Portugal 2 (Ghana Own Goal Boye 31 *, Ronaldo 80 *): Ghana 1 (Asamoah Gyan 57*)
Portugal won against Ghana but of no avail. The late surge of Portugal and final sparks of CR7 failed to bring the desired result to qualify for the next stage though they managed to beat Ghana 2-1. The match required Portugal win by a clear margin of three goals and USA losing to Germany.
USA lost by 1-0 to Germany but the solitary goal difference in win of Portugal meant that USA qualified behind group leader Germany for the knock out round from Group G. Portugal and Ghana joined the group leaving World Cup from the first round. Ronaldo got several good chances in the last 15 minutes of the game. Another day another place he could run away with a hat trick.
But he could not avail very easy chances considering his standard and his team became causality. Unlike Messi and Neymar Ronaldo unfortunately failed to do justice to his start value. One suicide goal of Ghana defender Boye presented Portugal the advantage in the first half and Ronaldo could score only once from four clear chances.
Asamoah Gyan reduced the margin for Ghana
The match promised so much and produced little. The spark was somehow missing. Spain, England, Italy, Croatia already back home the possibility of yet another potential European team Portugal joining them was looming. African start playing brilliantly held strong Germany to a 2-2 draw and went down fighting to USA 1-2 .It had not been a great start to the day for Ghana, who announced that two of its players have been suspended indefinitely. Both Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari have been disciplined, but only Boateng was available Thursday. Muntari was already suspended for the match after gathering too many yellow cards. On the other hand Portuguese star, Pepe returned after serving a match suspension off a red card he received in the first match against Germany forcing his team play with 10 men against a very strong team and digest as many as four goals.
Portugal could manage to hold USA to a 2-2 draw through a very late Ronaldo inspired goal equalizer.
It was a match of must win for one of the sides in order to go through. Portugal required a rather sizeable one to make up its goal differential discrepancy. Ghana just required, say, a 2-0 win and US loss. Match started with both sides showing positive intent for present a dynamic duel of attacks and counter attacks though Ronaldo inspired Portugal was showing a little bit of more urgency .
6 Minutes into the game Cristiano Ronaldo has a go from an impossible angle (maybe a cross?) and rings the crossbar. Certainly wouldn't hurt the US to see Portugal jump ahead. On the 10th Pretty good opportunity appeared for Ghana but Portugal defence cleaned it up in the box. Ghana then conceded a Portugal free kick just outside the box.
On the 12th later an opportunity for Ghana wasted on a bad cross, and Portugal right back down. As expected, lots of actions were seen but of no effect. On 19th minute, Ronaldo had a header on the doorstep somehow, somehow was denied. It was an unbelievable stop by Dauda. Lots of actions were seen still no goals were seen here, miraculously. On 28 th minute Ronaldo started a break, but the cross back to him is cleared.
On 3ist minute the goal came though Ghanaian defender John Boye deflecting the ball into his own net in an effort for clearing Portuguese cross making it 1-0 for Portugal.. As the match wore on Portugal started getting more control of the match and Ghana looked more of a side playing a routine match Minute Ronaldo gave it a go, but it was blocked out for a corner by Dauda.
A few minutes without ambition. First half saw few more stray attacks with not enough punch or bite to create another goal. Ghana lacked the quality to compete evenly in the first half . Portugal did not look that better as well.
Ronaldo and Nani who must deliver a lot more for them were far below their brilliant best.
Second half started in the same pattern with Portugal having the lion share of the exchanges though Ghana looked a bit more enterprising. A early try of Portugal was blocked for a corner as early as the 48th minute. Ghana started counter attacking and running deep. On 51 st minute Gyan delivered a wonderful shot in from the top of the box, but it curves just wide of the target.
A minute later a Cheeky back heel sets up Ronaldo, but he's unable to generate a shot. Good chance there for Portugal. On 57th minute nearly simultaneously, Ghana and Germany scored. Asamoah Gyan knocked in a header off a beautiful cross making it 1-1.
Ghana started coming more and more into the game exposing the vulnerability of Portugal defence.
Unfortunately not 100% still Portugal superstar Chritsiano Ronaldo failed to spark with his A game. With him being well below his brilliant best Portugal did not look the side to run away with a sizeable lead at any stage of the game. With 15 minutes left in the match the only interest left in the match at this stage was whether Ghana could somehow sneak two more goals and win the match as the other match result between Germany and USA was giving them inspiration of a last minute qualification.
For Portugal it appeared a done deal. From 61 -68 th minute Ghana made as many as four good strikes at Portuguese goal but failed to attack to the tally to win the match.
With match heading for a draw Cristiano Ronaldo finally scored when the ball bounced off Ghana Goal Keeper 2-1 to Portugal, This goal suddenly injected some life into the game with Portugal pressing harder and harder. Ronaldo almost scored again when his goal bound push was somehow blocked off by Dauda. A few more goals could alter the fate of Portugal to stay alive in the World Cup. But that did not come their way as Ronaldo failed a final touch with Duadu only at his mercy. In the last 15 minutes CR7 could even score hat tricks with the chances coming his way.
Even after a 2-1 Portugal win and 0-1 USA defeat by Germany both Portugal and Ghana got the exit from Brazil 2014.
Portugal: Beto; Miguel Veloso, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Joao Pereira; Ruben Amorim, William Carvalho, Joao Moutinho; Cristiano Ronaldo, Eder, Nani.
Ghana: Fatau Dauda; Kwadwo Asamoah, John Boye, Jonathan Mensah, Harrison Afful; Emmanuel Badu, Mohammed Rabiu; André Ayew, Abdul Majeed Waris, Christian Atsu; Asamoah Gyan.
BDST: 0752 HRS, JUNE 27, 2014
