Lesotho 3 - Sudan 2

Sudan hosted Lesotho in Omdurman to close out Group D play.  Sudan grabbed an early lead in the third minute and tacked on a second goal midway through the period.  However, the young Crocodiles were not giving up, and a goal one minute from time made the score at halftime 2-1 in favor of Sudan.

Ahmed Abdalla was sent off for a second yellow in minute 63, leaving Sudan down a man for the final half hour of play.  With renewed belief, Lesotho pressed forward in attack.  They leveled the match at two goals apiece with a quarter hour to go.  Tsepo Koetle completed the comeback bid two minutes later to give the Crocodiles their first lead.  Lesotho hold on and win 3-2.

Goals
Lesotho
Tsepo Seturumane 45 (pictured)
Tsepo Lekhoana 75
Tsoanelo Koetle 77

Sudan
Bekry Amaldina 2
Muhannad El Tahir 23

Match Reports:
http://www.supersport.com/football/africa/news/130908/Lesotho_stun_Sudan_in_thriller

Ghana 2 - Zambia 1

Kumasi was the site of the highly contentious clash between hosts Ghana and visiting Zambia.  Zambia needed a win to advance; anything less and Ghana would win the group.  Zambia were locked out of a scheduled training session at the grounds the night before the match, adding to the already poisonous atmosphere between the two federations.  John Boye initially missed a chance to bring a ball down on the endline, but he did a 270-degree spin with Zambia defender Stoppila Sunzu on his back and volleyed a cross to the near post, where Majeed Waris was waiting for a header goal.  Zambia were too concerned by the lack of a foul call to maintain concentration and keep pace with Waris, who scored his second international goal.  Ghana were ahead 1-0 at halftime.

Nathan Sinkala made a crucial steal in his own penalty area in order to keep Zambia close, but no Zambian was able to keep the second goal from eventually being scored.  Kwadwo Asamoah was not closed down from distance at the midway mark of the half, so he let fly and the result was a laser goal from thirty yards out.  Zambia now needed three goals to remain alive in the competition.  Emmanuel Mayuka could have had the first, but he failed to latch onto a through ball with only the goalkeeper to beat.  Ten minutes after the Asamoah goal, Zambia pulled one back through a corner kick that was rolled to the top of the box.  Sinkala was open to strike, and his shot was well struck for a goal.  It was too little, too late for the Chipolopolo, however.  Ghana win 2-1 and advance to round three of African qualifying.  Zambia are eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana 15 pts IN
Zambia OUT
Sudan OUT
Lesotho OUT

Goals
Ghana
Majeed Waris 17
Kwadwo Asamoah 62

Zambia
Nathan Sinkala 72

Match Reports:
http://www.viasat1.com.gh/v1/vnews/sports.php?postId=1884
http://www.goal.com/en-gh/match/82093/ghana-vs-zambia/report
http://sports.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201309/112723.php
http://www.sportlive.co.za/soccer/international/2013/09/07/ghana-defeat-zambia-2-1-to-reach-play-offs

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yro-vAUczwM

Full Match Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj682tq8x94

Ghana 2 - Lesotho 0

Maseru was the scene for Ghana's invasion of Lesotho.  A win for Ghana would see them leap over Zambia in the standings.  Lesotho surprisingly had the upper hand throughout the first half until Ghana snatched the lead against the run of play in the final stretch.  A deep free kick from Sulley Muntari met Jonathan Mensah deep in the penalty box.  Mensah lofted a header into the goal that was last touched by John Boye as it was crossing to goal line to give the Black Stars a 1-0 they would take with them into their dressing room.

Ghana settled down and took command with the one-goal advantage in the second period.  With a quarter hour to go, Asamoah Gyan (pictured, red) took advantage of a misplayed pass backward by Lesotho.  Nkau Lerotholi (pictured, green #18)could not gather the bad pass, and Gyan was in on goal.  His initial effort was saved by the body of Lesotho goalkeeper Mohau Kuenane, but Gyan headed in the rebound.  Ghana win 2-0, and now they need only a draw at home to Zambia in September to advance out of Group D.

