Uruguay 2- 1 South Korea
Luis Suarez's double booked Uruguay's place in the World Cup quarter-finals as South Korea's adventure came to a heartbreaking end.
The Asian side looked to have turned the game around when Bolton midfielder Lee Chung-Yong cancelled out Suarez's early strike with 68 minutes gone. But amid a wintry downpour at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Ajax striker curled home a brilliant winner 10 minutes from time to confirm Oscar Tabarez's side as the first team to reach the last eight.
Uruguay were the better side before the break and deserved their half-time lead, but they had to survive a major fightback as Korea refused to give up on their dream, and Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera had to make a vital late save from substitute Lee Dong-Gook to ensure the tie did not go to extra-time.
Tight games are often decided by fine margins, and that point will not have been lost on either coach within eight minutes of kick-off.
Had Park Cho-Young's fifth-minute free-kick come off the inside, rather than the outside, of the post with Muslera helpless, the ball might have ended up in the back of the net and Korea would have been in front.
But it did not, and three minutes later with South Korea keeper Jung Sung-Ryong fatally reconsidering his decision to come for Diego Forlan's teasing low cross when it was too late to do so, Suarez expertly steered the ball into the gaping net from a tight angle to double the dose for the Asian side.
In a half of few clear-cut chances, neither Muslera nor Jung had another save of any real note to make, although the Uruguay man was grateful to see two speculative late efforts from full-back Cha du-ri sail just over his crossbar.
South Korea, as their coach Huh Jung-Moo had promised, played their usual attacking game, and Park Chu-Young, as he has been throughout the competition to date, and skipper Park Ji-Sung caused problems.
However, Uruguay, with Forlan prompting from just behind the front two, had just that little bit more guile going forward and were streetwise enough at the back - they went in at the break still to concede a goal in South Africa - to ensure they largely held sway.
South Korea returned knowing their World Cup was drawing to a close unless they could find a way back into the game, and they resumed with some intent.
Kim Jae-Sung only just failed to connect with full-back Lee Young-Pyo's cross after it had been dummied by Park Chu-Young, and the striker himself blasted over with 51 minutes gone when he might have done better.
The equaliser came with 68 minutes gone after substitute Mauricio Victorino could only half-clear a free-kick and Lee Chung-Yong headed home the loose ball with Muslera and defender Diego Lugano flat-footed.
Uruguay's response was swift and Jung had to turn away Suarez's 73rd-minute shot, and it was he who won the game with 10 minutes remaining when, after a Forlan corner had been headed out, he picked up possession on the left and curled home a superb shot off the inside of the upright.
Match Information
Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Attendance: 30,597
Match Time: 14:00 GMT
Official(s): Wolfgang Stark (Germany)
Match Stats
Uruguay
Goals scored 2 (Luis Suárez (8') Luis Suárez (80'))
Total shots 14
Shots on target 8
Corners 3
Offside 1
Fouls committed 12
Yellow cards 0
Red cards 0
Ball possession 45%
Saves 3
South Korea
Goals scored 1 (Lee Chung-Yong (68'))
Total shots 15
Shots on target 5
Corners 3
Offside 0
Fouls committed 12
Yellow cards 3
Red cards 0
Ball possession 55%
Saves 6
Teams
Uruguay
1 Fernando Muslera
3 Diego Godín
2 Diego Lugano
4 Jorge Fucile
16 Maxi Pereira
17 Egidio Arévalo
15 Diego Pérez
9 Luis Suárez
10 Diego Forlán
11 Álvaro Pereira
7 Edinson Cavani
Substitutes
13 Sebastián Abreu
23 Martín Silva
8 Sebastián Eguren
20 Álvaro Fernández
22 Martín Cáceres
5 Walter Gargano
14 Nicolás Lodeiro
18 Ignacio González
19 Andrés Scotti
12 Juan Castillo
21 Sebastián Fernández
6 Mauricio Victorino
Substitutions
Mauricio Victorino for Diego Godín (45)
Nicolás Lodeiro for Álvaro Pereira (74)
Álvaro Fernández for Luis Suárez (84)
Teams
South Korea
18 Jung Sung-Ryong
14 Lee Jung-Soo
4 Cho Yong-Hyung
12 Lee Young-Pyo
22 Cha Du-Ri
8 Kim Jung-Woo
16 Ki Sung-Yueng
7 Park Ji-Sung
17 Lee Chung-Yong
10 Park Chu-Young
13 Kim Jae-Sung
Substitutes
Ahn Jung-Hwan 9
Lee Woon-Jae 1
Kim Nam-Il 5
Lee Dong-Gook 20
Yeom Ki-Hun 19
Kang Min-Soo 23
Kim Dong-Jin 15
Lee Seung-Yeoul 11
Kim Bo-Kyung 6
Kim Hyung-Il 3
Kim Young-Kwang 21
Oh Beom-Seok 2
Substitutions
Lee Dong-Gook for Kim Jae-Sung (61)
Yeom Ki-Hun for Ki Sung-Yueng (85)
Yellow Cards
Kim Jung-Woo (38)
Cha Du-Ri (69)
Cho Yong-Hyung (83)
**** Uruguay goes through to the quarter Final.
USA 1- 2 Ghana
Asamoah Gyan kept the African flag flying at the World Cup with a spectacular left-foot strike in extra-time to take Ghana through to their first quarter-final.
