Ghana register their first win of the tournament, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup knockout stages alive with a 3-2 victory in a thriller against South Korea in Group H.
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| Image:Mohammed Kudus celebrates his opener for Ghana against South Korea |
Mohammed Kudus struck twice in a pulsating game as Ghana beat South Korea 3-2 to register their first win in World Cup Group H.
South Korea had all the early pressure, forcing seven corners in the first 20 minutes, but it was Mohammed Salisu who gave Ghana the lead against the run of play after a goalmouth scramble (24).
Kudus doubled the advantage (34) with a precision glancing header after a beautifully delivered Jordan Ayew cross from the left-hand side.
1 - Mohammed Salisu has become the first defender to score for Ghana in World Cup history.
Cho Gue Song scored two quick-fire headers to bring South Korea back on level terms around the hour-mark, before Kudus added his second of the game in the 68th minute with a well-taken finish to make it 3-2.
Salisu was forced to clear off the line late on to ensure Ghana came away from the Education City Stadium with all three points, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages well and truly alive.
Player ratings
South Korea: Seung-Gyu Kim (6), Moon-Hwan Kim (6), Min-Jae Kim (6), Young-Gwon Kim (6), Jin-Su Kim, (8) In-Beom Hwang (6), Jung (6), Chang-Hoon Kwon (6), Jeong (7), Heung-Min Son (7), Gue-Sung Cho (6)
Subs: Hee-Chan Hwang (6), Na (7), Kang-In Lee (7), Kyung-Won Kwon (7)
Ghana: Ati-Zigi (6), Lamptey (7), Amartey (7), Salisu (7), Mensah (6), Partey (7), Abdul Samed (6), Kudus (9), Andre Ayew (7), Williams (7), Jordan Ayew (8)
Subs: Odoi (6), Kyereh (6), Baba (6), Sulemana (6), Djiku (6)
Player of the match: Mohammed Kudus
Big moments in the game...
4 min: Cho Gue Song is inches away from connecting with a cross from the byline to give South Korea an early lead.
8 min: Jeong Woo-Yeong’s effort is diverted behind, with Ghana eventually clearing their lines after an almighty goalmouth scramble following the corner.
24 min:Mohammed Salisu heads Ghana into the lead against the run of play despite a VAR check after the ball strayed ominously close to Andre Ayew’s arm in the build-up.
34 min: Mohammed Kudus doubles Ghana’s lead with a glancing header after a beautifully delivered cross by Jordan Ayew from the left side.
58 min: Cho Gue Song heads South Korea back into the game
61: min: Another brilliant header from Cho Gue Song gets South Korea level
68: min: Mohammed Kudus slots home to reinstate Ghana's lead
78: min: Mohamed Salisu clears off the line for Ghana
90+4: min: Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati denies Cho Gue Song with a great save
How Ghana edged South Korea:
Ghana saw off early South Korean pressure to go 2-0 ahead as centre-back Salisu's scrambled goal in the 24th minute was followed 10 minutes later by a glancing header from Kudus.
Both were at the end of superb deliveries from Jordan Ayew, restored to the starting lineup as Ghana fielded a much more offensive side than against Portugal.
Ayew's perfectly weighted free-kick caused confusion in the South Korean defence and Salisu turned sharply to snap up the opener as the ball bobbled around. There was a lengthy wait for VAR to check the validity of the goal before Premier League referee Anthony Taylor confirmed it.
Ghana, who would have been eliminated from the World Cup had they lost, looked vulnerable, but were handed a surprise lifeline by sloppy South Korean defending in the 68th minute.
Gideon Mensah was allowed to get a cross in from the left, which Inaki Williams missed, but the ball fell for Kufus to tuck home with his left foot all while the South Korean backline failed to attack the ball.
The fortuitous turn for the Black Stars was followed by Ati-Zigi making a fine save from Lee's free-kick and watching as the ball was cleared off the line from Kim Jin-Su's scuffed shot.
Ghana continued to live dangerously through 10 minutes of added time as Korea besieged their goal, but were unable to equalise.
— Opta Stats
2 - Cho Gue-Sung is the first Korea Republic player to score more than once in a World Cup game, while he is the first Asian player to score two headers in a World Cup game. Brace. pic.twitter.com/BRMakzLq4f
Ayew again provided a wicked delivery, with the right height and pace, for Kudus to apply a glancing touch with his head and double the Black Stars' lead.
Early second-half changes breathed new life into South Korea's attack and Lee Kang-In had barely been on the field for a minute when he helped dispossess Tariq Lamptey and fired in a cross that Cho attacked with pace, leaving Salisu watching as he got in front of his marker to power home a 58th-minute header.
The 24-year-old centre forward was even more determined as a chip from Kim Jin-Su caught the out-of-position goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi scrambling and Cho climbed above the centre backs to score a dramatic equaliser, right in front of a bank of screaming South Korean supporters.
2 - At 22 years and 118 days old, Mohammed Kudus is the second youngest African player to score two goals in a World Cup match, after Ahmed Musa (21y 254d) for Nigeria against Argentina in 2014. Kudos. pic.twitter.com/4xkKDkJQLH
3-2 - Ghana are the first team to record consecutive 3-2 results at the World Cup (for or against) since Uruguay in 2010 and the fourth side overall to do so (also Germany in 1994 and Switzerland in 1934). Entertainers. pic.twitter.com/dSTlioflVx
Team news
South Korea made three changes to team that were held to a goalless draw by Uruguay in their opening Group H clash.
Key defender Kim Min-jae passed a late fitness. The Napoli centre back had been doubtful due to a calf injury and coach Paulo Bento said he would check Kim's status at the last minute before making the call on his availability.
Meanwhile, Ghana also made three changes after they lost their opening Group H match 3-2 to Portugal as they reshuffled their defence, bringing in Jordan Ayew up front in a more attacking 4-3-3 lineup after fielding three central defenders last time out.
What the managers said...
Ghana boss Otto Addo:
"It will be very difficult, but I am confident to know that we can win this game. I'm not a guy that thinks much of revenge.
"It was really, really long time ago that this incident happened and I am a strong believer if you don't seek too much revenge on these kind of things sometimes you get the blessings.
"It is a different approach, a different team. They have very good strikers, lots of experience and they are a very compact, very good team.
"It will be very difficult just like every match.
"We said before the tournament started every game will be on edge, and we have to be at our best to beat them."
South Korea
(Assistant coach Sergio Costa:)
"In the first 25 minutes, we were able to control the game with ball possession which was very good. We made good passes and fulfilled our strategy for the match. After the first goal, things changed until the end of the first half.
"At that moment, we lost control. The second half was totally different - we had control, ball possession and created opportunities to score.
"The result is totally unfair. Not even a tie would have been fair. We clearly deserved a win... count on us for the next match."
What does the result mean?
Ghana's first win of the tournament means they are in control of their own destiny in terms of qualifying for the knockout stages heading into their last match against Uruguay on Friday.
South Korea can still qualify for the knockout stages but they will need to beat Portugal in their last group game on Friday.
OTHER World Cup games on Monday
CAMEROON
Cameroon kept alive their faint hopes of reaching the round of 16 after substitute Vincent Aboubakar inspired a breathless comeback in a 3-3 draw with Serbia in Group G.
Jean-Charles Castelletto gave Cameroon an early lead before Strahinja Pavlovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored in the space of two-and-a-half minutes to give Serbia a half-time lead.
Aleksandar Mitrovic extended that lead further before Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting completed the comeback for Cameroon.
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