Black Stars too good

The pressure on Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah eased after his side's 1-0 victory against Mali here yesterday.

The Black Stars were more disciplined defensively and overwhelmed Mali with their fluid attacks throughout the game.

It's now all to play for in the Africa Cup of Nations Group B on Monday as Ghana showed again why they are favourites to grab top spot going into the quarterfinals.

That it took Mubarak Wakaso's 38th-minute penalty to clinch all three points here to add to the single point that the team almost let slip against Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday did not gel with the beautiful football on display.

Ghana were a completely different team to the one that blew a two-goal lead against Congo, and it seemed as if Appiah's pep talk days earlier had worked.

Ghana did, however, start off a bit shakily at the back although they settled their nerves - eventually leading up to Mali defender Adama Tamboura's careless tackle on Ageyman Badu to concede the spot kick.

Dauda, the Ghana goalkeeper, handled the ball outside his penalty area as early as the sixth minute and Mali got a free kick in a favourable area. But their talisman Seydou Keita shot inches wide, and was silenced in midfield thereafter.

Even before the goal came, Ghana should have broken the deadlock when Badu saw his header come off the woodwork with Mali goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa clearly beaten. It was frustrating and nerve-racking, but the Black Stars never gave up.

Despite Ghana's almost flawless display yesterday, their captain and key figure Asamoah Gyan, playing as a lone striker for the second time in this tournament, did not come to the party. In the build-ups to Ghana's attacks, Gyan played lay-off balls, but that was just about all.

Credit should go to Fousseyni Diawara, the Leopards defender who closely monitored him, but many have argued that Gyan has been sluggish in front of goal ever since leaving top-flight English Premier League club Sunderland to join Al Ain in the UAE.

Gyan also stood by his decision not to take penalties in open play - keeping a promise made to his mother following missed spot kicks at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and at last year's Nations Cup.

This morale-boosting triumph has restored faith in Ghana's supporters that the team can go all the way and win the Nations Cup.

They top Group B with four points, but that was before the DRC took on Niger in the second match of the evening. Ghana play Niger on Monday, while Mali take on the DRC.