Ghana and Australia in thrilling draw

Ghana 1 - Australia 1

Goals:  Asamoah GYAN (25' PEN) (Ghana),  Brett HOLMAN (11') (Australia)

After some nervy opening exchanges, with Germany coach Joachim Low watching from the stands, the Socceroos got the first chance of note on 11 minutes and they duly converted it. Mark Bresciano’s powerful free-kick from 30 yards could only be parried by Richard Kingson, with the ball falling kindly for the onrushing Brett Holman, who gleefully fired in the first goal of the tournament for the Aussies.

Ghana struggled for fluency early on and they had to wait a further ten minutes for their first serious attempt on goal, with Andre Ayew’s shot from the edge of the area stopped only by a crucial Lucas Neil interception. However, the Black Stars soon restored parity in a moment that proved a hammer blow to Australia's hopes. Asamoah Gyan equalised from the spot after Kewell had been adjudged to stop Mensah’s shot with his right arm, and the Socceroos No10 was consequently red-carded in his long-awaited return after injury. Prince Tagoe then had a chance to put his side into a lead minutes later, but he drilled the ball well wide of the left post.

Ghana surged forward in search for their second goal with half-time approaching, and Kevin-Prince Boateng’s shot from the right side of the area only narrowly failed to find the mark. The Black Stars began the second half where they left off in the first, with Kwadwo Asamoah and Gyan trying their luck from distance.

Fleet-footed forward Quincy Owusu-Abeyie was brought on for Tagoe just before the hour-mark, but the Ghanaians could not find a breakthrough against a resilient Australia defence. For their part, Verbeek's team called on Joshua Kennedy in an attempt to take control in the air, shortly after substitute Chipperfield headed over from a Luke Wilkshire cross. Wilkshire then had a glorious chance to put the Socceroos ahead on 72 minutes, but he shot straight at Kingson before the Wigan Athletic goalkeeper did well to stop a volley from Kennedy.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Australia did not give up on the attack, as Verbeek brought on striker Nikita Rukavytsya for Wilkshire. At the opposite end, the Black Stars pushed forward to score a late winner but Mensah’s header went just wide of the right post before Owusu-Abeyie’s curling shot was tipped over by Schwarzer.