Cologne - World Cup debutants Ghana
kicked some life back into African football on Saturday with a
well-deserved World Cup Group E 2-0 win over the Czech Republic.
Asamoah Gyan fired Ghana ahead in the second minute of the
match and deservedly doubled their advantage eight minutes from
time when Sulley Muntari blasted in another.
They could have made the result more emphatic but for a
penalty miss by Gyan in the second half.
The foul that led to the penalty also saw Czech defender
Tomas Ujfalusi red-carded on his 50th appearance for the
national side, leaving the pre-match favourites struggling with
10 men for the final 24 minutes.
Following the Ivory Coast's early elimination and a string
of disappointing results for the Africa's other teams, Ghana
bounced back from their own opening defeat to Italy 2-0 with a
magnificent display.
Forced to play without injured strikers Jan Koller and Milan
Baros, the Czechs, meanwhile, looked a shadow of the team that
put three goals past the USA without reply in their opener.
Fierce tempo
Starting the match at a fierce tempo, Ghana won a corner
with less than a minute played and forced Petr Cech into an
early clearance.
If that was a warning, the Czechs seemed unable to heed it
with Gyan firing into the net just a few seconds later.
Receiving a cross from captain Stephen Appiah, the Modena
striker chested the ball down before unleashing a low strike
past Cech.
Karel Bruckner's men enjoyed their best moments during the
early stages of the second half and thought they had found an
equaliser when Pavel Nedved headed home in the 46th minute only
for the move to be ruled offside.
Gradually, though, Ghana took charge and enjoyed a
succession of chances before their missed 66th minute penalty.
The dismissal of Ujfalusi after a trip on Matthew Amoah led
to a twice-taken penalty from Gyan. He tucked in the first top
left but the referee said he had not blown for the kick to be
taken and booked him.
The second cannoned off the right post and bounced to a
Czech defender.
Reuters