It was the second time in successive World Cups that Ghana had defeated the United States, having effectively dumped them out of the tournament four years ago by beating them in the final group game.
Gyan's goal, after 93 minutes, was worthy of winning any game after he outmuscled USA captain Carlos Bocanegra to blast his shot past goalkeeper Tim Howard.
It settled a contest that was level at full time after Landon Donovan's second-half penalty cancelled out a fifth-minute strike from Kevin-Prince Boateng.
It was just reward for Ghana's talent and power in a dramatic encounter at the Royal Bafokeng stadium and the sole surviving African nation must now fancy their chances of creating an even bigger ripple at this tournament, with Uruguay awaiting them in the last-eight.
Former president Bill Clinton had turned up to support the USA and was sitting for a time next to Rolling Stone Mick Jagger, who might well have made his plans expecting England to have topped Group C and been playing down the road from their training headquarters.
The USA had stymied those plans by finishing first but it was clear they were going to be stretched by Ghana's pace.
The Black Stars could hardly have made a more stunning start. Portsmouth's Boateng picked up the ball just inside his own half, slalomed past three defenders and unleashed a left-foot shot which flew past Howard.
It was Ghana's first goal at this World Cup from open play, having beaten Serbia and drawn with Australia in the group phase courtesy of two penalties. But Boateng's strike demonstrated their firepower and they might have added to their lead with Gyan, who plays for French club Rennes, a constant threat.
So superior were Ghana in that first period that after 31 minutes a concerned USA coach Bob Bradley substituted midfielder Ricardo Clark, who had received an early booking, and brought on Maurice Edu.
The Americans picked up the tempo immediately and could have equalised after 35 minutes when Robbie Findley raced clear only to see his right-foot shot smartly saved by goalkeeper Richard Kingson.
The USA came out after half-time, however, with a more determined, more attacking attitude and the excellent Kingson was straight into the action, forced to pull off a splendid save from Benny Feilhaber.
With Fulham's Clint Dempsey at the heart of their good work the Americans surged forward and they received their reward after 62 minutes. Dempsey was the architect, weaving his way through the Ghana defence into the penalty area where he drew the challenge and was brought down by defender Jonathan Mensah.
Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai pointed to the spot and Los Angeles Galaxy's Donovan stepped up to slide home his third goal in four matches.
The USA dream appeared back on, especially as they are a team who make a habit of stirring comebacks. They had their chances. Jozy Altidore might have done better when clear after 80 minutes but he spooned his effort wide under pressure from a defender.
So to a frantic extra-time and Gyan's stunning strike which sent the USA home and Ghana into ecstasy.
Match Information
Stadium: Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa
Attendance: 28,646
Match Time: 18:30 GMT
Official(s): Viktor Kassai (Hungary)
Match Stats
USA
Goals scored 1 (Landon Donovan (pen 62'))
Total shots 20
Shots on target 6
Corners 5
Offside 1
Fouls committed 11
Yellow cards 3
Red cards 0
Ball possession 51%
Saves 4
Ghana
Goals scored 2 (Kevin-Prince Boateng (5') Asamoah Gyan (93'))
Total shots 16
Shots on target 6
Corners 4
Offside 4
Fouls committed 19
Yellow cards 2
Red cards 0
Ball possession 49%
Saves 5
Teams
United States
1 Tim Howard
3 Carlos Bocanegra
15 Jay DeMerit
12 Jonathan Bornstein
6 Steve Cherundolo
13 Ricardo Clark
4 Michael Bradley
8 Clint Dempsey
10 Landon Donovan
20 Robbie Findley
17 Jozy Altidore
Substitutes
7 DaMarcus Beasley
5 Oguchi Onyewu
14 Edson Buddle
2 Jonathan Spector
21 Clarence Goodson
18 Brad Guzan
16 José Torres
22 Benny Feilhaber
11 Stuart Holden
23 Marcus Hahnemann
19 Maurice Edu
9 Herculez Gomez
Substitutions
Maurice Edu for Ricardo Clark (31)
Benny Feilhaber for Robbie Findley (45)
Herculez Gomez for Jozy Altidore (90)
Yellow Cards
Ricardo Clark (7)
Steve Cherundolo (17)
Carlos Bocanegra (68)
Teams
Ghana
22 Richard Kingson
5 John Mensah
8 Jonathan Mensah
2 Hans Sarpei
4 John Pantsil
23 Kevin-Prince Boateng
6 Anthony Annan
3 Asamoah Gyan
21 Kwadwo Asamoah
13 Andre Ayew
7 Samuel Inkoom
Substitutes
Sulley Muntari 11
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie 20
Stephen Appiah 10
Prince Tagoe 12
Matthew Amoah 14
Derek Boateng 9
Dominic Adiyiah 18
Daniel Agyei 1
Lee Addy 19
Rahim Ayew 17
Stephen Ahorlu 16
Substitutions
Lee Addy for Hans Sarpei (73)
Stephen Appiah for Kevin-Prince Boateng (78)
Sulley Muntari for Samuel Inkoom (113)
Yellow Cards
Jonathan Mensah (61)
Andre Ayew (90)
*** Ghana through to the quarter final. They will face Uruguay in the quarter final.
Source: ESPN.
No comments:
Post a Comment