By Greg Evans

So, here we stand. Just one game away from finding out who will win the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations a tournament which stampeded out of the blocks with a thrilling start, but has since turned into something of a pale imitation of itself with a few drab games starting to crop up as the stakes get higher.

The amazing Chipolopolos scored the winning goal in the 77th minute as substitute Emmanuel Mayuka found space and on the turn curled a right footed shot past Adam Kwarsey in goal. It was probably the second chance for the Zambians and very much against the run of play.

The Black Stars should have gone ahead early as Asamoah Gyan missed out on a golden chance when his penalty was stopped by Kennedy Mweene (bringing back painful memories of his World Cup PK miss against Uruguay).

The finalists for the 28th edition of the AFCON are now known after thrilling semi-final fixtures last night. The Ivory Coast will now face Zambia who made it to the final after causing one of the biggest upsets of the entire tournament by knocking out Ghana. The Black Stars however have no one to blame but themselves for their exist after failing to make a host of chances they had count including a missed penalty by Asamoah Gyan.

The finalists for the 28th edition of the AFCON are now known after thrilling semi-final fixtures last night. The Ivory Coast will now face Zambia who made it to the final after causing one of the biggest upsets of the entire tournament by knocking out Ghana. The Black Stars however have no one to blame but themselves for their exist after failing to make a host of chances they had count including a missed penalty by Asamoah Gyan.

The inevitable African Cup of Nations championship matchup between the continent's two powerhouses has made way for a title game involving an underdog side that is a win away from capping off a Hollywood-worthy script.

Upstart Zambia shocked favored Ghana, 1-0, to advance to the tournament final and prevent the Black Stars from seeking redemption for their loss in the 2010 final.

A week after deadly clashes at the end of an Egyptian league match between Ahl-Masry and Al-Ahli turned tragic when Al-Ahli fans were attacked and killed by Masry supporters, football's world governing body FIFA has responded by donating over $250,000 to families of those affected by the violence.

Co-hosts Gabon looked like it was going to be headed to their best showing in any ACN when Eric Mouloungui shot them into the lead in the 55th minute. But Mali had other ideas as Cheick Diabate equalized in the 84th minute. At the end of extra time, with the two teams deadlocked, the fate of the match was decided on PK shootout.

After winning their respective groups, Ivory Coast and Ghana are on a crash course for a high-profile final at the African Cup of Nations, but there is still work to be done before the top two African nations do battle for the continent's top prize.

The Elephants, one of two sides to secure all nine points during the group stage, might have to go through both host countries to reach the final.

Group D at the ACN is at a knife's edge as it heads to the last group match with Ghana, Guinea, and Mali in contention for the two spots to the knock off stage. The only one out is Botswana. Yesterday, the Black Stars got the better of Mali as Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland could have done with his finishing skills today against Boro) scored his first goal and Anthony Ayew added another.

By FRANCO PANIZO

One of the favorites to win this year's Africa Cup of Nations, Ghana opened its tournament with a narrow victory over Botswana that can best be described as a roller coaster for John Mensah.

The Ghana captain endured highs and lows in Ghana's Group D opener, scoring the only goal before receiving a red card and then picking up a hamstring injury.

Sometimes it is so, so nice to be so, so wrong. Spain's 4-3 win over Yugoslavia in Euro 2000 was memorably described at the time has "having everything except full-frontal nudity." Given Equatorial Guinea's celebration of their astounding 2-1 win over Senegal in the ACN last night, I expect we had that as well.

Ghana 1-0 Botswana by goalsarena2012

Ghana made a jittery start to their ACN campaign overcoming a plucky Botswana through John Mensah's 25th minute goal. The Black Stars then had to endure without Mensah who was sent off in the 66th minute for his foul on Jerome Ramatlhakwane.

Goran Stevanovic's squad were at full strength minus Kevin Prince Boateng with World Cup standouts Asamoah Gyan, Andrew Ayew, and Sulley Muntari present.

Despite admitting his admiration for new manager Martin O'Neill, Asamoah Gyan has outlined his reluctance to return to Sunderland, perhaps even after his loan spell with Middle Eastern outfit Al Ain has finished.
Ghanaian goalscorer Gyan – who has netted 27 times in 54 matches for the Black Stars – is in the United Arab Emirates as a result of a deal struck back in September and, although rumours to the contrary have circulated this week, the 26 year-old ruled out a return to Wearside this January.

