Portugal beat Ghana in vain as both bow out

PHOTO | FRANCISCO LEONG Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo gestures during a Group G match between USA and Portugal. Cristiano scored his first goal of the tournament as Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 Thursday but both teams were eliminated from the World Cup.  AFP

In Summary

• Ronaldo finally found the net in the 80th minute but Portugal, thrashed 4-0 by Germany in their opening game, needed a far bigger win to overhaul the Americans’ goal difference.

Standings

1/8 Final

BRA	-	CHI
COL	-	URU
NED	-	MEX
CRC	-	GRE
FRA	-	NGA
GER	-	ALG
ARG	-	SUI
BEL	-	USA

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By REUTERS
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By MARK NAMANYA
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Brasilia

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the tournament as Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 Thursday but both teams were eliminated from the World Cup as the United States held on to second place in Group G despite their defeat by Germany.

 

Starting the day on a point each, both teams knew they needed a victory to have any chance of progress and Portugal started strongly as Ronaldo hit the bar and sent a close-range header straight at goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda before Ghana’s John Boye sliced a cross into his own net after 31 minutes.

Asamoah Gyan headed the equaliser from a lovely Kwadwo Asamoah cross 12 minutes into the second half and Abdul Majeed Waris missed the chance to put Ghana ahead when he headed wide from point-blank range five minutes later.

Found the net

Ronaldo finally found the net in the 80th minute but Portugal, thrashed 4-0 by Germany in their opening game, needed a far bigger win to overhaul the Americans’ goal difference.

Germany topped the group with seven points and play the Group H runners-up - probably Algeria, Russia or South Korea - while the second-placed U.S. will face the Group H winners, likely to be Belgium. Portugal finished with four points and Ghana on one.

The BlackStars played withouth Sulley Muntary and Kevin-Prince Boateng who were suspended by Ghana FA disciplinary issues.

In Recife, a 55th minute Thomas Mueller goal gave Germany a 1-0 win over the United States.

Ghana’s World Cup campaign was driven into turbulence yesterday when senior players Sulley Muntari and Kevin Prince Boateng were banished.
The two were dumped hours before Ghana played Portugal in their last group game.
The Black Stars camp, so often a stable ship at major tournaments, has been chaotic in Brazil. The Ghanaian FA released a statement to confirm Muntari’s dismissal.

Sulley Ali Muntari

It read: “The Ghana Football Association has suspended Sulley Ali Muntari indefinitely from the Black Stars with immediate effect. “The decision was taken in the wake of his unprovoked physical attack on an Executive Committee member of the GFA and a management member of the Black Stars, Mr Moses Armah on Tuesday 24 June, 2014 during a meeting.

Muntari’s accreditation for the 2014 World Cup has been withdrawn with immediate effect.”

Muntari, 30, has been capped 89 times and has 19 goals to his credit.

Given the extreme nature of his punishment by the country’s soccer federation and with a decisive World Cup match for the Black Stars, it can only be speculated that Muntari’s behaviour was most vile.

Sources close to the Ghana camp said Muntari’s conduct made it a ‘simple decision’ for the country’s FA.

Boateng meanwhile admitted he had been sent home and wished the team ‘all the best against Portugal.’

The 27-year-old, capped 15 times, is accused of verbally attacking coach James Appiah and using vulgar language.