Ghana Hopes Still Alive

Posted by footynut in June 18th, 2006

Ghana

Ghana produced a superb display of skill,composure and temperance to defeat the mighty Czechs,
such was the display that you would find it har to believe that the match against Czech Republic was only their 2nd ever World Cup Finals game.

How dejected the Czechs must feel right now,but they were well beaten,in fact Ghana could have scored even more goals had they taken their chances.Ghana’s win now blow’s the group wide open,especially since after this game the other teams in their group (Itally & USA) could only manage a 1-1 draw.

Ghana, ranked 48 places behind their opponents in FIFA’s official world rankings, set the tempo from the off and showed no ill-effects from their opening defeat by Italy.They went blazing from the start, and were in the lead in just the 2nd minute,thanks to a beautifully taken goal by Asamoah Gyan, it left Czech keeper Petr Cech conceeding his first goal in this tournament.

Ratomir Dujkovic’s side produced some breathtaking football throughout the match and in the process produce the first win in this tournament for any African side.

But the Czech didn’t lie low,they began bombarding the ghanaian goal with waves of attacks from Pavel Nedved,Poborsky and Co,but Ghana’s keeper Richard Kingston rose to the ocassion and produced some magnificient save.

Michael Essien
Overall though, it seems the Chelsea players stole the show with their displays, Michael Essien for Ghana and Petr Cech for the Czechs, Cech was in particularly good form,if it had not been for him Ghana could have rolled out 5 or 6 nil winners,especially after the sending off of Tomas Ujfalusi in the 66th minute.

Ujfalusi was given a straight red card by referee Horacio Elizondo but the Czechs had a reprieve when Gyan’s spot-kick came back off the post.

Down to 10 men, they were being stretched by the pacey Africans and Cech made a great clearance with his legs from Muntari, who was at Manchester United as kid but could not get a work permit.

Gyan was getting lots of space but was again wasteful in the 78th minute after a neat through-ball from Amoah.

However, Ghana sealed the victory they fully deserved with a thunderbolt from Muntari four minutes later after Gyan had provided the opening.

Dejected Czechs