September 8, 2018//-Ten-man Kenya needed a slice of luck to beat Ghana 1-0 on Saturday at the Kasarani Stadium in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The Harambee Stars earned their first win in Group F thanks to a 40th minute own goal by defender Nicholas Opoku.
Both sides came to close to scoring before the half hour mark.
And it was the hosts who first tested Richard Ofori and the Maritzburg United No.1 pulled a stop to Ochieng Ovella powerful strike from the right.
The Black Stars managed to unlock the Kenya defence with a laser pass, which found Waris at the edge of the box.
The on-loan Nantes forward had his shirt pulled but managed to slip a pass to Partey whose feeble shot was collected easily by Patrick Matasi.
In the 27th minute, Astu peeled to the left flank inside the area of Kenya and his intended cross to Waris was miscued and feeble.
After 36 minutes, Afriyie Acquah wriggled past his marker in the middle and released Atsu on the left and the Newcastle man picked out Partey inside the box but his final pass to Waris was blocked.
In the 40th minute, the Harambee Stars jumped into the lead courtesy and own goal.
Eric Omondi whipped in cross from the right into the box and Black Stars centre back Nicholas Opoku went into with a sliding clearance but that directed the ball into his own net.
Three minutes later, Ghana were awarded a free kick close to the Kenya box but Atsu’s kick was cleared out.
After the interval, Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah introduced striker Raphael Dwamena to replace winger Edwin Gyasi.
The chances had positive effect and the Black Stars turned on their attacking style and created two glorious chances, which saw Waris and Andy Yiadom, come very close.
Acquah should have drawn the visitors level but the Empoli man headed above the frame when he met the end of Opare’s delivered free kick.
Atsu slalomed inside the box but instead of pulling the trigger he decided
Kenya were reduced to ten men after Joash Onyango was shown a straight red for a deliberate foul on Waris who clear on goal to score at the edge of the box.
The resultant free-kick was wasted by Partey.
On the 73rd minute, Dwamena blasted the clearest opportunity of the match when he chipped the ball over goalkeeper Matasi and above the post.
The Levante man, who was inside the box, had collected a perfect pass from Partey.
Ghana kept on knocking at the door and with ten minutes to go, Partey shot at goal but he dragged his shot too wide.
Two minutes from time, Acquah smashed in a shot from outside the box but it was feeble and straight forward to beat goalkeeper Matasi.
ghanasoccernet
