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At the end of a match rich in twists and turns, Ghana beat South Korea (3-2), at the Education City Stadium in Doha, and revived for a qualification in the round of 16. Despite their courage and determination, the Taeguk Warriors missed their chance and will play their future against Portugal.
South Korea started the match by attacking the Ghanaian goal, even offering a first foray after a dangerous counter-attack in the third minute. A warning without consequence for the Black Stars, a little shaken by the start of the dynamic match of their opponents, guided by the untenable Son Heung-min, the star of the team.
With his teammates, Son Heung-min repeatedly sows chaos in the Ghanaian defense, taken by the throat and which somehow pushes back the Korean waves which break throughout the first 12 minutes.
The Black Stars let the storm pass and take the break
Jostled, the Ghanaians finally get their heads above water at the quarter of an hour, the time for the Koreans to catch their breath. A short-lived lull, the Koreans go back and get their 7th corner in the 17th, without taking advantage of it.
An unchallenged but unsuccessful domination sanctioned by the Ghanaians, who opened the scoring against the run of play, in the 24th minute, by defender Mohammed Salisu. The latter victoriously takes a ball sent into the Korean area following a free kick obtained to the left of the opposing goal.
Instead of managing their lead, the Ghanaians, galvanized by their goal, took the opportunity to make the break while the Koreans tried to regain their senses. The second goal is signed by Mohammed Kudus who, on receiving a well-worked cross from Jordan Ayew at the far post, rises in the end zone and touches the ball with his head to deceive Kim Seung-Gyu, the south goalkeeper -Korean.
The scenario is cruel for Son Heung-min and his people, stunned by ruthless Ghanaians who are content to manage their lead until the break, conceding only one chance, a curling strike from Jung Woo-Young which passes over Lawrence Ati Zigi’s goal.
Korea fights back… in vain
Returning from the locker room, despite their lead in the score, the Ghanaians return with offensive intentions and settle in the Korean camp. They offered themselves the first opportunity of the second period, with an attempt by the tireless piston Tariq Lamptey, who sent in the 50th, from outside the area, a curled shot above the Korean goal.
It was not until the 52nd minute to see a South Korean reaction and a first shot on target from this selection, with a header from Cho Gue-Sung, which forced Lawrence Ati Zigi to make his first save of the match.
A warning that restored confidence to the Koreans, who, after a new attack, managed to come back to score in the 58th thanks to a new header this time victorious from Cho. The latter is ahead of the Ghanaian goalkeeper who came to meet him to cut off a perfect cross from Lee Kang-In.
This reduction in the score boosted the Taeguk Warriors who equalized two minutes later thanks to the insatiable Cho Gue-Sung. He comes to catapult another angry head, this time at close range, after having taken over, literally and figuratively, the Ghanaian defense at the far post.
While the last half hour promised to be complicated for the Black Stars, Mohammed Kudus did not have time to doubt. The midfielder of Ajax Amsterdam restores the advantage to his team by taking up with the inside of the foot a cross from the left of Gideon Mensah, missed at first by Inaki Williams. This is the third Ghanaian shot on target, a relentless efficiency.
South Korea reacts on a direct free kick, taken by Lee Kang-In and which rebounds in front of Lawrence Ati Zigi, who diverts on his left, for a corner.
Far from being demoralized by the turn of the match, the Koreans besieged the Ghanaian defense. But the latter managed to repel a recovery from Kim Jin-Su who took the direction of the nets. The left-back, once again left unmarked, did it again in the 83rd, this time out of frame.
Five minutes from the end, coach Otto Addo made changes to strengthen his defense, including the entries of former Caennais Alexander Djiku and former Rémois Abdul Rahman Baba.
Relevant choices while the South Koreans refuse to abdicate and count on the 10 minutes of additional time to come back to the score. The Taeguk Warriors confiscate the ball and multiply the centers in the surface of the Black Stars but still come up against the Ghanaian defensive wall. In the 95th, Lawrence Ati Zigi signs a decisive save on a new powerful and framed strike from the very active Cho Gue-Sung.
Driven by the fervor of their supporters, the Koreans throw their last forces into battle, in vain. The Black Stars manage to maintain the score and afford their first victory in this World Cup-2022. They will play their qualification in their next match against Uruguay, who eliminated Ghana in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.
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