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The Swansea City ace produced a Man of the Match performance at Cape Coast to help his nation score three points in the Afcon 2022 standings
A goal by Andre Ayew in each half saw Ghana beat Sudan 2-0 in matchday three of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers on Thursday.
The Swansea City forward’s double gave the hosts three points at Cape Coast Sports Stadium, cementing their place at the top of Group C.
The two teams are set for an immediate reverse encounter on Tuesday’s matchday four.
In the absence of the services of Arsenal midfielder Thomas Teye Partey, Ajax Amsterdam ace Mohammed Kudus and Chinese Mubarak Wakaso, Ghana’s coach CK Akonnor chose Yeni Malatyaspor’s man Afriyie Acquah and Amiens Emmanuel Lomotey as double pivot midfielder.
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Asante Kotoko’s defender, Christopher Nettey, was deployed on the right side while the Ayew brothers, Andre and Jordan, led the attack.
Ghana’s first goal attempt came in the 14th minute, when Tariqe Fosu sent a long pass to Andre, who then took a shot on goal for a final connection. The Sudan defense, however, did well to prevent the rushing Jordan from applying the finishing touch.
In the 19th minute, the Black Stars were up 1-0 when Andre effortlessly threw a sweet free kick from outside the box over the wall into the net.
Sudan got their first chance in the 22nd minute when Mohamed Abdel-Rahman played with the goal, but the Algerian forward’s final shot narrowly missed.
Ghana could have made it 2-0 in the 29th minute, but Samuel Owusu, who was carefully groomed by Fosu, failed to put his shot on goalkeeper Ali Abdullah.
Then Alexander Djiku approached with a looping header from a Jordan free kick, the effort flipped over the crossbar by Abdullah.
In the 37th minute, Abdel-Rahman made a great run into the Ghana area before falling under the challenge of Lomotey. Senegalese referee Maguette N’Diaye, however, greeted the game, much to the chagrin of Sudan coach Hubert Velud.
In injury time in the first half, Ghana appeared to have found a second goal as Andre soared high to head a cross into the net. Referee N’Diaye was back in the thick of things by ruling out the goal for a foul on the goalkeeper.
After the break, Sudan almost got the equalizer in the 59th minute when Abdel-Rahman beat Ghanaian goalkeeper Richard Ofori to head a cross from Muhammad Al-Rashid, but the ball narrowly missed the net.
Nine minutes from full time, Andre recorded his second goal of the day, driving the ball from the right into the box, outscoring two men in the process, before firing a shot past goalkeeper Abdullah to make it 2-0.
Ghana could reserve qualification for the next Afcon if they beat Sudan in the second leg on Tuesday.
