Senegal beat Ghana 2-1 in Nations Cup thriller
MONGOMO, Equatorial Guinea (Reuters) - Senegal beat Ghana 2-1 in an electrifying African Cup of Nations Group C opener after substitute Moussa Sow scored a dramatic winner with almost the last kick of the game on Monday.
Sow drilled in a low shot deep into added time to complete Senegal's comeback after Mame Biram Diouf had cancelled out Andrew Ayew's first-half penalty for Ghana.
The result was a sour start for former Chelsea boss Avram Grant in his first match in charge of Ghana, with the quadruple former winners now under pressure to advance from the 16-nation tournament’s toughest group.
Algeria and South Africa were playing later on Monday.
Senegal coach Alain Giresse, the former France midfielder, was delighted after his men fought back and outplayed their more heralded rivals.
"We might have been behind at halftime but we always knew we had the potential to win the game," he said after emotional celebrations by his players.
An error-strewn opening 10 minutes turned into a vastly entertaining encounter after Ghana right wing Christian Atsu raced clear of his markers and won a penalty as Senegal goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul brought him down.
Ayew, standing in as captain for fellow striker Asamoah Gyan who was ruled out after contracting malaria, drilled the spot-kick high down the middle in the 14th minute.
The pacy Atsu missed a gilt-edged chance to double the lead midway through the opening period, placing his shot wide of the far post with only Coundoul to beat after a darting run by midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang.
Senegal then took the upper hand and twice came close to drawing level, with central defender Kara Mbodji’s header smacking the crossbar before a spectacular effort by Diouf.
With his back to goal on the edge of the penalty box, the Stoke City striker unleashed a vicious overhead shot after a teasing cross was headed into his path and only a superb reflex save by keeper Razak Braimah denied him.
Senegal pressed relentlessly after the break and the imposing Diouf was rewarded in the 58th minute when he equalised with a diving header after a first attempt hit the far post.
Rattled by Senegal’s raids down the left flank, Ghana were let off the hook in the 66th minute when Diouf blasted a half-volley over the bar from 10 metres. The last minute of extra time stunned the Ghanaians, barely 60 seconds after their forward Jordan Ayew had headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
A long upfield punt by Coundoul fell kindly for substitute Henri Saviet, whose crisp one-two with Diouf released Sow in the heart of the penalty box and the striker gave Braimah no chance with a first-time shot into the far corner.
(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic, additional reporting by Mark Gleeson; editing by Alan Baldwin)
