Speedways first four-time Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt

MONGOMO, Equatorial Guinea - Senegal came from behind to win 2-1 with a last-minute goal on Monday, striking a big blow to Ghanas qualification chances at the African Cup of Nations.Substitute Moussa Sow stole victory right at the end in the Group C opener after Senegal had gone behind early and then dominated after that.Senegal missed a string of chances in the second half before Sow hit the winner in the 93rd minute at Mongomo Stadium, starting the group off with a surprise.Its very simple. We know that we are capable of beating any team in this competition, Senegal goalkeeper and captain Bouna Coundoul said.Regular Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan had to watch from the dugout after the striker was diagnosed with mild malaria over the weekend and spent a night in the hospital in far-eastern Equatorial Guinea.At the beginning, Ghana was the better team — even without Gyan — and Andre Ayew stroked home a 14th-minute penalty after Christian Atsu was fouled by Coundoul.But Senegal produced long periods of pressure in the second half and Mame Biram Diouf equalized with a header in the 66th after his initial effort bounced back to him off the post. Substitute Sow scored at the very end with a low shot, when Ghana was clinging on, sending the small section of Senegalese fans in the Ghana-dominated ground crazy.It also sent new Ghana coach Avram Grant to a defeat in his first game at the African Cup. Grant called the match a big physical fight as the Senegal team muscled its way to victory, leaving Ghana desperate for a win and with Algeria and South Africa still to come.We dont want this result that has happened, Grant said, but Im sure as you saw the players showed good mentality and we hope it will be the same next game.Senegal was overlooked by many in Group C with Algeria, Ghana and South Africa tipped as the leading teams in whats probably the tournaments toughest group. The victory was a big boost for the Senegalese with equally hard games to come.Its good to have three points, but nothing is done yet, coach Alain Giresse said.Without Gyan, Ayew took over the armband and hit his penalty straight down the middle after Atsu scampered after a through ball and was brought down by Coundoul. Atsu missed a clear opening of his own around 10 minutes later, slicing a shot wide when through on goal.But Senegal began to turn the tide from midway through the first half, when Diouf thundered a spectacular overhead kick at goal and forced Razak Braimah to leap and tip it over. INDIANAPOLIS -- Canadas James Hinchcliffe has a bruise on the bridge of his nose, a black-and-blue reminder of his big wreck. He can hide it with the helmet hell need now that hes back in the race car. Hinchcliffe, from Oakville, Ont., was cleared to drive Thursday by IndyCars medical team following a concussion Saturday in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. He passed the post-concussion tests and should be all set to qualify this weekend for the Indianapolis 500. He couldnt wait another day, hopping in the No. 27 Honda with 2 minutes left in practice to turn his first lap of the month on the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I went overkill on resting because I really wanted to get back out here," he said. "I think a big part of it was my nose is so big it absorbed a lot of the impact and it left my head relatively unscathed." He can laugh about it now, but it wasnt so funny Saturday when debris from Justin Wilsons car flew into the cockpit, striking Hinchcliffe in the head. He was taken away from the track on a stretcher, transported to a hospital and diagnosed with a concussion. "Luckily, I dont remember most of it," he said. "Its a scary situation any time an injury like that happens." Hinchcliffe suddenly pulled off the road course at IMS following a restart and could be seen holding his head with both hands as he exited his car. "Everybodys been giving a lot of credit for the heads up decision to pull off, but that must have been a subconscious thing because I have no memory of that," he said. "I guess I was very lucky to come in time to not get into the wall there." Series officials said concussions are handled on a case-by-case basis and that drivers with head injuries must pass an ImPACT test before theyre cleared to compete by series medical director Dr. Michael Olinger. The 27-year old Canadian passed his after doing nothing more this week than some light training. He woke up Sunday with a headache but said he was fine by Monday. He was back in the gym Wednesday and ready to resume racing for Andretti Autosport. "I went overkill on the rest," he said. "Everything that they asked me to do I did, and then some. Ive been wearing my sunglasses for like 96 straight hours, staying away from all electronics. Anything they asked me to do I went overkill because I knew the goal was to get back and I really wanted to qualify this car, and it looks like Im going to be able to do that now." E.J. Viso replaced Hinchcliffe in practice this week and got a double dose of bad news: He was out of work and the engine in the No. 27 Honda blew during Thursdays practice. "I really expect that the help, effort and input I gave during these past few days are going to reflect in a goood way in the coming days and during the Indy 500," Viso said.dddddddddddd "I feel really proud to be able to help Andretti Autosport and I hope to be driving with them again sometime in the future." Here are five other things to know from Thursdays practice: PRACTICE: Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves turned a lap of 227.166 mph -- becoming the first driver to top 227 this week. Ed Carpenter was second at 226.257 and Will Power Townsend Bell and Ryan Hunter-Reay round out the top five. Kurt Busch, attempting to race in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCARs Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, was ninth. There were 34 drivers on the track who turned 2,516 laps. Castroneves said hes ready for the weekends two-day qualifying runs. "You dont realize how tough it is at this place," he said, "so to do two days in a row, itll be really tough." HELIO SWAP: Helio Castroneves is trading in the firesuit for a chance to show "who wears the pants in my family" on "Celebrity Wife Swap." The three-time Indianapolis 500 champion appears on the May 27 episode on ABC. Adriana Henao, the mother of Castroneves 4-year-old daughter, Mikaella, moved into the home of Larry Birkhead in December, while he opened his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, home for Birkhead. Birkhead had a daughter with late former Playmate Anna Nicole Smith. "I think it was a great experience for Adriana to try a different family," Castroneves said. HELMET AUCTION: Takuma Sato will put his Indy 500 helmet up for auction. Sato, who drives the No. 14 Honda, will give up his race-worn helmet to raise money for "With you Japan" charity, which Sato founded to help the victims of the 2011 tsunami that wreaked havoc on the island country. The helmets red, white and blue scheme echoes Satos distinctive helmet but also integrates elements from Japans only IndyCar race winner and the Speedways first four-time Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt, who owns the No. 14 car. The helmet will feature Satos car number plus bricks to represent the historic Brickyard. The four white stars atop the helmet were included as a tribute to Foyts four Indy victories as a driver. CALLING THE ACTION: Former Indy car driver and team owner Robbie Buhl will join chief announcer Paul Page and Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson as an analyst for the IMS Radio Network broadcasts of Indy 500 qualifying and the race. HAWKSWORTH BACK: English rookie Jack Hawksworth only turned one lap a day after he became the first driver to crash on the oval this month. He waited for the call to the track in the IMS media centre while his Bryan Herta Autosport team worked on the No. 98. "Im going to give it the beans and see what weve got," he said. ' ' '