Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey scored second half goals to hand the Black Stars of Ghana a 2-0 victory and progress into the round of 16 at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
After a slow first half, Kwesi Appiah’s men improved in the second half, with Jordan scoring at the start of the second period before Partey added the second just over the hour mark.
The Black Stars finish top of Group F after Cameroon and Benin played out a 0-0 draw in the group’s other game.
Ghana started slowly, misplacing passes very early on. Thomas Partey was given a warning inside 10 minutes that they were capable of punishing any such careless give aways when Piqueti Djassi raced forward only to be dispossessed by Joseph Aidoo.
Then on 18 minutes, Guinea Bissau showed just how dangerous they can be on the counter attack when Joseph Mendes got on the end of a long diagonal only for his shot to come off the cross bar with Richard Ofori beaten.
20 minutes of misplacing passes missed tackles then slowly went by. Ghana’s game was boring and the passing ponderous at best.
It took 37 minutes for Ghana to come close to scoring.
Jordan Ayew, who had creditably Chase down every loose ball in the Guinea Bissau area, hit the bottom of the upright after he found himself in space to unleash a carpet shot. His brother, Andre’s rebound was subsequently blocked.
Ghana showed more intensity in the closing stages and, Samuel Owusu picked out Kwabena Owusu at the far post but the youngster sent his header disappointingly wide under no pressure. And Jonas Mendes parried a Partey shot on the stroke of half time.
The Black Stars started the second much like they ended the first. Jordan Ayew picked up possession, beat 2 Bissau Guinean defenders before sticking the ball beyond Jonas Mendes. Ghana finally had the breakthrough, the goal representing a fresh of breath air after what was a stinking first half performance.
But Guinea almost responded immediatel. After Baba Rahman lost possession in his own half, George Fernando picked out Joseph Mendes but his left footed shot came off the upright. That was the second time he has caressed Richard Ofori’s goalposts. Unlucky.
On 62 minutes Guinea Bissau captain Mohammadu Cande was involved and pretty much everything in just 60 seconds. First, his curling free-kick was tipped over by Ofori; then he hit the top of the cross bar with the resulting free-kick before chasing and pulling back Jordan Ayew after Ghana broke on the counter. He received a yellow card for his offence.
Kwesi Appiah brought on Afriyie Acquah for Kwabena Owusu and the left flank was free for Baba Rahman to cause damage with his overlapping runs. It didn’t take long for it to pay dividends.
Wakaso found a speeding Baba on the left who did well to just sweep the ball across to Partey to tap in for 2-0. On the evidence Ghana’s second half display, the result was deserved.
