Hi everybody, I'm Willie and I’ll be taking you through the play by play for Germany vs. Ghana. With everything to play for in Group D, any of the four teams can still qualify.
Ghana lead Group D with four points, Germany and Serbia have three points each, while the Aussies have a single point. However, given the right run of results, all can qualify.
History will be made tonight, as for the first time ever two brothers will play on opposing teams. Kevin-Prince Boateng will don the white jersey of the Black Stars while his brother Jerome will make his first World Cup appearance in the all black gear of Die Mannschaft.
Teams:
Ghana: 22-Richard Kingson; 4-John Pantsil, 8-Jonathan Mensah, 5-John Mensah, 2-Hans Sarpei; 6-Anthony Annan, 23-Kevin-Prince Boateng, 13-Dede Ayew, 12-Prince Tagoe; 21-Kwadwo Asamoah, 3-Asamoah Gyan.
Ghana: 22-Richard Kingson; 4-John Pantsil, 8-Jonathan Mensah, 5-John Mensah, 2-Hans Sarpei; 6-Anthony Annan, 23-Kevin-Prince Boateng, 13-Dede Ayew, 12-Prince Tagoe; 21-Kwadwo Asamoah, 3-Asamoah Gyan.
Germany: 1-Manuel Neuer; 16-Philipp Lahm, 3-Arne Friedrich, 17-Per Mertesacker, 20-Jerome Boateng, 13-Thomas Mueller, 6-Sami Khedira, 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger, 10-Lukas Podolski, 8-Mesut Ozil, 19-Cacau.
Referee: Carlos Simon (Brazil)
Germany coach Joachim Loew
“Ghana is possibly Africa’s last chance in the tournament and will be very motivated. It’s not going to be a piece of cake, but we are confident that we have what it takes to beat Ghana.”
Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac
“We are happy to be in this position. It also means it is an obligation for us if we have to advance to the next stage, but it does not add any pressure. But we have a real chance and there is a strong sense of belief in this team.”
Let's get the show on the road.
1 min: Ghana kicks off, and goes straight for goal… Per Metersecker clears. Good play by the big German defender, he’s switched on right from the start.
4 min: Cacau with the first real effort of the game. Cutting in from the left after his pace took him clear from the Ghanaian defence, he shot straight at Kingson, comfortable save.
5 min: One half of the history making duo, Jerome Boateng, doesn’t look too comfortable at left-full. I don’t think Manchester City paid £10 million for him to play there.
7 min: Germany continues to force the early going here. They look at ease against Ghana’s midfield.
10 min: Fantastic save by Kingson. Podolski gets free down the left and whips in a vicious cross that deflects off Mensah. It’s heading into the bottom corner until the ‘keepers timely intervention.
13 min: You just knew he’d be up for this game. No sign of being intimidated by his brother’s teammate. Kevin-Prince Boateng, sporting Prince as his name, directs another attack from midfield. Gyan shoots wayward though.
15 min: Ghana just ripped Germany apart. Their playmaker, Asamoah, broke down the left and cut a training ground cross back towards the edge of the box to Gyan, his effort was blocked by Mertesecker when he really should have rounded him and fired home. Let off for Germany.
20 min: Best match of the World Cup so far. Lahm breaks down the right before releasing Cacau, but he lets the Brazilian in him take over when he needed some German efficiency…blocked by a defender and out for a corner when he should have scored.
22 min: Both sides playing enterprising football, but how they need some clinical strikers…This kind of play will come back to haunt them if they go further in the competition.
25 min: Ozil breaks free…but shoots straight at Kingson again. The Germans seem to have the making of Ghana’s offside trap, or anyone’s for that matter, remember what they did to Australia…
28 min: This game is pretty tight, but Germany is getting the better chances. Khedira sets up Cacau again…straight at Kingson again.
30 min: Kevin-Prince Boateng is having a real good game here, unlike his brother who looks very nervous, and out of position. KP sprays a beautiful 60 yard pass that goes straight to Ayew’s feet. Talk about landing a pass on a sixpence. He then turns Jerome inside out and puts in a cross that Gyan flicks wide.
32 min: Should have been a penalty to Ghana with Lahm getting a red card into the bargain. The German fullback flicked Gyan’s header wide with his arm…
34 min: It’s all happening now, Ozil breaks into the box but goes down, KP Boateng is the guilty party, no penalty says the ref. It would have been a harsh decision, but when have the referees in this World Cup strayed away from controversy?
40 min: Both sides seem to have settled for 0-0 at halftime. As it stands both matches are level so the group standings remain the same.
