Ghana, Angola qualify for Africa Cup of Nations finals

CAPE TOWN : Ghana and Angola qualified for January’s African Cup of Nations finals as they finished in the top two of their group despite unconvincing performances at home on Thursday.

Substitute Ernest Nuamah scored two minutes from time to secure a come-from-behind 2-1 victory for Ghana over the Central African Republic in Kumasi while Angola took second place despite being held to a goalless draw in Lubango by already-eliminated Madagascar.

Ghana finished top of the Group E on 12 points with Angola on nine, two more than the Central African Republic, who had to win their last match to qualify for the first time.

The Central African Republic did go ahead through stand-in skipper Louis Mafouta as they proved determined to write history, even without injured captain and Olympique de Marseille midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.

West Ham United’s new signing Mohammed Kudus equalised just before halftime for Ghana and Antoine Semenyo set up the winner as he stripped the visiting defence of the ball and unselfishly passed for the 19-year-old Nuamah to net the winner from close range.

Ghana and Angola will join Algeria, Burkina Faso, the Cape Verde Islands, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia at the finals in the Ivory Coast, who qualified automatically as hosts.

Another place will be decided later on Thursday when Group F is concluded.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ed Osmond)