Stars Hammer Lesotho

Dominic Adiyiah

Ghana began their search for a third successive World Cup ticket on a bright note with a 7-0 thrashing of Lesotho at the Baba Yara Stadium  yesterday.

The Stars, a blend of new and experienced charges, were in total control from start to finish and that resulted in fetching as many as four goals in the first half.

Despite the long interval due to a faulty switch of the plant at the Stadium, the Ghanaians managed three more goals on an evening that dragged Ghana's name in the mud.

Skipper of the evening, AC Milan's Sulley Muntari opened the floodgates with an incisive strike just outside the box from a free kick in the 16 th minute.

Striker Dominic Adidyiah, who returned to the team after a long break, doubled the lead when he shrugged off a challenge from a defender and shot into the net eight minutes after the opener.

And after a good work done in the first 44minutes, Jordan Ayew crowned his efforts to increase the tally to three when he went past the visitor's keeper and slotted the ball into the net.

Adiyiah struck a brace a few minutes after the break. Substitute Christian Atsu did not only announce his presence with his deft touches, but recorded his name on the score sheet six minutes to the end of the game. The left footed midfielder nearly scored a personal second but the visitor's goalkeeper's intervention was timely.

Jordan recorded a brace, his second in two games, on the stroke of full time after Adiyiah has failed earlier to plant the ball in the net. And as if that was not enough, defender Jerry Akaminko towered above the Lesotho defence to head home an Atsu corner in injury time.

The visitors, who were reduced to ten men in the latter stages of the game, rarely tested goalkeeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey.

Muntari, Akaminko, Ayew and deputy coach Maxwell Konadu in a post-match interview pointed out that their focus now is on the Zambia clash next weekend.

The emphatic victory, the very first in the last five decades, hands Ghana three points and will certainly earn them the top position on the table.

Meanwhile, the team is expected to fly to South Africa today for preparations for their next World Cup qualifier against Zambia.

 By Kofi Owusu Aduonum