Ghana one victory away from Beijing Olympics

AFP - 14 October 2007 22:21

Ghana are one victory away from a place at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after defeating South Africa 3-1 in Accra Sunday. Asamoah Gyan, seen here in 2006, was the unlikely two-goal hero.

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Ghana are one victory away from a place at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after defeating South Africa 3-1 in Accra Sunday.

The Group A leaders host Nigeria in mid-November and another win will give them an unassailable five-point lead in a mini-league reduced to three teams when Ethiopia withdrew.

Asamoah Gyan was the unlikely two-goal hero as he was not supposed to play having been called up by senior national coach Claude le Roy for a friendly against Jamaica in London.

That fixture was cancelled, allowing Gyan from Italian club Udinese to wreak havoc against South Africa with the opening and closing goals of a lively game staged in perfect conditions.

Gyan struck after 13 minutes at the El-Wak Stadium in the Ghanaian capital and Bernard Kumordzi added a second 10 minutes before half-time to put the 1992 Barcelona Olympics bronze medalists in control.

Needing maximum points to remain in contention for group honours, South Africa started the second half impressively and Eleazor Rodgers reduced arrears with a looping 55th-minute header.

The visitors came close to levelling twice within three minutes as a post spared Daniel Addo the humiliation of conceding an own goal, and unmarked Sibusiso Hadebe missed from close range.

Gyan struck again five minutes from full-time, holding off a rugged challenge by defender Innocent Mdledle to curve the ball past goalkeeper Ithumeleng Khune.