PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa: Ghana halted the fairy-tale run of debutants Cape Verde in the Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 quarter-final win yesterday.
Victory set up the Black Stars for a February 6 semi-final clash with the winners of Sunday’s fixture between Burkina Faso and Togo in Nelspruit.
Substitute Mubarak Wakaso gave Ghana the lead in the 54th minute when he fired home a penalty after skipper Asamoah Gyan was fouled inside the box by Carlitos.
Wakaso doubled Ghana’s advantage in stoppage time when he ran half the length of the pitch to slot home after Cape Verde committed every player, including goalkeeper Vozinha, upfield for a corner.
Wakaso’s opening goal ignited the clash and in the 59th minute Ghana goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda denied Platini as he parried a goal-bound effort for a corner.
Cape Verde pressed for an equaliser.
In the 82nd minute, Dauda pulled off the best save of the match when he dived full length to scramble away a goal-bound shot by substitute Djaniny.
In the 90th minute, Emmanuel Agyeman Badu was also denied in the late part of the match. AFP
