigh. he was subsequently replaced by Samuel Owusu.
Thomas Partey failed to sparkle as he had done all season long for Atletico Madrid with bombing runs forward, clearly following instructions from the coach to hold back.
Choupo-Moutin came on for the Lions but did not impact the game as much he would have with both teams canceling each other out on countless occasions.
Jonathan Mensah, in particular, was a rock at the back alongside Kassim Adams, lunging into last-ditch tackles to stop Cameroon from taking the lead that would have meant victory. In the end, the Black stars improved in defense in a way they did not in the first game but lacked so much in the final third as Jordan Ayew was left isolated at times in the game.
The introduction of Asamoah Gyan in place of the missing in action Kwadwo Asamoah did nothing to add bite to the attack of the Stars. He looked a shadow of himself but probably his short spell on the pitch the cause of that.
Both teams had their moments but nothing to show for it in the final third. Clinton Njie was a threat running rings around the Ghanaian defense but nothing definitive in the end.
The biggest chance, however, fell to the Black in the 86th minute when substitute and debutant Kwabena Owusu latched onto a loose ball from the Cameroonian defense. His electric pace took in him clear on goal but for the crossbar, the game would have ended 1-0 to Ghana.
The game ended 0-0 and it is clear Cameroon are the winners of the day after Benin and Guinea-Bissau drew 0-0 as well. What this means is that only a win on the final day for Ghana will do to ensure automatic qualification to the round of 16.
A draw on the final day could still send Ghana through with just 3 points but they will need Cameroon to beat Benin as well. The permutation are many but one thing is clear, Ghanaians will need to bring out their calculators again for matchday 3 of the AFCON 2019 group stages. Nothing is certain just yet for the Stars.
