A fast and furious encounter in Johannesburg saw Germany edge Ghana 1-0 and a meeting with England on Sunday in the knockout stage. Ghana: 0 Germany: 1
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg Crowd: 83,391 Referee:Carlos Simon (Brazil) Assistants: Altemir Hausmann & and Roberto Braatz (Brazil) Fourth official: Martin Vazquez (Uruguay) Yellow cards:GHA - Ayew GER - Muller
Red cards: none MATCH REPORT Despite the scoreline Ghana will join Germany in the last 16 which is no more than they deserved for they played their part in an attacking game which Germany edged 1-0. But the Black Stars must be wondering how they failed to score considering the chances they created, but a mixture of poor finishing and sound German defending kept their scoreline blank.
Once the Germans scored the goal which took them to the top of the group, and a meeting with their old foes England on Sunday, Ghana lost some of their zest and their opponents easily played out the final half hour.
Yet, it could have been so different in a first half were Ghana gave the German's plenty of problems with their fast, incisive football dictated by Kevin-Prince Boateng.
But the German skipper Philip Lahm was a rock at the heart of their defence.
But Lahm was involved in the one controversial moment when he cleared Asamoah Gyan's glancing header off the line which television replays showed a hand was involved.
The only goal arrived on the hour mark courtesy of the impressive Mesut Ozil following a patient build-up. The ball was fed into the feet of the Werder Bremen midfielder who hit a fierce twenty yard shot past a static Richard Kingson.
Ghana though still progress and keep the African flag flying at the World Cup, but will surely have to become more clinical in front of goal if they hope to progress further. Starting Line-Ups
GHA
22. Richard Kingson 4. John Pantsil 5. John Mensah 8. Jonathan Mensah 2. Hans Sarpei 23. Kevin-Prince Boateng 6. Anthony Annan 21. Kwadwo Asamoah 12. Prince Tagoe (Muntari, 64) 3. Asamoah Gyan (Amoah, 81) 13. Andre Ayew (Adiyah, 90+2) SUBS
1. Daniel Adjei (GK) 7. Samuel Inkoom 9. Derek Boateng 10. Stephen Appiah 11. Sulley Muntari 14. Matthew Amoah 15. Issac Vorsah 17. Rahim Ayew 18. Dominic Adiyah 19. Lee Addy 20. Quincy Owusu-Abeyie 16. Stephen Ahorlu (GK) GER
1. Manuel Neuer 20. Jerome Boateng (Jansen, 72) 3. Arne Friedrich 17. Per Mertesacker 16. Philip Lahm 6. Sami Khedira 7. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Kroos, 81) 13. Thomas Muller (Trochowski, 68) 8. Mesut Ozil 10. Lukas Podolski 19. Jeronimo Baretto Cacau
SUBS
12. Tim Wiese (GK) 2. Marcell Jansen 4. Dennis Aogo 5. Serdar Tasci 9. Stefan Kiessling 14. Holger Badstuber 15. Piotr Trochowski 18. Toni Kroos 21. Marko Marin 23. Mario Gomez 22. Jorg Butt (GK)
