I. Coast, Ghana draw, Zambia lose in Cup warm-ups

David Legge

15 August 2012 at 1:44 pm

Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah (L) tussles for the ball against China's Liu Jianye during their football friendly match. Ghana drew in China

Russia´s Victor Faizulin (R) vies for the ball with Abdul Rasack (L) of the Ivory Coast. The Ivory Coast and Russia drew 1-1

Ivory Coast held Russia, Ghana hit back to draw in China and African champions Zambia lost in South Korea on Wednesday, as they prepared for Cup of Nations qualifiers next month. A goal created and scored by French Ligue 1 players earned the Ivorians a 1-1 draw in Moscow with Paris SG defender Siaka Tiene crossing for Saint-Etienne midfielder Max Gradel to head home at the second attempt. Abdul Razack, a 19-year-old midfielder from English Premier League champions Manchester City winning his first cap, struck the post with a close-range shot midway through the second half after Alan Dzagoev had put Russia ahead. Ivory Coast, African champions once and runners-up twice, confront Senegal in the highlight of the 15 two-leg qualifiers that will decide who joins hosts South Africa at the 2013 Cup of Nations. Substitute Richmond Boakye-Yiadom from Italian champions Juventus snatched a late goal to salvage a 1-1 draw for Ghana in Xi'an after Lin Gao had put China ahead from the penalty spot early in the second half. Boakye-Yiadom had come on for fellow striker Emmanuel Clottey, a revelation for unfancied Berekum Chelsea in the CAF Champions League this year with 12 goals from nine matches. China had a chance to regain the lead when awarded a second penalty five minutes from time, but substitute goalkeeper Ernest Sowah blocked the kick in his first appearance for the Black Stars. Striker Asamoah Gyan, who ended a self-imposed international exile triggered by public and media criticism when he had a penalty saved against Zambia in the 2012 Cup of Nations semi-finals, was an unused substitute. Lee Keun-Ho scored soon after half-time to sink Zambia 2-1 in Seoul after he had put South Korea ahead and Switzerland-based Emmanuel Mayuka levelled just before the half-hour mark. CAF Champions League commitments and injuries meant Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) lacked five of the team that defeated Ivory Coast on penalties in Libreville last February to win a maiden African title. It was the fourth friendly for the Zambians since that unexpected triumph and a second loss after a 1-0 reverse in Malawi. They defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 last week and drew 0-0 in Angola. Angola made a winning start under Uruguayan coach Gustavo Ferrin by defeating fellow Portuguese-speaking country Mozambique 2-0 in coastal city Benguela via second-half goals from Kivuvo and Goncalves.