2017 AFCON Qualifier: Ghana vs Mauritius – How Avram Grant's men rated against the Islanders in Accra

By El Akyereko Frimpong
Follow the writer on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficial

Avram Grant’s Black Stars wheeled off to a swashbuckling start to their 2017 AFCON qualifying campaign with a massive 7-1 hammering of minnows Mauritius at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday afternoon. 

Skipper Asamoah Gyan hit a brace to increase his international tally to 48 goals from 91 games while the prodigious Jordan Ayew who has been linked with English Premier League clubs also netted a brace.

AFC Bournemouth new signing Christian Atsu and Leicester City attacker Jeffrey Schlupp were among the scorers.

David Accam also stepped out of the dug-out to net his debut international goal for Ghana.

GHANAsoccernet.com’s El Akyereko Frimpong rates the performance of the Stars against the Islanders.

Razak Braimah (GOALKEEPER) 5.5/10
Braimah’s only real test in the first-half was a sweeping volley from Ipswich Town midfielder Kevin Bru which was tipped over the bar in the 8th minute. Kevin Perticots’ consolation in the 31st minute was an innocuous drive which beat Ghana’s poorly organised central defense.

Baba Rahman (RIGHT-BACK) 7.5/10
The Augsburg youngster formed a perfect partnership with Jeffrey Schlupp who used his imposing physique and speed to exploit space on the flanks.

Harrison Afful (LEFT-BACK) 8.5/10 – STAR-MAN

Truly enterprising and exciting to watch. The Esperance de Tunis man raided Les Dodos backline, using his electrifying pace and irresistible skill to loosen the defence on the right.

Jonathan Mensah (CENTRAL DEFENCE) 6.5/10

Solid in defence. Was able to overpower Justin Jonathan who had come on with enough energy.

John Boye (CENTRAL DEFENCE) 5/10
Boye’s pace let him down so many times. At one instance, Ludovic Lafoudre took him on a run which exposed him though he later recovered. The Kayseri Erciyesspor defender was put into trouble on a couple of times and must also take part of the blame for failing to stop Perticots who scored the consolation for the visitors.

Wakaso Mubarak (HOLDING MIDFIELD) 7.5/10

Masterful distributor of passes from the middle and steered the game well. Impressive. Didn’t look like a player who had lacked game time at club level.

Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (MIDFIELD) 7/10

He handled the middle with an admirable expertise, brilliantly cutting supplies, gagging spaces and showing great vision. His run produced the debut goal for Jeffrey Schlupp who ran inside the box to finish off the move.

Christian Atsu (LEFT WING) /10
The Bournemouth new signing netted the opener for the Black Stars with a brilliant header from a Harrison Afful cross in the 10th minute. Mostly relied on artful trickery and skill to send in crosses from the flanks. Showed more of his venomous instincts with a powerful volley which ricocheted off the crossbar midway through the second-half.

Jeffrey Schlupp (RIGHT-WING) /10
Grab his debut Ghana Did all the marauding on the right flanks in the first-half. The Mauritius full-back could simply not contain his pace and energy anytime he decided to take them on.

Jordan Ayew (FORWARD) /10
He perpetually picked the pockets of the visitors and dully got his name on the score-sheet moments after starting the attack that led to the first goal.

Asamoah Gyan (FORWARD) /10
Fired a close range bullet at goal in the 16th minute but the Mauritius keeper denied him. But after seeing a header denied earlier on, the Al Ain man increased his international tally to 47 with a close range tab in from a Jordan Ayew cross in the 22nd minute before heading another home.

SUBSTITUTES
David Accam (RIGHT-WING) – 7/10
Daniel Amartey (LEFT-BACK)- 6/10
Bernard Mensah (MIDFIELD) – 5.5/10