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South Africa 1-2 Ghana
Senegal 0-2 AlgeriaSECOND-HALF goals from John Boye and Andre Ayew saw Ghana come from behind to beat South Africa 2-1 in their final 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group C match at the Estadio De Mongomo last night to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the competition.

The result, combined with Algeria’s 2-0 win over Senegal in the other Group C game, sees Ghana finish top of the standings on six points. Algeria are second, also on six points, while Senegal finish third with four points and South Africa last with one point.

Ghana started the better of the two teams and had their first effort on goal in the fifth minute when Jonathan Mensah met a left-sided free-kick, but his 10-yard header went inches wide of the target.

A minute later Jordan Ayew was played into space just inside the box, but saw his 16-yard effort well-saved by Brilliant Khuzwayo.

The South African keeper, though, failed to hold onto the ball and Jordan Ayew pounced on the rebound and rounded the keeper, but saw his close-range shot cleared off the goalline by Erick Mathoho.

In the 17th minute South Africa took the lead despite not seeing much of the ball when Mandla Masango superbly volleyed home from 22 yards out.

Ghana tried to find their way back into the game before the break and came close in the 34th minute when Baba Rahman unleashed a ferocious 24-yard thunderbolt, but saw his effort brilliantly saved by Khuzwayo.

Two minutes later Ghana suffered a bit of a setback when Daniel Amartey had to leave the field injured and was replaced by John Boye.

South Africa had the last say of the half in the 40th minute when Bongani Ndululu met a right-wing cross from Anele Ngcongca, but the Bafana striker saw his eight-yard header magnificently saved by the Ghanaian keeper.

Ghana dictated terms after the break and continued to press forward, but struggled to break down a resilient South African defence.

Finally, in the 72nd minute Ghana found their just reward when a goalmouth scramble inside the South African box was turned home by John Boye from 12-yards out.

Three minutes later Kwesi Appiah came close to giving Ghana the lead, but he saw his 18-yard shot brilliantly touched onto the post by Khuzwayo.

In the 83rd minute Ghana did find their second goal, and it proved to be the winner, when an inch perfect cross from Baba Rahman was superbly headed home by Andre Ayew.

Meanwhile Algeria defeated Senegal 2-0 to finish second in Group C and send the West African side crashing out of the Africa Nations Cup finals after a tense clash in Malabo last night.

Riyad Mahrez scored an early winner for Algeria, who finish second in the pool with six points having finished behind Ghana on head-to-head.
Senegal drop to third behind the Algerians after Ghana came from behind to defeat South  Africa 2-1

Algeria got an excellent second eight minutes from time as Nabil Bentaleb put the nail in the Senegalese coffin after they had gone into the final round of matches in pole position in the pool.

Algeria did not have it all their own way, for the 20 minutes before and after halftime they were put under severe pressure from the Senegalese.

But their greater experience and superior finishing ability saw them claim the win and set up a quarter-final meeting on Sunday with the top side in Group D.

The North African side should have been ahead inside two minutes when Sofiane Feghouli capitalised on a defensive mistake to race clear, but with just Senegal goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul to beat, he took a heavy touch at the vital moment and the chance was lost.

But they did have the lead on 11 minutes when a long ball to Mahrez found the forward in acres of space on the left-hand side of the penalty-box and he coolly slotted the ball low past Coundoul.

Senegal lost the influential Cheikh M’Bengue on the half-hour mark as a knock to the face saw him leave the field dizzy and covered in blood.

There followed around 30 minutes of play that followed the same pattern.

Senegal having all the possession and Algeria committing fouls 35-yards from their own goal.

The west Africans had close to 10 free-kick opportunities from that range, but could not find the right delivery or guile to break down the sturdy Algerian defence.

Sadio Mane had their best chance of the game when he received the ball just outside the six-yard box, but slipped at the vital moment.

The game was killed as a contest on 82 minutes when Bentaleb picked up the ball on the edge of the area and with no-one closing him down, fired in a low shot that had the beating of Coundoul. – Supersport.