Posted by BBC Sports on
Ghana moved closer to a first FIFA World Cup™ finals appearance with a decisive 2-0 victory over South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Ghana moved closer to a first FIFA World Cup™ finals appearance with a decisive 2-0 victory over South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Matthew Amoah put the Black Stars ahead after 59 minutes before a 50,000 crowd at FNB Stadium and Michael Essien headed the second in the first minute of stoppage time.
The victory brought Ghana level with South Africa on 15 points in Group 2, but they have a superior head-to-head record having also won the sides' first meeting 3-0 in Kumasi last year.
Only group winners qualify for the 2006 finals and if Ghana beat Uganda (home) and Cape Verde (away), only third-placed Democratic Republic of Congo can overtake them.
DR Congo would need three consecutive victories to finish level with Ghana and have a more difficult final fixture away the South Africans, who reached the finals in 1998 and 2002.
Despite winning the CAF African Cup of Nations a record-equalling four times, Ghana had a dismal FIFA World Cup record ahead of the 2006 qualifying competition.
But after the latest campaign began disastrously with a 1-0 loss in Burkina Faso, they have been unbeaten in seven games while South Africa also lost to DR Congo.
Midfielders Stephen Appiah of Juventus and Michael Essien of Lyon are the stars of Ghana and played crucial roles in a deserved victory over sluggish South Africa.
Appiah created the first goal with a run from midfield while South Africa appealed for offside and the Black Stars captain centred for Amoah to tap in.
The longer the match progressed the more a South Africa side lacking suspended striker Benni McCarthy struggled to create openings. And when Bafana Bafana failed to clear a free-kick to the far post Essien delivered the final blow, climbing above Nasief Morris to head past goalkeeper Calvin Marlin.
South Africa's veteran striker Shaun Bartlett had come close with a lob and a header during an even first half while Appiah just missed the target with a sweetly struck volley.
Stuart Baxter, the English coach charged with guiding South Africa to the 2006 finals in Germany, conceded he had to rely on Uganda or Cape Verde to upset Ghana.
"Finishing first is not in our hands anymore. Obviously this is not the result we wanted, especially having worked so hard in training," he said. "We were aware of how dangerous Appiah can be when he darts into channels and worked hard to combat it during our preparations."
Captain Aaron Mokoena from English Premiership club Blackburn Rovers made his 50th national team appearance, but there was nothing to celebrate at full-time.
"I thought the first goal was offside," he said. "I'm disappointed. Everyone is disappointed. We had a couple of chances in the first half and made life difficult by not taking them."
The five group winners qualify for Germany 2006 while the top three in each pool go to the African Nations Cup in Egypt from 20 January to 10 February.