2015 AFRICA CUP - SEMI-FINALS - DAY 16 - Trouble in Malabo

Africa Cup 2015 Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals

Ghana vs Equatorial Guinea 3:0

After major crowd trouble Ghana's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against hosts Equatorial Guinea was halted for 30 minutes because of crowd trouble in Malabo.

Ghana fans massed behind a goal after 82 minutes of the game to seek refuge from missiles being thrown at them.

Bottles rained down as police battled to gain control, while a helicopter hovered over the stadium.

Play resumed for just three minutes as Ghana completed a 3:0 win to reach Sunday's final against Ivory Coast.

The Black Stars had taken a 2:0 lead into half-time, having opened the scoring when Jordan Ayew dispatched a penalty after Kwesi Appiah had been fouled by keeper Felipe Ovono.

They doubled their lead when Mubarak Wakaso drilled home following a counter-attack.

At the end of the first period, crowd unrest was already evident, with the Ghana players shielded by police in riot gear as they left the pitch.

Then, after Andre Ayew had tapped in Ghana's third on 75 minutes and with only eight minutes left, the focus turned to their fans, who left the stands to seek safety behind one of the goals.

Play was stopped as bottles continued to be thrown by the home supporters, littering the running track around the pitch. 

Chairs were also thrown after being ripped from the stands.

With Equatorial Guinea only stepping in as replacement hosts in November, there were plenty of concerns about preparations and security before the tournament began.

Two quarter-finals were then moved from Ebebiyin and Mongomo amid reported fears of potential crowd issues, although the Confederation of African Football blamed the poor state of the pitches.

When police moved in to try to restore order in Malabo, it took a considerable amount of time before the Ghana fans were safely escorted from the stadium.

There were doubts about the match resuming, with officials locked in discussions at the side of the pitch as the players remained on it.

Once the field was cleared of objects, the match restarted, only for the referee to bring the game to an end three minutes later.

A police helicopter caused a commotion inside the stadium as it sprayed around debris

LINEUP, BOOKINGS & SUBSTITUTIONS

Ghana

01 Brimah
23 Afful Booked
21 Boye
19 Mensah
17 Baba
06 Acquah Booked
11 Wakaso Booked (Badu - 76' )
07 Atsu
02 Appiah
10 A.Ayew Booked (Acheampong - 82' )
09 J.Ayew

Substitutes

03 Gyan
04 Gyimah
05 Awal
08 Badu
12 Sowah
13 Rabiu
14 Asante
15 Otoo
16 Dauda
18 Amartey
20 Accam
22 Acheampong

Equatorial Guinea

01 Ovono Booked
02 Vázquez Evuy Booked (Fabiani Bosio - 58' )
05 Mbele
04 Da Gracia Gomes
07 Belima
21 Zarandona Esono (Ganet - 82' )
18 Ellong
14 Senobua
11 Balboa
15 Edú Booked (Bohale Aqueriaco - 74' )
10 Nsue Lopez

Substitutes

03 Engonga
06 Edjogo-Owono Montalbán
08 Iyanga Travieso
09 Fabiani Bosio
12 Bolado
13 Embela
16 Bohale Aqueriaco
19 Briones
20 Maye
22 Ganet
23 Darío

Ref: Eric Arnaud Otogo-Castane

PREVIEW

Ghana have made it to the semi-final for the fifth Africa Cup of Nations in a row.

However, they have made the final only once in this run (2nd in 2010)

Equatorial Guinea have made the semi-final stage in only their second appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations, beating their previous best in 2012 where they made the quarter-finals

National Lightning are the first hosts to reach the semi-final stage since Ghana in 2008 (they finished 3rd).

The last hosts to win the competition were Egypt in 2006

This will be the first meeting between Ghana and Equatorial Guinea

The Black Stars are looking to record four successive African Cup of Nations wins for the first time since 2008