Football News
Koumas' maiden Wales goal helps earn draw with Ghana
Lewis Koumas scored his first international goal to salvage Wales a 1-1 draw with World Cup-bound Ghana in Cardiff.Substitute Caleb Yirenkyi delighted the noisy Ghanaian contingent after 66 minutes, converting from close range after the ball had stuck a post.Ghana fans greeted Yirenkyi's goal as if it was at the World Cup itself - possibly against group rivals England - rather than at a 33,000-capacity stadium which was around a third full.But Koumas, sent on as a substitute on the hour, spared Wales' blushes by nodding home a Neco Williams cross in the third minute of stoppage time.Daniel James had hit the post twice after Wales manager Craig Bellamy had pointed out the Dragons' dismal June record.Wales had lost seven of their previous 11 matches in the month of June, with only two wins.This friendly marked the 150th anniversary of the Football Association of Wales, which was formed at a Wrexham hotel in 1876, and the Dragons wore a plain red and white retro kit for the occasion.It was also the first time Wales had played African opponents on home soil, but there was something of a World Cup hangover after play-off heartbreak in March with empty seats galore.Bellamy sent out arguably the strongest XI available to him in the absence of injured duo Ben Davies and Harry Wilson.Ghana named Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo - who had a loan spell at nearby Newport earlier in his career - on the bench, while former Swansea striker Jordan Ayew wore the armband.Jonas Adjetey twice came to Ghana's rescue in the opening exchanges before James almost added to his 10 international goals.Lawrence Ati-Zigi made an excellent point-blank stop to push James' header against a post, and the Leeds winger then rattled the crossbar after Thomas Partey had blocked his first attempt.Ayew shot over wildly but Ghana had not presented any threat until Karl Darlow's pass to Joe Rodon fell short. The Leeds goalkeeper atoned for his aberration by smothering Ayew's attempt on the edge of his six-yard box.Ghana were growing into the contest and Williams took the sting out of Kamaldeen Sulemana's shot before Darlow was forced to tip over a Marvin Senaya volley that had deflected off Sorba Thomas.But the Black Stars were perhaps fortunate to still be at full strength, Partey having cynically brought down David Brooks after being cautioned for a similar challenge on James.Partey was unsurprisingly substituted at the half-time and Ghana survived when Gideon Mensah's careless touch rolled the ball inches wide.The Black Stars made the most of that escape after Williams tumbled and Swedish referee Oscar Johnson ignored penalty appeals.Ernest Nuamah burst through to force a fine diving stop from Darlow, but Yirenkyi was on hand to nudge the ball home.It looked as if that would condemn Wales to defeat but Koumas, who finished the domestic season by celebrating promotion to the Premier League with loan club Hull, joined his father Jason as an international goalscorer."With England set to face Ghana in the World Cup group stage, will Thomas Tuchel have felt any wiser about the challenge the Three Lions face on June 23?"International warm-up matches are often frustrating exercises for scouts and analysts."Managers are understandably reluctant to show their full hand with a major tournament around the corner, key players are protected, intensity levels fluctuate and tactical plans can remain firmly under wraps. This game fell firmly into that category."For large periods, Ghana looked a team with one eye on the bigger picture. They were second best for the opening hour as Wales controlled territory and possession, moving the ball through midfield with relative ease and limiting Ghana's attacking threat. It was hardly a performance that will have alarmed Tuchel or his coaching staff."Ghana's biggest attacking weapon, Semenyo, was left on the bench throughout as the management opted to preserve one of their most influential players ahead of the tournament. Any assessment of Ghana's attacking capabilities therefore came with a sizeable caveat attached."Without Semenyo, Ghana lacked a focal point capable of stretching Wales in behind. Ayew, now firmly into the veteran stage of his career, operated through the middle but struggled to provide the pace, physicality or penetration needed to trouble the Welsh backline. The attack often looked predictable and easy to contain."That changed when the bench was introduced."The arrivals of Nuamah and eventual goalscorer Yirenkyi injected life into Ghana's play. Wales, comfortable for much of the evening, found themselves pushed backwards more frequently."Yirenkyi's goal was reward for a much-improved final half-hour and offered a glimpse of what Ghana can become when their younger, more dynamic attackers are involved."
