CAF African Nations Championship
Result: Ghana 1-1 Libya
Date: 17 January 2013
Venue: Free State Stadium
Faisel Saleh scored a 70th minute penalty to earn Libya a 1-1 draw against Ghana at the Free State Stadium on Friday, to keep them top of Group C ahead of their opponents on goal difference.
Ghana started of this Group C tie strongly and put immense early pressure on the Libyans, before taking a deserved lead in the fifth minute through a Yahaya Mohammed bullet header which left the Mediterranean Knights goalkeeper with absolutely no chance.
The Black Stars almost doubled their lead on the 20 minute mark, but this time Yahaya could not get any power behind his header and was easily saved by Libya shot-stopper Muhammad Nashnoush.
Nashnoush was forced into another save on the stroke of half-time, after Yahaya did well to make space in box before firing a shot into the bottom corner, but the Libyan keeper did well to parry the ball out to safety.
Libya started off the second-half throwing men forward in search of the equaliser and went close through El Mutasem Abushnaf, but the strikers 52st minute header was well held by Ghana keeper Adams.
Abushnaf did have the ball in the back of the net soon afterwards but the goal was ruled out as the striker was adjudged to have committed a foul in the penalty area.
Saleh finally got Libya on level terms in the 70th minute after putting tremendous pressure on Ghana, when Nuru Sulley committed a silly foul and handed Libya a penalty which Saleh slotted home to make it 1-1.
Saleh had a glorious chance to snatch a late win for Javier Clemente’s men when he fired a free-kick goal bound which Adams did brilliantly to parry out for a corner and make sure this Group C tie ended 1-1.
Here is how they started:
Ghana XI: Stephen Adams, Godfred Saka, Tijani Joshua, Adusei Kwabena, Nuru Sulley, Michael Akuffu, Jordan Opoku, Theophilus Anorba, Richard Mpong, Yahaya Mohammed, Sule Mohammed
Libya XI: Nashnoush; Fetori, El Trbi, Salama, Sabbou; El Hadi, Saleh, El Gadi, El Houni; Abushnaf, Al Ghanodi
