Ghana 2008: Ghana beat Ivory Coast 4-2 for bronze

Kumasi, Ghana– The fact that host nation Ghana missed out on the finals for the Africa Cup of Nation to be played tomorrow in Accra did nothing to stop the festive atmosphere in the Baba Yara Stadium.
 
Goals from Sulley Muntari, Quincy Owusu, Junior Agogo and Haminu Dramman won the game for Ghana while a double from Boubacar Sanogo gave the lead to the Elephants before Ghana came back to win the game.

 Sulley Muntari scored in the 10th minute sending in a powerful free kick that beat replacement goal keeper Tiasse Kone. The slow reacting keeper got his hands on the shot but saw the ball go through his hands.

 Ivory Coast reacted with great play and in the 24th minute, Boubacar Sanogo beat the Ghanaian defense to slot the ball past Richard Kingson. 

 Kingson saved the Ghanaians after two point blank shots from Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba in the 31st minute. A minute later, Ivory Coast manage to get the ball past him for Sanogo’s second goal after Didier Drogba’s shot was deflected back into the field of play by the goalkeeper.

The game opens with both teams running end to end. The Ivory Coast was in the ascendancy controlling play and owning most of the chances. They were unable to seal the win in the first half missing some great opportunities.

 Ghana came into the second half looking to get back into the game. Substitute Quincy Owusu took a ball forty meters from goal, got past three defenders and shot past Kone to bring the game level 2-2 in the 70th minute.

Once the Ghanaians brought the game level, they took over and Junior Agogo scored in the 80th minute to give Ghana the lead. Haminu Dramman sealed the win with a brilliant shot in the 85th minute. He shot a long strike that bounced in front of the diving goal keeper before getting past him.

 Ivory Coast lost 4-1 to a strong Egyptian team in the semi finals. Ghana lost 1-0 in the semi final to a resurgent Cameroon who will take on Egypt in the final today. Cameroon and Egypt came from the same group where the Cameroonians were routed 4-2 to open their campaign by the Pharaohs.

Records shattering tournament:
 Cup all time goal-scoring record shattered  
    
The ongoing Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ghana Saturday (today) erased the all-time record for the number of goals scored at a single Nations Cup tournament, after the goal tally reached 98.

The tally increased from 92 to 98, after the third-place match between Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire in Kumasi produced six goals (4-2 in favour of Ghana).

The previous record of 93 goals was held by the 1998 tournament in Burkina Faso.
Ivorian Laurent Pokou long-standing individual record of 14 goals scored at the Nations Cup, were eclipsed by Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o in this tournament.