1537 Wakaso steps up to take the kick and with a cool nerve he slots the ball into the net for Ghana’s opener. GOAL!!!!!
1535 Ghana win a penalty after Agyemang Badu is criminally brought down in the vital area. Great ball control from Gyan who sets Badu up before the challenge.
1532 Agyemang Badu’s header goes off the post. Painful miss for the Stars.
1525 Harrison Afful bursts forward and unleashes a spectacular strike which whisks just wide.
1513 Gyan wins a corner after his great strike takes a ricochet of a Mali defender.
1507 Seidu Keita meanders the resulting free-kick and it goes agonisingly wide.
1506 Fatau Dauda gets yellow carded for grabbing the ball outside the 18 yard box. Needless card it is after miscommunication with defender John Boye.
1500 Mali get the game underway.
1458 The two teams exchange pleasantries.
1455 The national anthems for both teams is being played. Ghana goes first. Then Mali.
1450 The two teams make their way onto the pitch from the tunnel.
Live Update
The Black Stars of Ghana play Group B contenders Mali in a crucial West African derby in the ongoing AFCON tournament in Ports Elizabeth, South Africa, Thursday.
The Eagles are group leaders after a narrow win over group underdogs Niger but face an uphill task against a Black Stars side that threw away a two goal lead to draw 2-2 against DR Congo in the group opener.
The Stars make three changes into this game with Harrison Afful, Rabiu Mohammed and Isaac Vorsah coming in for Christian Atsu, Derek Boateng and Jerry Akaminko respectively.
Watch live updates here on Myjoyonline.com. The match begins at 15 hours GMT.