Mali edge out Ghana for bronze

Mali edge Ghana to finish third
09 Feb 2013 10:01:08
History repeated itself on
Saturday, after a first-half
Mahamadou Samassa header
and an early second-half
Seydou Keita strike guided Mali
to a second successive third-
place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations
(Afcon), as the Eagles defeated Ghana 3-1 at
a soaked Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in
Port Elizabeth.
Text Commentary Highlights
The fixture was a repeat of the 2012 Afcon
third-place playoff, when Mali defeated
Ghana 2-0 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
With cloudy conditions persisting, heavy
rain started to fall half-an-hour before kick-
off, making conditions increasingly difficult
for both free-flowing sets of players.
The Ghanaians dominated the early
exchanges and were in with the first
chance after five minutes, but skipper
Asamoah Gyan's tame effort on target failed
to trouble Mali goalkeeper Soumbeila
Diakite, who made a routine save.
Five minutes later, Mahamadou Samassa
had Mali's first opportunity, after the striker
was put through on goal, but Samassa fired
his shot from a tight angle straight at
keeper Fatawu Dauda, who made a solid
stop on the ground.
Shortly after, Christian Atsu should have
done better for Ghana when he received an
excellent delivery across the face of goal
from Solomon Asante, but Atsu shot
straight at Diakite, with the keeper making
a superb reflex save from close-range.
With action swinging from end-to-end,
Samassa broke the deadlock in the 21st
minute, handing last year's bronze
medalists the early advantage.
[embed:video:id=213244] Adama
Tamboura made a darting run down the
left flank after a patient build-up by the
Eagles, before putting an accurate ball in
the Ghana area, as Samassa made contact
with his head from a diving effort, beating
Dauda who could do nothing from close-
range.
Ghana came back strongly and brought the
crowd to their feet as they thought
Kwadwo Asamoah's shot went in, but the
Juventus striker could only find the side-
netting with his effort from right of the
goal.
With rain bucketing down, Mubarak
Wakaso forced a diving save from Diakite,
after the joint leading goal-scorer of the
tournament unleashed a fierce left-footed
attempt, but Diakite – recalled after missing
the semifinal – was up to the task.
Samassa came agonisingly close for Mali
three minutes from the break as he
managed to lift a neat ball over Dauda, who
came rushing out to stop the advancing
forward, but Samassa's chip hit the upright
and bounced wide.
Mali were on the offensive and captain Keita
asked further questions of the Ghana
defence, narrowly missing a volleyed shot at
goal, which was to be the last opportunity
before the interval.
The Eagles stretched their advantage just
two minutes into the second period when
Keita smashed home past Dauda, after
receiving a low pass across the goalmouth
from Ousmane Coulibaly, leaving the shot-
stopper with no chance.
Controversy, however, was not far away as
referee Otogo Arnaud awarded Ghana a
57th minute penalty after Salif Coulibaly was
adjudged to have handled the ball inside his
own area.
Sensing a comeback was on the cards,
Wakaso stepped up confidently, but flashed
his effort over the goal, failing to add to his
four strikes in the tournament – three of
which came from the penalty spot.
Shortly after the hour mark, Gyan tested
Diakite once again, as the striker hit a
curling free-kick on target, only for Diakite
to make a diving save to his right, denying
the Black Stars their opener.
Keita responded with a free-kick of his
own, but Dauda was equal to the task,
tipping the ball over the crossbar and out
for a corner.
Looking in top shape, Keita thought he had
doubled his tally in the 72nd minute but
was ruled offside by the linesman.
Having suffered a dismal evening, Asamoah
sparked a revival from the Ghanaians as he
pulled a goal back eight minutes from time,
after his long-range strike appeared to have
moved in the air, deceiving Diakite, who
dived past the ball, handing the Black Stars
their only goal of the match.
Second-half replacement Sigamaray Diarra
had the last say, restoring Mali's two goal
advantage and ensuring victory in injury
time, after he volleyed in a w