Ghana 12 pts +14
Zambia 11 pts +8
Sudan OUT
Lesotho OUT

Goals
Ghana
John Boye 44
Asamoah Gyan 75

Match Reports:
http://allsports.com.gh/2013/06/16/ghana-finish-off-lesotho-go-top-of-group-d/
http://www.supersport.com/football/ghana/news/130616/Ghana_beat_Lesotho_to_take_charge
http://allsports.com.gh/2013/06/16/ghana-finish-off-lesotho-go-top-of-group-d/

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcu7SBwJHKg

Sudan 1 - Zambia 1

Zambia had a massive opportunity to stretch their lead over Ghana in the group with a home match today in Ndola against Sudan.  Sudan did win the first meeting in Group D between the sides 2-0, but that result was wiped off the books and awarded as a Zambia victory.  Sudan put in tons of effort defensively to keep the Chipolopolo at bay in the opening half.  0-0 was the score at intermission.

With twenty minutes to go, Zambia took their chance off a set piece.  Christopher Katongo's shot on goal was miraculously pushed aside by Sudan goalkeeper Ehab Mohammed.  Kondwani Mtonga picked up the rebound, faked a pass, dribbled to the side of Mohammed, and chipped a cross across the face of goal.  Jacob Mulenga (pictured, orange, heading ball) headed in to give Zambia the lead.  Sudan won a corner immediately off the kickoff, and then they scored.  Mudathir El Tahir's cross was headed in by Salah Ibrahim to the far post.  Just as quickly as they had taken the lead, Zambia had lost it.  No more goals were to be scored in this match, and it ends 1-1.  In all likelihood, Zambia will now have to win in Ghana in September in order to advance to the third round of African qualifying.  Due to the luck they received to start the group, it seems only fair that they now have to pull off the ultimate trick against their toughest group rivals.

Zambia 11 pts +8
Ghana 9 pts +12
Sudan OUT
Lesotho OUT

Goals
Zambia
Jacob Mulenga 69

Sudan
Salah Ibrahim 70

Match Reports:
http://www.ghanasoccernet.com/sudan-exact-revenge-by-holding-zambia-to-a-1-1-draw-giving-ghana-the-advantage/

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMIjHwbD2PE

Zambia 4 - Lesotho 0

Ndola was the stage as hosts Zambia welcomed Lesotho to town.  A win for Zambia would lift them over Ghana in the standings with two matches left to play.  Zambia found the opening goal through a bicycle kick from Jacob Mulenga (pictured, orange).  That was the only goal of the opening forty-five.

In the second half, Zambia left no doubt as to their superiority.  Chris Katongo scored the second goal on a header.  Mulenga hit a driven shot for the team's third goal, and Collins Mbesuma concluded the scoring off a breakaway finish.  Zambia win 4-0 and eliminate Lesotho from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Zambia 10 pts +8
Ghana 9 pts +12
Lesotho OUT
Sudan OUT

Goals
Zambia
Jacob Mulenga 36, 64
Chris Katongo 61
Collins Mbesuma 83

Match Reports:
http://bolazambia.com/en/?p=1965
http://bolazambia.com/en/?p=1941

Ghana 3 - Sudan 1

Sudan welcomed group favorites Ghana into Omdurman knowing that a loss to the Black Stars would eliminate Sudan from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.  After a quarter hour had elapsed, Ghana made the breakthrough.  Yiadom Boakye managed to get a weak shot off after struggling with Sudanese defender Ahmed Abdalla.  The rebound went off the goalkeeper's body and rolled out for a second chance, but Abdalla managed to block the ball.  However, Asamoah Gyan picked up the loose ball and scored into a net defended only by Abdalla and a fellow defenseman, giving the Black Stars a 1-0 lead.  Richard Boateng was ejected in minute 28 for Ghana when he tackled Mudathir Al Tayeb inside the penalty area.  Al Tayeb composed himself enough to convert the penalty kick and level the match at one-goal apiece.  1-1 was the halftime score.

In the second period, Ghana were the better side in spite of their numerical disadvantage.  A beautiful cross by Harrison Afful floated into the area and was met by the rising head of Gyan, whose finish left the goalkeeper rooted to his spot as Ghana took a 2-1 lead.  Gyan's brace today made him the all-time leading goalscorer for Ghana.  This goal was a result of miscommunication between the back three for Sudan, as two players stepped up for offsides but the third chose to run with Gyan.  Sudan goalkeeper Ehab Mohammed dropped a corner kick that was not even sent on frame into his own net for what may have been the softest goal in the history of world football with less than ten minutes left in the match.  Ghana win 3-1.

Ghana 9 pts +12
Zambia 7 pts +4
Lesotho 2 pts -7
Sudan OUT

Goals
Ghana
Asamoah Gyan 16, 63
Sulley Muntari 83

Sudan
Mudathir Al Tayeb 30 PK

Match Reports:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/82097/sudan-vs-ghana/report?

