Ghana thrash Egypt in 2014 play-off

Ghana took a huge step towards reaching their third straight World Cup finals by thrashing Egypt 6-1 in the first leg of their 2014 play-off. Asamoah Gyan thumped in the opener and it was 2-0 after Michael Essien's run led to an own-goal from Wael Gomaa. Egypt's Mohamed Aboutrika scored a penalty but Majeed Waris headed in to make it 3-1 and Gyan headed another. A Sulley Muntari penalty and a late strike by Christian Atsu put Ghana in total control of the tie. The match had been billeas the tightest of the five African play-off ties that will decide who will make it to next year's tournament in Brazil. But it is now almost guaranteed that the Black Stars will be on the plane to South America after a huge win in Kumasi. The tension had been ramped up during the build-up to the tie because Ghana had written to Fifa asking for the 16 November second leg to be switched from the Egyptian capital Cairo because of safety fears. With the venue for that match still uncertain, Ghana wanted to earn a healthy advantage from the first game at home and they set about achieving it by sprinting out of the blocks at the Babayara stadium.