{"id":350986,"date":"2017-09-05T16:25:14","date_gmt":"2017-09-05T16:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=350986"},"modified":"2017-11-10T12:05:34","modified_gmt":"2017-11-10T12:05:34","slug":"partey-nets-hat-trick-as-black-stars-hammer-congo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/09\/partey-nets-hat-trick-as-black-stars-hammer-congo\/","title":{"rendered":"Partey nets hat-trick as Black Stars hammer Congo"},"content":{"rendered":"
Thomas Partey scored a hat-trick as the Black Stars kept their hopes of securing a place at the 2018 World Cup alive with a shocking 5-1 win over Congo in Brazzaville on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Richmond Boakye Yiadom, starting in place of the injured Asamoah Gyan, put the Black Stars ahead after good work on the left by Thomas Agyepong.<\/p>\n
Thomas Partey doubled the Black Stars’ lead a minute later with his second in two games against the Congolese.<\/p>\n
Congo pulled a goal back after Lloyd headed in from a corner, but the Stars restored their two-goal lead after Partey\u00a0fired home for his second of the game right before half-time.<\/p>\n
Partey\u00a0completed his hat-trick when he run through on goal in the second half and finished into the top corner.<\/p>\n
Boakye-Yiadom put the icing on the cake with his second of the match with a neat finish.<\/p>\n
The result means the Black Stars have five points from four games, two points behind Uganda\u00a0and one behind Egypt, with the two sides set to face each other later tonight.<\/p>\n
Kwesi Appiah made five changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Congo on Friday.<\/p>\n
With captain Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew ruled out of the game with injury and Jordan Ayew suffering a stomach ache, Appiah handed starts to Thomas Agyepong,\u00a0Afriyie Acquah and Richmond\u00a0Boakye-Yiadom.<\/p>\n
The Black Stars chances of making the tournament in Russia had taken a huge blow after the draw in Kumasi and any result other the win would have ended them altogether.<\/p>\n
The Congolese started the game brightly and created a number of chances, coming closest through Bifouma who run through on goal but was thwarted by keeper, Richard Ofori.<\/p>\n
The Black Stars however, took the lead against the run of play as Thomas Agyepong, beat his man on the left and cut the ball back into the box.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n Ebenezer Ofori’s mishit was diverted into the path of Richmond Boakye-Yiadom who tapped the ball home.<\/p>\n The lead was doubled seconds later as Atsu run clear on the left and crossed into the box for Boakye-Yiadom whose deflected shot fell for Partey who didn’t miss.<\/p>\n Richard Ofori was forced into another good save but Congo pulled a goal back when Lloyd headed home from the resulting corner.<\/p>\n Partey restored Ghana’s two-goal lead right at the end of the half, latching onto Atsu’s pass to fire home at the keeper’s near post.<\/p>\n The Congolese started brightly in the second half as well but found the Stars’ centre back pairing of Jonathan Mensah and Daniel \u00a0Amartey a tough nut to crack.<\/p>\n Richard Ofori made a number of decent saves to keep the Black Stars ahead with Daniel Amartey chipping in with one particularly key tackle.<\/p>\n Partey made the points safe as he raced through a tiring Congolese defence to fire into the top corner.<\/p>\n Richmond Boakye-Yiadom made his case for a starting spot even stronger, finishing after latching onto a pass from Atsu<\/p>\n Citi Sports Man of the Match<\/strong>
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