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIHgruFRXpI

Lesotho 1 - Zambia ; Ghana 4 - Sudan 0

Zambia came strolling into town to take on Lesotho in Maseru.  Lesotho seemed to be more up for the occasion, and they had various chances to put their homefield advantage to use, but to no avail.  The first half ended scoreless.

After some lax defending by Stopphila Sunzu, Lesotho's Litsepe Marabe was behind the Zambian defense.  All-world goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene was sent off in minute 52 after having no choice but to bring down Marabe, leaving the Chipolopolo to cope with ten men on the road.  Collins Mbesuma (pictured, orange #9) put the short-handed Chipolopolo on his back and nearly willed them to victory on his own.  In addition to providing Zambia with the opening goal with under twenty minutes left to play, he also saw a header of his crash agonizingly off a post.  Eventually, Lesotho made the extra man count, however, with an equalizer in the penultimate minute from Marabe proving a body blow to Zambia.  The match ends in a 1-1 draw.

Ghana looked to pounce upon Zambia's slip-up with a win at home in Kumasi against Sudan.  A free kick opportunity led to the first goal after some questionable defending by Sudan in their own penalty area.  The free kick swung wide and was headed across the box.  A Ghanaian header was whiffed, but the attempt threw off the timing of the Sudan goalkeeper, whose swing-and-a-miss allowed Asamoah Gyan to tap in the first goal of the day.  Gyan stole a ball twenty minutes later and gave it up to Harrison Afful on the right flank.  Afful played a deep cross back to the half circle from where Wakaso Mubarak blasted a half-volley away for another goal for the Black Stars.  Ghana led 2-0 at intermission.

Sudan's poor marking continued, with the worst offense coming with only ten minutes to go in the match.  A Solomon Asante cross was struck well toward Abdul Majeed Waris, but two Sudan defenders sandwiched him in the box.  Neither defender jumped, so Waris rose up and connected with a strong header from the penalty spot to make it 3-0.  A long through ball caught up the Sudanese five minutes later, and Waris unselfishly passed across the box on a two-on-one breakaway for the easy tap-in goal by Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu.  Ghana win 4-0.

Zambia 7 pts +4
Ghana 6 pts +10
Lesotho 2 pts -7
Sudan 1 pts -7

Goals
Zambia
Collins Mbesuma 73

Lesotho
Litsepe Marabe 89

Ghana
Asamoah Gyan 19
Wakaso Mubarak 38
Abdul Majeed Waris 79
Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu 84

Match Reports:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201303251492.html
http://bolazambia.com/en/?p=881
http://graphic.com.gh/Sports-News/ghana-whitewash-the-sudan.html
http://edition.radioxyzonline.com/pages/sports/03242013-1756/10889.stm

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgCMYyxagAY (Ghana v. Sudan)

Full Match Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3tuZHdj9Fk (Ghana v. Sudan)

CAF Group D standings altered

Sudan defeated Zambia 2-0 at home on 2 June 2012.  However, the official result will now read 3-0 in favor of Zambia after a FIFA ruling handed down today stated that Sudan were in violation of Article 55, Paragraph 1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.  Sudan played an ineligible player during that match.

Midfielder Saif Ali was ineligible due to previous yellow card infractions committed during the 2012 African Cup of Nations, including one in the quarterfinal against Zambia, but Sudan nonetheless fielded him for their opening fixture of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.  This ruling presents not only a major blow to Sudan but also to Ghana, who find themselves three points adrift of the Group D lead in spite of no wrongdoing on their part.  Only the first-place team will advance out of the group.

Zambia 6 pts +4
Ghana 3 pts +6
Sudan 1 pts -3
Lesotho 1 pts -7

News Reports:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1769965/index.html
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1184961/sudan-punished-and-fined-over-ineligible-player?cc=5901

Lesotho 0 - Sudan 0

A result for Sudan on the road in Maseru against Lesotho would put Sudan on top of Group D.  Surprisingly, the young Lesotho side were the team that looked more likely to score, but the Sudanese defense held tough.  Mohamed Tahir nearly scored an opener for Sudan, but his shot was saved.  Elmez Muhgoub was on his game in goal for Sudan, providingly timely cover for his defense.  The half ended 0-0.