All eyes will be on Asamoah Gyan at the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January as he attempts to help Ghana go one better than their second place finish two years ago.
The Ghanaian striker was voted African player of the year in 2010 and was one of the players to make the biggest impact on the World Cup in South Africa as he helped his side become only the third African country to make the quarter-finals of the tournament.

African Cup of Nations 2012: New Ghana Home Kit is a post from: Just Football

On Monday, at a lavish launch party at the Design Museum in London, PUMA unveiled the 2012 football kits for their 10 partnered African National football teams. Of course Just Football was there doing its bit to represent African football and we were lucky enough to mingle, sit down and chat with some of the top players on the continent.

Emmanuel Frimpong is quoted as saying in regard to his international future: "If Ghana call me, I will ride my own bicycle from England to Ghana." And now it seems the young Arsenal midfielder has made his decision and has has chosen Ghana over the Three Lions.

Jamie Jackson at the Guardian is reporting that Frimpong made up his mind after meeting Kwesi Nyantakyi, the Ghana Football Association president, at a London hotel following the Black Stars' 1-0 friendly defeat to Brazil at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night.

Brazil v Ghana All eyes on the Selecao - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

It is the nature of modern football that in any match involving Brazil, the spotlight rests solely on their ambitions for their next title.

This time, as hosts of the next World Cup, they have only friendlies (and the Confederations Cup) to fine-tune their preparations in the next 3 years and as such, every friendly will be an examination of Brazil's credentials to lift the World Cup on their home soil.

Mark Critchley watched the friendly match between England and Ghana last night.

Here they are. Our boys. No, not them I mean... Fine, alright then, not our boys our ‘other' boys, the ones playing against our ‘real' boys. Yes of course it's ok to support both.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Any long-time soccer fan knows better than to put a lot of stock into international friendlies but, even so, fans of Ghana and Australia will be happy with their positive results against a couple of traditional European powerhouses.

A last-gasp equalizer from Asamoah Gyan gave the Black Stars a 1-1 draw against an understrengthed England side at Wembley.

This Gyan goal vs England came in the 91st minute of Ghana's friendly vs England at Wembley on 29/3/11. It was the first ever meeting between England and Ghana and the Gyan goal against England allowed the Black Stars to cancel out Andy Carroll's opener for England. It was a very well taken goal from [.

England vs Ghana 2011 ( Three Lions vs Black Stars) 29th March 2011- 29/3/11 Final score:- England vs Ghana 1-1 ( Carroll/ Gyan) Asamoah Gyan's late equaliser gives Ghana an entertaining 1-1 draw vs England in the international friendly between the two sides at Wembley. England v Ghana 1-0 ( Andy Carroll goal vs Ghana [.

Ghana ready for bright lights of Wembley on historic night is a post from: Just Football

England meet Ghana tonight for the first ever time at senior level, a historic occasion for the 2010 World Cup quarter finalists even if Fabio Capello has watered the clash down somewhat by sending home several senior players.

Glen Johnson was the only absentee as the England squad was put through their paces on Monday.
Of the 20 players still available to Fabio Capello ahead of a friendly date with Ghana on Tuesday, only the Liverpool full-back failed to make training.
Johnson works to a strict fitness regime which means sometimes he has to skip sessions shortly after games.

Friendlies like the one England will play against Ghana on Tuesday used to be dismal affairs, with little impact on the overall direction of the national side.

While a first-choice core was given time off to placate club managers, players on the periphery got a chance at a run out that would have had to border on Herculean to warrant inclusion when the game actually meant something.

Liverpool and Arsenal are confirmed challengers in the race to sign Daniel Opare.
The Ghanaian international defender has been linked with a number of Barclays Premier League clubs in recent months, and the player's agent has confirmed interest from Liverpool, Arsenal and a number of top English sides.

The FA have announced via their website that the proposed Thailand vs England fixture scheduled to take place in June has been cancelled. The decision comes as no surprise after Worawi Makudi, General Secretary of the Thai FA and FIFA Executive Member, broke his promise to back England's 2018 World Cup bid.