Sunday, June 22, 2014

Ghana Earn 2-2 Draw With Germany in Thrilling World Cup Clash 
Germany and Ghana draw a 2-2 in Brazil World Cup.
Reuters
Saturday 21 Jun 2014

Ghana held Germany to a 2-2 draw on Saturday despite veteran striker Miroslav Klose coming on as a substitute to tie the World Cup scoring record with the equalizer in their Group G match.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose came off the bench to score a record-equalling 15th World Cup goal and salvage a 2-2 draw against Ghana in a pulsating Group G game on Saturday.

Klose, with his first touch of the game, poked home at the back post from a corner in the 71st minute to move level with former Brazil striker Ronaldo.

Ghana, who trailed to Mario Goetze's goal early after the break, stormed back to level through Andre Ayew and take the lead when Asamoah Gyan lashed home but Klose secured a point to leave Germany top of the group on four points from two games.

After a cautious, evenly-balanced first half, the match came alive in the 51st minute with Goezte putting the Germans ahead with a downward header that came off his knee before beating Fatawu Dauda in the Ghanaian goal.

But the Africans hit straight back, Andre Ayew outleaping the towering figure of Per Mertesacker in the German defence to head his side level on 54.

Nine minutes later, Ghana took the lead with Gyan breaching the German back line and firing a right foot shot past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Germany coach Joachim Loew turned to experience, throwing on Klose and Bastian Schweinsteiger and it proved an inspired switch with Klose netting the goal that keeps the Germans in contention to reach the second round for a remarkable 16th consecutive World Cup.

Ghana sit third in the group on one point with United States (three points), playing bottom side Portugal on Sunday

This was the 800th match in the history of the World Cup and was a fitting tribute to the tournament.

It marked Mertesacker's 100th German cap and also saw the Boateng half-brothers face each other for the second World Cup in a row. Jerome played the first half for Germany while Kevin-Prince played for Ghana.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)


Nigeria boost qualification hopes with 1-0 win over Bosnia

AP
Sunday 22 Jun 2014

Nigeria claimed their first World Cup win since 1998 after beating Bosnia 1-0 on Saturday to boost their hopes of reaching the last 16

Peter Odemwingie's first-half goal gave Nigeria a 1-0 win over Bosnia in World Cup Group F on Saturday and condemned the European team to an early exit in their first appearance in the finals.
The Nigerians' first World Cup finals victory since 1998 put them on four points from two games, two less than Argentina who they meet in the final group match on Wednesday with top spot at stake.

Nigeria took the lead after 29 minutes when Odemwingie fed Emmanuel Emenike on the right wing and raced into the box to receive the striker's low return before clipping the ball under goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

The Bosnian bench angrily protested that Emenike had fouled captain Emir Spahic as he bundled past him into the box before making his cross.

The tournament newcomers had earlier been denied a goal in a poor offside decision against striker Edin Dzeko after he ran on to a through pass and beat goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama in the 21st minute.

Dzeko had another shot saved by Enyeama but he was well off target with chances later in the half as he fought a lonely battle with the Nigeria defence.

The more experienced Nigerians, playing in their fifth World Cup, created several chances in the first half but were let down by the final pass, poor control or wayward shooting and a couple of smart diving saves by Begovic.

The Bosnia keeper made a string of saves to keep his side in the match in a second half of end-to-end excitement and Dzeko's shot was deflected on to the post deep into stoppage time.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)


Gyan joins Milla as Africa's top scorer in World Cup

Karim Farouk
Sunday 22 Jun 2014

Gyan ran onto a neat pass from Sulley Muntari to send a powerful shot past keeper Manuel Neuer, giving his team a 2-1 second-half lead.

That was just for a few minutes as Miroslav Klose scored the equalizer to match the 15-goal record of former Brazil striker Ronaldo, the World Cup's all-time top scorer.

Ghanaian skipper Gyan opened his account in 2006, scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

In 2010, he led the Black Stars to the quarter finals, scoring three times in a 1-0 win over Serbia, 1-1 draw with Australia and 1-0 victory over the United States.

He wasted a golden opportunity to make history for himself, his team and the continent though as he missed a late penalty against Uruguay that would have put Ghana in the semis. Uruguay won the penalty shootout to go through.

Gyan's strike against Germany is the fifth goal in three World Cup appearances. Milla achieved his tally in 1990 (4 goals) and 1994 (1 goal).

The 28-year-old will break that record if he scores against Portugal on Thursday in a must-win encounter if they are to reach the last 16 for the third successive time.

 (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)

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