BLACK STARS HELD BY LIBYA

Ghana's Black Stars maintained their winless status at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) after being held to a one all draw by Libya in their Group B clash on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix, Bouake.Earlier the one all draw between DR Congo and Zimbabwe had made the group open, but the Stars failed to make use of it.Stars coach Milovan Rajevac, sent off during the latter stages of the game, made four changes to his squad with Wa All Stars defender, Isaac Owusu, Jordan Opoku and Kwadwo Poku (Asante Kotoko) and Harrison Afful all getting places in the starting line-up.Opoku replaced Captain Edmund Owusu-Ansah in midfield, Afful for Habin Mohamed at the left back, Poku for Yaw Antwi in attack and Owusu for the suspended Ofosu Appiah.Both teams struggled to make any meaningful impact in front of goal in the early stages of the game characterized by midfield action.But the Libyans who paraded a side similar to the squad that beat the Black Stars by a lone goal in Tropoli in the penultimate clash of the first round qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations appeared deadly when in possession.In the 25th minute Osama Ahmed broke the deadlock after finishing off a free-kick. Burly defender Younes Shibani deceived the Ghanaian human wall who had envisaged a direct kick by squaring to Dawoud Omar. Omar fetched Ahmed who shot past goalkeeper Philemon McCarthy for the opener.Five minutes on, Shibani almost added to his side's lead with a thunderbolt from the same spot from another free-kick, but this time McCarthy was up to task.Milovan brought on Antwi for the second half in his quest to strengthen his attack, but the result was not forthcoming.Three minutes to the half hour, the Serbian introduced Hearts of Oak's injury-stricken midfielder Charles Taylor for Francis Coffie, and the former's first touch almost gave the equalizer.Taylor's glancing header from Ibrahim Ayew's cross from the right hit the cross bar with Libyan goalie Samir Abud completely beaten.The introduction of Taylor brought some bite into the Stars attacking line and consistently the Greens were pinned to their half.In the 69th minute the crossbar again denied the Ghanaians the equalizer before Edmund Owusu scored in 75th minute.Ghana had to play the last three minutes without coach Rajevac who was sent off for consistent crossing the technical area.The Serbian watched the remainder of the game from the VIP Tribune as his side claimed their second draw at the championship.The Black Stars will face leaders DR Congo in the final group fixture at the same venue on Sunday while Libya faces Zimbabwe in Abidjan.Line-upGhana - Philemon McCarthy, Samuel Inkoom, Harrison Afful, Isaac Owusu, Godwin Osei Bonsu, Daniel Yeboah, Jordan Opoku, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Ibrahim Ayew/Edmund Owusu Ansah, Kwadwo Poku/Yaw Antwi, Francis Coffie/Charles TaylorLibya - Samir Abud, Dawoud Omar, Younes Shibani, Esnani Mohamed, Allafi Riyad, Osman Ahmed, Zuway Ahmed, Abdusalam Nader, Hmadi Osama, Ben Saleh Osama, El Mughrabi Mohamed
Source:GNA