Ghana dropped valuable points in their quest for 2022 World Cup qualification by a 1-1 away draw with Ethiopia on Thursday.
Captain Andre Ayew scored first for the Black Stars but Getaneh Kabede’s second half-equaliser shared the spoils in the Group G matchday five fixture.
Although an Ethiopia home game, the match was played at the Orlando Stadium in South Africa owing to a ban on the Walias’s Bahir Dar Stadium for not meeting licensing requirements.
The result sees Ghana tie South Africa at the top of the table but Bafana could well move clear with three points in their encounter with Zimbabwe later on Thursday.
With Ethiopia and Zimbabwe already out of the race, the group winner will be decided on Sunday when the Black Stars host South Africa in Cape Coast.
Tactical changes
Without injured Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac drafted captain Andre from his regular wide position to a No.10 role, pushing Ajax ace Kudus to a deeper spot at No.8 beside defensive midfield force Iddrisu Baba.
Ethiopia coach Wubatu Abate, on the other hand, put faith in Egypt-based Shimelis Bekele and St. George danger-man Kebede to lead their charge against the Black Stars.
It took only six minutes for Ghana to go close to scoring when Andre drew a point-blank save from goalkeeper Teklemariam Shanko who had to react again to keep out a rebound from Richmond Boakye-Yiadom.
The hosts initially kept things conservative, instead testing Ghana with two shots from outside the box which went wide.
In the 22nd minute, the Black Stars broke the deadlock, when Andre curled a sweet free-kick over the wall and beyond the goalkeeper into the net after Boakye-Yiadom was brought down outside the box.
Ethiopia had their first shot on target with another long-range shot, which this time around forced Joseph Wollacott into a save.
Shortly, Kamaldeen Sulemana had an opportunity to double the visitors’ lead when he drove from the right wing into the box but his final shot flew over the bar.
On 29 minutes, Ethiopia had another shot on target as Abubeker Nasir called Wollacott into action once again.
Jordan hit back for Ghana two minutes later with a long-range effort, but goalkeeper Shanko was up to the task.
In the 33rd minute, Ethiopia, who by this time had grown stronger in the game, capitalised on a sluggish Ghana play to deliver a cross into the box, but Wollacott was alert to handle the danger.
After Kudus attempted to catch Shanko off guard with a long-range effort, Bekele tried a shot of his own at the other end, the thunderbolt saved by the now-busy Wollacott.
Just before the break, Ghana were presented with another opportunity to find the second goal but Boakye-Yiadom’s close range effort was deflected just over the bar.
Sluggish play
Back after the break, Ethiopia continued from where they left off as they took the game to Ghana, Bekele striking the woodwork in the 58th minute after benefitting from a sluggish play on the part of Kudus.
There was even more lackluster play from Ghana and in the 72nd minute, they will be punished this time.
After Aidoo was dispossessed in dangerous areas, Nasir played the ball into the path of Kebede who released a shot from inside the box into the net to make it 1-1.
Ghana made three straight changes as they sought to change the face of the game but the next shot on target was from Ethiopia as Wallocott had to save again in the 79th minute.
On 81 minutes, substitute Abdul Fatawu Issahaku drove a free-kick from range over the bar.
From then, both teams struggled to create clear openings and after four minutes of injury time, the referee brought the game to an end.
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