World Cup qualifier: Ghana president celebrates Black Starts victory

Ghana’s president John Dramani Mahama on Friday celebrated the 2-1 victory of the senior national football team over Zambia in their crucial final group match in the FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifier played in Kumasi, central Ghana.

President Mahama, who watched the match on television with some of his aides, has since congratulated the team for the victory, an official statement from the Office of the President said.

The Black Stars topped the group with 15 points, four more than Zambia which was the only team Ghana lost to (0-1) in the group stage. Lesotho and Sudan, the other teams in the group, have two points each.

The victory puts Ghana into the final qualifying series and on the verge of the third successive appearance in the World Cup following Germany in 2006 and South Africa in 2010.

Striker Majeed Waris headed in the first goal in the 16th minute before Kwadwo Asamoah’s 25-metre shot after the hour mark doubled the lead.

Zamabia’s Nathan Sinkala found the net in the 72nd minute to reduce the tally, but Ghana held on to reach the playoffs.