2010 World Cup: Ghana v Uruguay half time report
Ghana 1 Uruguay 0
Sulley Muntari’s wonder strike on the stroke of half time has given Ghana the lead against Uruguay at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.
It was a half of two halves, as Uruguay began strongly, with Ghana taking time to adjust.
Ghana are only the third African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, following in the footsteps of Senegal in 2002 and Cameroon in 1990. They have the whole of the continent behind them.
On 10 minutes, Luis Suárez, the hero from Uruguay’s last game against South Korea, beat the offside trap, and on the edge of the box jinked his way past the defender and shot straight at Ghanaian keeper Richard Kingson.
Five minutes later Diego Forlán’s corner was flicked on by Edinson Cavani, which then flicked off John Mensah and was saved by Kingson’s head.
Suárez once again tested Kingson, who pulled off a fine save after the Uruguayan striker smashed a shot on target.
Ghana were unable to get into the game, looking as though the occasion was getting to them. It took them half an hour to find their feet, and with their first chance they should have scored.
Defender Isaac Vorsah headed wide from Muntari’s corner. A minute later, a quick counter-attack from the African side resulted in Kevin-Prince Boateng picking out Asamoah Gyan, who steered his shot inches wide of the post.
Muntari headed wide as he sneaked in on the far post, while Boateng was the key to Ghana’s attacks as he was finding space. His overhead kick a couple of minutes from half time almost found its way in.
There was disappointment for Uruguay as their skipper Diego Lugano came off with an injury, and without Diego Godín, they are without their first choice centre-back pairing.
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