zhanjiao1212
PRP 4 life <3
Joined: 30 Oct 2018
Posts: 704
|
|
 |
|
MONGOMO, Equatorial Guinea - Ghana came back from the brink of elimination with two goals in the last 17 minutes to beat South Africa 2-1 Tuesday and make the African Cup of Nations quarterfinals.The four-time champion was heading for a rare early exit at the continental championship after Mandla Masangos spectacular volleyed goal for South Africa in the 17th minute.But a desperate Ghana turned it around in the second half at Mongomo Stadium.Substitute John Boye scored from close range in the 73rd minute and Andre Ayew headed home 10 minutes later for a victory that took Ghana from exiting the tournament to qualifying as winners of Group C.Algeria also made the quarterfinals from Group C after a 2-0 win over Senegal in Malabo. Ghana and Algeria ended on six points but Ghana topped the group after beating the Algerians in their meeting.Ghanas progress was hanging by a threat under big-name new coach Avram Grant. The Black Stars again needed a late surge like the one that gave them a stoppage-time win over top-ranked African team Algeria.Im very happy for the players, Grant said. Once again they showed spirit. We came through the group of death and we are first.Although Ghana isnt in top form yet, it is still in the tournament and still has a chance to end a 33-year wait for an African Cup title. Ghana will play the second-placed team from Group D — Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Guinea or Mali — in the quarters. Group D will be decided on Wednesday.I think with this team we can face any team in this competition, Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan said.Ghana had much of the play against a South Africa that had a slim chance of qualifying with a victory, but the Ghanaians couldnt convert their chances until right at the end.Masango had shocked them by controlling a clearance on his chest near the edge of the area and sending a fantastic dipping volley over goalkeeper Razak Braimah and just under the crossbar for the lead.Ghana applied pressure throughout the second half and found late inspiration when defender Boye managed to create space for himself to steer home a low shot for the equalizer. Another substitute brought on by Grant, forward Kwesi Appiah, played a crucial role in the winner that kept Ghana alive.He provided the cross for Ayew to head in, with the winger then wheeling away and diving onto the grass in celebration. His jubilant teammates piled on top of him.South Africa was eliminated after leading in every one of its three group games and failing to hold on, losing two and drawing one.First half we played very well and we got a goal. Come second half, we went to sleep, South Africa coach Ephraim Mashaba said. TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays have put up some impressive numbers of late and the long ball is helping them get it done. Edwin Encarnacion hit two of Torontos season-high five home runs as the Blue Jays capped a two-game mini-sweep of Philadelphia by outscoring the Phillies 12-6 on Thursday at Rogers Centre. It was the second straight night that the Blue Jays had a double-digit run total as they extended their winning streak to five games. "Were some kinda hot right now," said Jays manager John Gibbons. Toronto (18-17) has hit at least one homer in eight straight games, a big reason why they have moved back over the .500 mark. Colby Rasmus, Juan Francisco and Adam Lind also went deep to help make a winner of R.A. Dickey (3-3). "Were swinging it good right now and everybody is feeding off each other," Gibbons said. "I would say right now its probably a good club to pitch for." Dickey had a few rough moments but his knuckleball was moving nicely and it regularly handcuffed the Phillies. He worked into the seventh inning and struck out a season-high eight batters. "Im making strides," he said. "I had a good (knuckler). I had one that was a swing-and-miss one tonight. It was comfortable out of my hand all night long." Former Blue Jay starter A.J. Burnett (2-2) was roughed up for six earned runs over six innings. He allowed nine hits and two walks while striking out four. "Balls ran over the plate tonight," Burnett said. "I wasnt on the corners at all. The hook was inconsistent. I had it at times. The bottom line is the balls werent on the corners, the ball was in the middle of the plate." Encarnacion set the tone early by blasting his 200th career homer in the second inning. "(Im) swinging at better pitches, (Im) more confident and (Im) feeling great at the plate," Encarnacion said through translator Luis Rivera. Rasmus hit a rainbow shot that barely cleared the wall by the right-field pole later in the frame. Lind added a two-run shoot in the sixth inning as the Blue Jays pulled away.dddddddddddd "You want to come in and stop the bleeding and set the tone and that wasnt there," Burnett said. Encarnacion added a two-run shot in the seventh and Francisco tagged a solo shot on the next pitch. Jose Reyes broke out of a slump as his ground-rule double in the third inning ended an 0-for-10 skid. He stole third and came home on a Jose Bautista sacrifice fly. Reyes was at it again in the fifth inning after he was hit by a pitch. The speedy shortstop -- who battled a hamstring problem last month -- stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a Bautista groundout. "You can tell hes feeling a lot more comfortable and he was able to turn it loose," Gibbons said. The Blue Jays have won their last eight meetings against Philadelphia (15-1 . They will continue their nine-game homestand Friday with the opener of a four-game set against the Los Angeles Angels. Toronto, which clobbered the Phillies 10-0 a night earlier, outhit Philadelphia 13-10 in front of an announced crowd of 18,158. The Phillies opened the scoring in the second inning and scratched out singles runs in the fifth and the seventh. Ryan Howard hit a two-run shot off reliever Esmil Rogers in Philadelphias three-run ninth inning. Dickey allowed seven hits, three earned runs and walked three batters over 6 1-3 innings pitched. Notes: The game took three hours to play. ... Olympic curling champion Brad Jacobs was in attendance. ... Toronto optioned right-hander Chad Jenkins to triple-A Buffalo before the game. ... Bautista has reached base in all 35 games this season. ... It was Encarnacions 12th career multi-homer game. ... Howard has seven homers this season. ... Dustin McGowan (2-1) is scheduled to start for Toronto on Friday against Garrett Richards (3-0). ... It was the 20,000th game in franchise history for the Phillies. The team played its first game on May 1, 1883, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Providence Grays at Recreation Park. ' ' ' |
|