Sudan again nearly snatched a goal against the run of play when Mohamed Ahmed Bashir hit a post with a shot.  The Crocodiles of Lesotho were unable to find a goal anywhere, meaning that their match with Sudan ended in a forgettable 0-0 draw.  Sudan may be frustrated with only picking up a point against a team that had lost their previous match by seven goals, but they nevertheless are the leaders of Group D at the end of 2012.

Sudan 4 pts +2
Ghana 3 pts +6
Zambia 3 pts -1
Lesotho 1 pts -7

Match Reports:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201206111908.html
http://www.rovedin.com/readartnew.php?user=kojo1&id=3088

Zambia 1 - Ghana 0

In the highly anticipated rematch of the 2012 African Cup of Nations semifinal won by Zambia, Ghana travel to Ndola to square off with the African champions anew.  This match was the first held in the new stadium in Ndola, and the Chipolopolo did not want to disappoint their home crowd.  The stadium's first goal came after an act of brotherly love with Felix Katongo feeding Zambian captain Christopher Katongo for a goal after a quarter hour of play.  The Chipolopolo held onto a precarioius 1-0 lead at the half.

Ghana tried to fight back in the second period, but the defense of the Chipolopolo proved to be impregnable with a good showing from centerback Stoppila Sunzu.  Not even the exploits of Jordan Ayew (pictured, white), son of Abedi Pele, could breach the Zambia goal.  Zambia win the match 1-0 and give their Brasil 2014 campaign a kick start. 

Ghana 3 pts +6
Sudan 3 pts +2
Zambia 3 pts -1
Lesotho 0 pts -7

Goals
Zambia
Christopher Katongo 15

Match Reports:
http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/77974/zambia-vs-ghana/report
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=241469
http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/page.php?news=21623&title=Ghana%20Loses%201%20-%200%20To%20Zambia
http://allafrica.com/stories/201206110076.html

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoXRYG0lqdk

Sudan 2 - Zambia 0

The 2012 African Cup of Nations winners Zambia got off to a rotten start for their Group D account.  The Chipolopolo made their first competitive appearance as African champions in Khartoum against Sudan, whom they defeated 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the Cup of Nations.  The fog was dense, and it was made even heavier by the use of the floodlights for the night match.  The first half failed to see the goal clearly, either, and it ended scoreless.

Zambia seemed to be utterly confused coming out of the locker room because their level of play dropped while Sudan's rose.  Four minutes into the second half, a left footed strike from Mohamed Tahir ripped the back of the net to give Sudan a 1-0 lead and Tahir a reason to do flips by the corner flag.  A corner kick midway through the half lead to a power header by Saif Masawi, and the resulting goal proved to be the final one in a 2-0 Sudan win.

Zambia's coach Herve Renard puts part of the blame on the Zambian football federation authorities for making poor travel arrangements so that the Chipolopo only had one day to train on the pitch for the match, but certainly worse mismanagement has occurred during the history of FIFA World Cup qualifying.
Ghana 3 pts +7
Sudan 3 pts +2
Zambia 0 pts -2
Lesotho 0 pts -7

Goals
Sudan
Mohamed Tahir 49
Saif Masawi 72

Match Reports:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2012-06-04/content_6089404.html
http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=210892
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18317949

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYBmeGIaEWs

Ghana 7 - Lesotho 0

Ghana hosted Lesotho in their Group G opener in Kumasi.  Ghana put the fans at ease one quarter hour into the match when skipper Sulley Muntari scored the opener.  This was followed by two more goals before the break, and Ghana led 3-0 at the half in a match in which they could do no wrong.

After another quick start for the Black Stars, who scored again five minutes into the second half, the floodlights went out in the stadium, halting play for nearly one hour.  This was the lone dark spot on the day for the Black Stars, who proceeded to add three more goals in the last five minutes of the match plus stoppage time.  Tsoanelo Koetle was ejected for Lesotho in the final minute of the match to add to the bad performance by Lesotho.  Ghana win 7-0 to grab the early lead in Group G, but tougher tests lie ahead in 2012 African Cup of Nations quarterfinalist Sudan and champion Zambia.

Goals
Ghana
Sulley Muntari 15
Dominic Adiyiah 24, 50
Jordan Ayew 45, 88
Christian Atsu 85
Jeremiah Akaminko 90+2

Match Reports:
\http://sports.peacefmonline.com/soccer/201206/117082.php
http://washingtonexaminer.com/sports/2012/06/ghana-lesotho-suspended-floodlights-fail/679751
http://sports.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201206/87662.php