Stars draw with Mali

The Black Stars of Ghana failed to impress on their expectant fans as they made their Malian counterparts, the Eagles to hold them to a 2-2 draw game in their second leg and final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup/Nations Cup qualifier at the Baba Yara Sports stadium, Kumasi on Sunday.

Playing before a full house of soccer fans at the 40,000 seater, the Malians who lost 0-2 to the Stars in the first leg at Bamako in June this year started the match on a fast note and demonstrated a composed and manly football to prove that they were a force to reckon with.

Ghana have already qualified for the two competitions to be played in Angola in January and South Africa respectively, with Mali and Benin also qualifying alongside Ghana in group D for the Cup of Nations.

After the formalities for the commencement, the two teams were ushered into action by Senegalese referee, Diatta Badaru and it was Ghana who had a free kick when Samuel Incoom was brought down by an attacker.

Stephen Appiah's header from the kick hit the post and bounced back into play but Sulley Muntari finished off poorly missing the post by inches in the 7th minute.

Mali moved in and earned a corner two minutes later but the kick taken by Diarra Lassina went off target.

In the 12th minute, Ghana earned another free kick when Muntari was brought down but the kick taken by Micheal Essien also missed the post narrowly.

With the heat still on the Malians, Asamoah Gyan shot wide in the 17th minute.

Let off the hook, the Malians went on rampage making series of forays and took the lead in the 23rd minute with Fane Lassina hit the net with a powerful drive from a weel taken free-kick outside the box.

In the 39th minute Mali brought in N'Diaye Tenema for injured Manga Modibo but with their pride at stake, the Stars overturned the table in their effort to find the equalizer but the defence of the Malians refused to bulge and managed to ward off all the attacks to end the half in their favour.

The Stars opened fire on the Malians in the second session as they laid siege at their vital area with dangerous moves with Matthew Amoah's header hitting the cross bar in the 53rd minute.

Kwadwo Asamoah took over from Skipper Stephen Appiah in the 61st minute and this paved off for Ghana to find the equalizer in the 65th minute with Amoah finishing off a shot from Micheal Essien, after goalkeeper Mohamadou Sidibe had failed to make a first time save.

The Malians who were determined to spoil a dinner to be hosted for the Stars this evening by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II then substituted Moustapha Ousmana for Diallo Mohamadou in the 66th minute and shot ahead with a beautiful header from substitute N'Diaye which beat Richard Kingston in the 69th minute.

With pressure on the Stars, Muntari hit the post with a perfect shot in the 75th minute and was qucikly replaced with Lee Addy in the 79th minute with

Essien also giving way to Agyeman Badu in the 82nd minute. Ghana at this stage mounted pressure and managed to level up the scores in a minute later through Anthony Annan who headed home from a kick taken by John Panstil.

Ghana line up: Richard Kingson, John Paintsil, Samuel Inkoom, Eric Addo, Jonathan Quartey, Anthony Annan, Stephen Appiah/Kwadwo Asamoah, Michael Essien/Agyemang Badu, Matthew Amoah, Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari/Lee Addy

Unused Subs: Daniel Adjei, Andre Ayew, Isaac Vorsah, Dominic Adiyiah