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Africa Cup of Nations | Group Stage
Jan 20, 2013 at 3pm UK
 
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2-2

Live Commentary: Ghana 2-2 Congo DR - as it happened

:Headline: Live Commentary: Ghana 2-2 Congo DR - as it happened: ID:65114: from db_amp
Sports Mole provides live text coverage of the Africa Cup of Nation clash between Ghana and Group B rivals Congo DR.

Ghana took on Group B rivals Congo DR in the Africa Cup of Nations this afternoon.

After Cape Verde, South Africa, Angola and Morocco all failed to find the net on Saturday, fans travelled to Port Elizabeth's Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium hoping to see the first goals of the tournament.

Find out if they got their wish below courtesy of Sports Mole's blow-by-blow updates.

GHANA STARTING XI: Fatau Dauda, John Pantsil, Jerry Akaminko, John Boye, Christian Atsu, Emmanuel Badu Agyemang, Derek Boateng, Albert Adomah, Kwadwo Asamoah, Wakaso Mubarak, Asamoah Gyan
CONGO DR STARTING XI: Muteba Kidiaba, Mpeko Issama, Kiritsho Kasusula, Larrys Mabiala, Cedric Mongongu, Youssuf Mulumbu, Cedric Makiadi, Mulota Kabangu, Tresor Mputu, Deiudonne Mbokani, Lomana Tresor LuaLua
The lineups include a few names that should be familiar to an English audience. Lomana Tresor LuaLua, famous for his somersaulting celebrations has scored goals for Newcastle United, Portsmouth and, more recently, Blackpool.
Asamoah Gyan and John Pantsil have previously played Premier League football for Sunderland and West Ham United respectively, while Youssuf Mulumbu has been a regular starter for West Bromwich Albion this season.
Congo DR get the game underway. The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is only about a quarter full, but it is bathed in sunshine and there is a real party atmosphere about the place.
Ghana win an early corner, but Congo clear and immediately launch a counter attack, which results in them winning a corner at the other end.
LuaLua's whipped corner from the left is headed clear at the near post.
Mputu shows a fantastic turn of pace down the right for Congo, but his progress is halted by a strong-but-fair tackle from Asamoah.
CHANCE! Gyan gets in behind the Congo defence, but Mongongu gets back just in time to stop the former Sunderland man shooting with a well-timed slide. The ball appeared to rebound back off Gyan, however the referee has awarded a corner.
Great punch from goalkeeper Kidiaba - Congo clear to safety.
WOODWORK! Congo come agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock as Mputu pulls the ball back to LuaLua, whose powerful shot is tipped onto the crossbar by Dauda.
CHANCE! Mbokani makes a powerful run down the right and squares the ball into the path of the lively Mputu, who fires two yards over the bar. Congo have started very well.
Adomah, who plays his club football for Bristol City, tries his luck from long range, but Congo keeper Kidiaba is happy to watch the ball fly harmlessly over.
Kidiaba, who has a reputation for being somewhat eccentric, is sporting a shaven head with a braided pony tail.
LuaLua's cross from the left is headed clear, but only as far as Makiadi, who hits the sweetest of volleys from 25 yards. Unfortunately for the Freiburg midfielder, his effort misses by about three feet.
CHANCE! What a miss! Boateng sends Gyan clear with an inch-perfect through ball, but he sidefoots wide from eight yards with no defender anywhere in sight.
That misses was truly horrendous. Will we ever get a goal in the Africa Cup of Nations?
Mputu is hacked down just outside the penalty area and Congo have a free-kick in a very dangerous position.
Kasusula hits the free-kick straight into the stomach Badu, who looks severely winded. Great block though!
GOAL! Ghana take the lead - and it's Badu!
The tournament finally has a goal and it was (almost) worth waiting for. Asamoah plays a neat one-two with Gyan and then plays the ball across the face of goal to Badu, who slides home from close range.
That goal has certainly woken the Ghana fans up. They are singing, dancing and banging their drums with pride.
BOOKING! Ghana's Adomah is shown a yellow card for a late challenge.
Wakaso delivers a dangerous cross into the Congo penalty area, but Kidiaba comes out and makes a fantastic punch.
HT: Ghana 1-0 Congo DR
Ghana have been the better side and deserve to lead at the break. However, Congo have looked dangerous on the counter-attack and this one is certainly not over yet.
The Black Stars have shaded possession so far with 57 percent.
Here's a slightly more interesting stat... Ghana's goal - the first of the African Cup of Nations so far - came from the 56th shot of the tournament.
Ghana kick-off and the second half is underway.
Adomah fires in a low shot at goal, which is tipped wide by Kidiaba. Corner to Ghana.
GOAL! Asamoah nods home to put Ghana 2-0 up!
Wakaso floats the corner deep to the far post, where Asamoah heads the ball in off the underside of the crossbar.
GOAL! Mputu flicks the ball beyond Ghana keeper Dauda from six yards. Congo are back in it - instant response!
Beautiful goal by Mputu, who has been one of the game's standout players so far. His first touch was perfect and his finish was clinical.
SUB: Mohammed Rabiu replaces Atsu for Ghana.
CHANCE! Pantsil races away down the right and squares to Gyan, who fires at goal from 16 yards. His shot is brilliantly blocked by Issama. Ghana appeal for handball, but it clearly hit the defender's chest.
CHANCE! Gyan picks out Rabiu in the six-yard box with a lofted diagonal, but the substitute's first-time effort is tame and easily held by Kidiaba.
PENALTY! Congo have the chance to level the scores as Akaminko is penalised for a shirt-pull on Mbokani.
GOAL! Mbokani sends the keeper the wrong way, slamming his spot-kick into the top corner.
That was a very impressive penalty, however it was not quite as impressive as the celebration of Congo keeper, who simulates riding a horse to perfection. Apparently that is Kidiaba's trademark.
SUBS: Double change for Ghana as Alain Kaluyituka Dioko and Deo Kanda come on for Kabangu and LuaLua.
Gyan unleashes a powerful strike at goal from 20 yards, which Kidiaba does very well to hold onto.
SUB: Anthony Annan replaces Boateng for Ghana.
SUB: Congo make their final change as Gabriel Zakuani comes on for Mongongu.
SAVE! Kidiaba is the star of the show yet again as he does brilliantly to get fingertips on a dipping shot from 30 yards.
SUB: Harrison Afful replaces Adomah for Ghana. Defender Afful, 26, began his career with Feyenoord Academy, but he currently plays for Esperance Sportive de Tunis in Tunisia.
SAVE! What a chance for Congo! Mulumbu finds himself in the penalty area with time and space. He curls a low shot that looks destined for the bottom right corner, but Dauda somehow manages to claw the ball away.
Congo win a free kick in a dangerous position on the right touchline.
What a waste! Mbokani's delivery bypasses the penalty area and lands way back in row Z.
Mulumbu gets in behind Ghana down the right. He fires a low ball across goal looking for Dioko, but the goalkeeper does excellently to gather under pressure.
FT: Ghana 2-2 Congo DR
The fans in Port Elizabeth have been well and truly entertained. The next game also comes from Group B and features Mali and Niger. Sports Mole will be providing commentary on that one too. However, from me, it's goodbye.

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