The Black Stars of Ghana beat lowly Botswana by a goal to nil with skipper John Mensah grabbing the headlines for mixed reasons. Mensah had shot the Stars ahead with an easy tap in the first half but was sent off with 20 minutes left in regulation time. It was a game the Stars, tagged as favourites were expected to win and it looked almost certain after Mensah stepped up for a corner and connected a little flicker from the head of Asamoah Gyan for the opener in the 26th minute. The Stars were well in the driving seat with Anthony Annan, Dede Ayew and Sulley Muntari combining well in midfield and pinning the Zebras in their own half for most part. Dede Ayew won several free-kicks on the edge of the 18 yard box but a comedy of wasteful set pieces by Agyemang Badu meant the Stars will hold on to their solitary lead. The Zebras looked organized at the back and tried on very few occasions to catch the Stars on the break but John Mensah and his little lieutenant John Boye were alert. Indeed, Ghana’s goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey was hardly tested in the half with the Zebras guarding against a heavy defeat rather than pushing for an equaliser. The Stars, even though in the lead, looked a distant shadow from the side expected to lift the trophy. They were casual with very slow build-up and a cutting edge almost blunt. Back from recess, the story was no different. The Zebras sat back soaking the pressure with a little spell of possession. They appeared content. In the 52nd minute however, John Boye cleared a goal bound header on the goal line to save the blushes of the Stars. It was the first ever dangerous incursion from the Zebras and their confidence soared. In the 70th minute the complexion of the game changed after skipper John Mensah was given an early shower. He was caught out of position after a casual header from Anthony Annan set up a Zebra attacker who had only Adam Kwarasey to beat in post for the Black Stars. Mensah had to bring the man down just on the edge of the 18 yard box and was shown the exit. The Zebras wasted the resulting freekick much to the excitement of the Ghanaians. It was a test of character and resilience as the Stars stood up to a buoyed Botswana side who made incursions on the flanks but failed to create clear cut goal scoring opportunities. It was the Stars rather who forced a superb save from the Botswana goal keeper with a blistering shot from Gyan deep into regulation time. The Al Ain striker had early on set Anthony Annan with a little flicker but the shot from Annan whisked just wide. 1-0 it ended in favour of the Black Stars but it surely is a result they will look back at and say they could have done much better. They face Mali in the second Group D encounter on Saturday.