Lively Congo Hold Black Stars

20 January 2013

2013 Africa Cup of Nations

Result: Ghana 2-2 DR Congo

Date: 20 January 2013

Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay

Referee: Daniel Bennet

Ghana let a 2-0 lead slip as they were held to a 2-2 draw by a lively DR Congo side in their opening game of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

Mubarak Wakaso nodded a corner just wide for the Black Stars in the ninth minute before DR Congo had a decent chance with Lomana LuaLua seeing his strike pushed onto the crossbar by Dauda.

The Leopards were looking lively and Tresor Mputu fired just over from the edge of the area after latching onto a low cross from Youssouf Mulumbu.

Congo then failed to make the most of a swift counter-attack after Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu had been robbed of the ball as LuaLua failed to pick out a decent option.

The game bogged down in midfield for a while but the Black Stars should have taken the lead around the half-hour mark when a perfect ball over the top found Asamoah Gyan but he failed to keep his calm in a one-on-one situation and scuffed his shot wide.

That miss would not be punished though as Ghana opened the scoring in the 40th minute after Agyemang-Badu poked home from close range after a neat one-two with Gyan.

Congo responded brightly with Kritcho Kasusula flashing a low cross across the six-yard area but no more real chances arrived in the final minutes as Ghana went into the break with the lead.

The goal ensured that the second period got off to a lively start with Robert Kidiaba worked by Ghana early on before the resulting corner saw Kwadwo Asamoah bury a superb header off the inside the of the crossbar.

Congo responded swiftly though as Mputu latched onto a perfect pass from Cedric Makiadi before stabbing past the goalkeeper.

Gyan should have scored Ghana's third in the 64h minute but he shot wide from the edge of the box when he had team-mates in better positions.

Congo would punish that mistake when Makiadi was brought down in the area and he dusted himself off to bury the equaliser from the spot.

Gyan stung the palms of Kidiaba with 20 minutes to go while Youssouf Mulumbu was denied a certain goal by a superb save from Fatau Dauda soon after.

Ghana almost snatched a later winner deep into stoppage time but Gyan's header at the far post went straight into the arms of the goalkeeper as Congo grabbed a point.

Ghana: Fatau Dauda, John Pantsil, Jerry Akaminko, John Boye, Kwadwo Asamoah, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Derek Boateng, Albert Adomah, Christian Atsu, Mubarak Wakaso, Asamoah Gyan.

Congo DR: Robert Kidiaba, Mpeko Issama, Larrys Mabiala, Cedric Mongungu, Kritcho Kasusula, Cedric Makiadi, Youssouf Mulumbu, Mulota Kabangu, Mabi Mputu, Dieumerci Mbokani, Lomana LuaLua.