Ghana scraped through to the African World Cup play-offs when beating South Africa 1-0 in Cape Coast to leapfrog their opponents at the top of Group G.
Andre Ayew, a mainstay of Ghana’s World Cup displays, fittingly scored the vital match-winner after 33 minutes as Bafana Bafana suffered their first loss in the group at the worst time.
The visitors will question the penalty that enabled Ayew to take Ghana through after it was awarded in debatable circumstances with Daniel Amartey falling to the floor after the mildest of contacts.
Both Ghana and South Africa won 13 points in the group and after ending with the same goal difference, the Black Stars edged through courtesy of having scored one goal more than Bafana Bafana in the group (7-6).
South Africa’s World Cup woes go on with the national team, bidding for a fourth final, having failed to qualify for the tournament since becoming the first African hosts of the event in 2010.
Ghana, meanwhile, are now two games away from returning to the tournament for the first time since 2014 and for the fourth time overall.
They become the sixth team to reach the play-offs, joining DR Congo, Egypt, Mali, Morocco and Senegal in the third and final qualifying round.
Africa’s five World Cup representatives at Qatar 2022 will be decided when the two-legged play-offs take place in March.
Congolese eyeing history
Earlier on Sunday, DR Congo reached the play-offs when beating Benin 2-0 in Kinshasa.
Bidding to reach a first World Cup since 1974, the Congolese took an early lead through a Dieumerci Mbokani penalty before Ben Malango sealed the win when heading home from close range after 74 minutes.
Captain Mbokani, 35, has belied his veteran status in this qualifying campaign with four goals in six games.
The victory enabled the Congolese to overtake their opponents, who have never been to a World Cup, at the top of Group J on the sixth and final round of games.
The Congolese finished the group with 11 points, one more than Benin, while Tanzania recorded eight and Madagascar four.
Source: BBC
