They won 3-2 in a frantic match. He now defines the pass on the last date against the “celeste”, which in 2010 eliminated him in a memorable match.
That soccer always gives revenge is a common place, but it is still true. He knows Ghana. This Monday he was able to recover from the defeat in his debut against Portugal, carrying out a key match against South Korea. It was win by 3 to 2 in a frantic clash, in which he was on top, they tied it and he won it by playing considerably less than his rival, but clenching his teeth when necessary. He did the homework.
The beginning of the game had South Korea as the protagonist. He owned the ball, he cornered Ghana, but he was not clear. In the first ten minutes he scored six corners in favor, but no archery.
And as it has been a constant in this World Cup, one makes the wear and the other takes advantage of it. Because in the first ball that Ghana had, at 23 minutes, it took its toll. Free kick from the left by Jordan Ayew, the ball floated in the area due to a weak Korean clearance and Mohammed Salisu sent it inside. Up Ghana without deserving it.
The game changed and the Africans began to control the rhythm. They had the ball, they pressed up and Korea could not find the return. The bow was very far away for the Asians.
More when at 33 Ayew repeated the same cross from the left again, but this time it was Holy Mohammed the one who deflected it with a header for the far post to put the 2 a 0.
DT Paulo Bento moved the Korean bench and sent Lee Kang-in onto the field after 57 minutes. He paid off, because at 60 he shot a center from the left that Cho Gue-sung headed to break the resistance of goalkeeper Lawrence Zigi. An unexpected 2-1 that opened the match.
Three minutes later, Korea equalized by repeating the magic formula: Kim Jin-su’s cross from the left and Cho Gue-sung’s front-fight. It was a flurry, just when Ghana seemed to have it under control.
The procedure changed again and Korea launched in search of victory. But in a game of goals out of context, Ghana had one more ball and took advantage of it. Mensah went deep and dropped a low cross that Ayew missed, but she got Kudus clean. The Ajax midfielder had time to accommodate it with his left foot and scored 3 to 2.
Down again, the “Asian tigers” went for the tie and were close, despite having fewer legs and an opponent who knew how to buckle. Zigi reached for a poisonous free kick from Lee Kangin and Salisu flicked Son’s shot off the line when the goal was empty.
Kim Jinsu also had it on two occasions, first with a high spike and then with a deflected header. They are also tried and failed. The goalscorer Cho Gue-sung had a one-on-one to concede the first hat trick of the Cup and the Ghanaian 1 responded with solvency.
To say that the last ten minutes were a shower of crosses is an understatement: it was a deluge. But this time there was no magic formula that would save Korea. Ghana took absolutely everything out of the area and He held out until Anthony Taylor’s final whistle.
The 3-2 win opened the scene for the Africans, who now reach the last date with the concrete chance of qualifying. Beyond the result between Uruguay and Portugal -the other two selected from Group H-, if they win against the Charrúas they will be in the round of 16.
It’s not a game more. It is that for the “Black Stars” the memory of that historic crossover that both teams had in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa remains latent. It was the afternoon by the hand of Luis Suárez in the final minute of overtime, of the missed penalty by Asamoah Gyan and Abreu’s picadita in the definition by the twelve steps.
This Friday at 12, at the Al Janoub stadium, Ghana will have a chance for revenge. Soccer always gives it. We have to see if this time they do their homework and take advantage of it.
