Ghana/Guinea: the quiet efficiency of the Black Stars

Ghana's quiet efficiency was again on display in their 1-1 draw with Guinea at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday

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The result of their final Group D clash saw Ghana finish top of their pool and sets up a quarter-final meeting with Tunisia on Sunday.

At no point were Ghana completely dominant in the game, but neither did they ever appear unduly troubled.
Solid but unspectacular
The Black Stars entered this competition as pre-tournament favorites, along with Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal and Morocco.

The latter two have fallen out in the group stages, while the Ivorians, like Ghana, have been solid, if unspectacular.

But the coaches of both sides will point to the fact that they are not in the tournament to entertain, but rather to play winning football.

Guinean Nerves
Ghana tactician Goran Stevanovic was just delighted to get through the group stages in a tough pool.

"It was a very tough game," Stevanovic said after the Guinea draw. "It was a very nervous game because Guinea needed to win and that complicated the situation.

"We started to win 1-0 but after one strange goal we continued to play and tried to win. The only thing in our heads is maybe not too much ambition, not too much intensity. We would be better in the next game.

Goodbye Guinea
"I am happy with the result and being top in the group. We will see about the next game."

Guinea were within one goal of reaching the latter stages but with 10 men ran out of steam at the end, and never really looked like penetrating the well-organized Ghana defence.

They will be disappointed with their showing at this tournament, especially with the opening 1-0 loss to Mali which ultimately sealed their fate. That game was there for the taking, and they largely dominated play but lacked that little bit of quality in the final third to seal the win.