Ghana beat Czechs for first African win

 

 

 

COLOGNE: Ghana, fired up by an early goal, beat the Czech Republic 2-0 on Saturday to record the first win by an African team at the 2006 World Cup finals.   

 

Ghana stunned the Czechs with a second-minute goal in their Group E match, Asamoah Gyan netting from a Stephen Appiah cross that Czech defender Tomas Ujfalusi failed to intercept.   

 

The Africans attacked persistently and missed a hatful of chances, including a Gyan penalty in the 66th minute after Ujfalusi was sent off, but sealed their win eight minutes from time through Sulley Muntari. 

 

The result throws the group wide open.

 

Ghana and the Czechs have three points from two games.

 

Italy, who have three, play the United States, who have no points, in Kaiserslautern later on Saturday.   

 

African teams had disappointed at the finals with just two draws and five defeats in seven games before the Ghana victory.

 

Ghana made key changes to their team for the Group E tie against the Czech Republic, leaving out veteran defender Sammy Kuffour, to revive their World Cup hopes against one of the strongest teams in the tournament.   

 

The Roma defender is one of the most experienced Ghanaian players, but his short backpass presented Italy with their late second goal in Ghana's 2-0 defeat last Monday.

 

He was relegated to the bench.   

 

Uncapped defender Habib Mohamed, 22, one of the few home-based players in the squad, was included in the starting eleven, while midfielder Otto Addo was drafted into the side instead of Eric Addo, who plays for PSV Eindhoven.

 

As expected, the injury-hit Czech Republic lined up Vratislav Lokvenc as the side's lone striker instead of the injured Jan Koller.

 

Chelsea teammates Petr Cech, the Czech goalkeeper, and Ghana's Michael Essien embraced and chatted as the teams had a pre-match walkabout on the pitch.

 

Ghana gave Italy a run for their money before going down 2-0 but the Czechs looked a class act as they crushed the United States 3-0.
 
"I know the Italians are strong but I was not scared of them. I felt we could match them. But against the Czech Republic, my confidence is rather low," said Henry Oduro, an IT specialist.
 
Sammy Kuffour, the AS Roma defender has apologised for his costly error that gifted the Italians the second goal.
 
"My prime aim is to play very well on Saturday and pray for the favour of God to enable us to win," he said.
 
But the fans were fearing the worst.
 
"I watched the Czechs and we can only pray that we have luck on our side. We will need tons of luck to pick up a good result," Oduro had said.
 
Ghana are 50 places behind the Czechs in the FIFA world rankings and Ghana's Serbian coach Ratomir Djukovic was under no illusions.
 
"We have to win to remain in the competition," he had said, adding: "The Black Stars are determined to make up for the Italy loss."
 
Kwasi Nyantakyi, president of the Ghana Football Association had said: "The boys are motivated. They have put the defeat to Italy behind them and they need to psyche themselves up for Saturday."

 

Essien Michael of Ghana was named Man of the Match.

 

Teams
Czech Republic: Petr Cech, Zdenek Grygera, Marek Jankulovski, David Rozehnal, Tomas Ujfalusi, Tomas Galasek, Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky, Tomas Rosicky, Jaroslav Plasil, Vratislav Lokvenc       

 

Ghana: Richard Kingston, John Paintsil, Habib Mohamed, John Mensah, Shilla Illiasu, Sulley Muntari, Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, Otto Addo; Asamoah Gyan, Matthew Amoah.

 

Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)