43 min: Kingson continues to impress in Ghana’s goal. He had to stretch to meet Schweinsteiger’s deep free-kick but took it away from Mertseecker who was lurking, if not so dangerously.
45 min: Halftime. Very enjoyable first period there. Ghana is no mugs and have opened Germany up a good few times through Gyan and Ayew. Jerome Boateng appears to be letting the occasion get to him unlike his brother who has really stepped into Michael Essien’s boots.
Germany needs to push on, they look vulnerable to Ghana’s attacks and one Serbian goal could mean curtains…
Halftime analysis: Germany don’t really have a cutting edge up front, they have most of the play but look toothless. Cacau is poor as is Podolski. Ozil needs to break forward a bit more as he looks Germany’s best chance of a goal.
Contrast that to Ghana who have had less of the ball but look a real threat going forward. Gyan, Asamoah, Ayew are all good players who can expose the German defence’s rigid line.
46 min: Germany gets the game underway and almost immediately Schweinsteiger puts the ball into orbit with an ambitious shot from miles out.
48 min: Playing Boateng at left-full is limiting Germany instigating attacks. His natural inclination is to come inside every time.
49 min: First corner of the second half…Kingson goes missing but Ghana clear to Lahm on the halfway line. Superb whipped ball across that will give the German’s plenty of confidence.
51 min: Innocuous long ball forward that cuts the German defence in two. Great stop by Neuer from Asamoah. Ghana should be 1-0 up. Massive let off.
54 min: The longer the game goes on the more Germany will come under pressure. Friedrich and Mertesecker are quite slow and recognise that they will get caught out by Ghana’s quick attack; hence the large gap between defence and attack. Gyan with another long range effort, it would’ve taken a mistake of Rob Green proportions to give Ghana the lead with that one…
58 min: Germany putting Ghana under a bit of pressure by forcing a couple of corners. Easily dealt with, which is frustrating considering how Kingson was lost earlier on. Ghana’s defence is looking very organised here; it’s going to take something special to open them up.
60 min: GOAL!!! GHANA 0-1 GERMANY
Mesuit Ozil with a fantastic goal from 25 yards. Lahm fed him the ball from the corner of the box. He took one touch and curled a screamer into the top corner. Great goal.
62 min: The goal was all Germany deserved, they’ve dictated the second half completely. Jerome Boateng saves their blushes! He heads off the line from Tagoe, almost an immediate equalizer.
64 min: Mesuit means happy in Turkish…
65 min: SUBSTITUTION: Tagoe heads off for Muntari who was almost sent home after a dressing room bust up, but he’s on to bring Ghana back into the game. It’s all Germany now.
66 min: Manuel Neuer should thank his lucky stars for Philippe Lahm. Ghana, with the move of the match cut Germany’s defence to pieces as a superb one-two and back flick leaves Ayew almost certain to score. Just as he’s pulling the trigger, Lahm ghosts in from nowhere to deflect the shot for a corner.
69 min: GOAL!!! AUSTRALIA 1-0 SERBIA
Serbia down to the bottom of the group with Ghana now holding second place on goal difference from Australia, Germany top. They’ll take on England in the last 16 if the Group remains the same…
73 min: GOAL!!! AUSTRALIA 2-0 SERBIA
Goal difference could play its part yet, Australia need a swing of two goals to be level on goal difference with Ghana. If Oz is going out they’re going out fighting as Serbia collapse.
74 min: While Australia were scoring goals Jerome Boateng went off for Jansen. The Manchester City man did not have the best of games but he did make a crucial clearance from Tagoe’s goal-bound header.
78 min: Germany in control now, Ghana looks to be out of ideas and Muntari’s influence in peripheral at best. KP Boateng should push on, although it looks like Ghana are almost happy with the 1-0…as would the Germans…
82 min: One would almost think that both sides are happy with the result here; attacking forays are almost a thing of the past.
85 min: Germany and Ghana are through…GOAL!!! AUSTRALIA 2-1 SERBIA
88 min: It’s looking like Germany vs. England and Ghana vs. USA although if Serbia scores an equalizer they will move ahead of Ghana on their head-to-head…
90 min: Calls for a penalty the Australia-Serbia match, Tim Cahill with a hand ball in the box…Serbian players chasing the referee, but they should have put that kind of effort in earlier…
Fulltime: The two best teams in the group progress but at what cost…
Schweinsteiger tweaked a hamstring; Ozil limped off, Germany look blunt up front, and are slow at the back. England could really fancy their chances next week.
Germany was impressive with their win, they dictated much of the game and once they went in front they never looked back.
In 1982 Italy struggled to get out of the group but went on to beat Argentina, Brazil, and Germany. England really struggled to get out of Group C and will now face the Germans…
