Ghana kept their World Cup campaign alive by edging South Korea in a 3-2 thriller as Mohammed Kudus and Gue-Sung Cho both scored twice in a rollercoaster Group H clash
.
The Black Stars needed to avoid defeat to avoid an early elimination and looked set to cruise to three points after Mohammed Salisu and Kudus gave them a 2-0 lead at half-time.
But Cho struck twice in the space of three minutes after the break to level things up, before 22-year-old Kudus of Ajax fired in what proved to be the winner in the 68th minute.
Ghana held on to record their first World Cup win since reaching the quarter-finals in 2010, setting up a tantalising final group game against Uruguay – the side that knocked them out 12 years ago in controversial fashion.
South Korea started brightly, pinning Ghana back and racking up seven corners inside the opening 17 minutes, but their lack of cutting edge was punished when Salisu knocked in a rebound after Jordan Ayew’s free-kick wasn’t dealt with by the South Korea defence.
The goal sparked Otto Addo’s side into life and they took control of proceedings, doubling their advantage 10 minutes later when Ayew’s inviting cross was nodded in from six yards by the impressive Kudus.
South Korea were desperately lacking spark in the final third during the first half but came to life after the break, as Ati-Zigi was drawn into a fantastic reaction save on Cho from close range in a warning of what was to come.
Substitute Kang-In Lee made an instant impact, winning the ball on the left wing and swinging in a cross for Cho to head home, and just three minutes later the striker had his second, nodding in a hanging Jin-Su Kim cross from three yards out to draw his country level.
But Ghana soon restored their lead. Inaki Williams missed a cut-back with an air-shot inside the area, but the ball fell to Kudus behind him to slot home a finish, the third goal of a remarkable 10-minute period.
South Korea piled on the pressure into ten minutes off added time in search of an equaliser, but they couldn’t find a way through the Black Stars defence, with another good Ati-Zigi save and a goal-line clearance helping them over the finish line.
It marked another good result for African sides in the second round of group games, after Senegal and Morocco’s wins over Qatar and Belgium respectively.
TALKING POINT – GHANA SET UP MOUTH-WATERING URUGUAY GRUDGE MATCH
The pressure was on for Ghana ahead of kick-off, with the Black Stars knowing that defeat here would spell the end of their World Cup campaign with a game to spare.
But they responded admirably to the challenge, setting up what promises to be one of the must-watch games of the group stage when they face Uruguay next.
The memory of *that* quarter-final in 2010 is still fresh. Ghana were so close to becoming the first African side to reach the last four of the World Cup, but Luis Suarez intentionally handballed what would have been a Black Stars winner in the last minute of extra-time, before celebrating when Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty.
Uruguay then won the shoot-out to progress in what was one of the most extraordinary and heartbreaking World Cup matches of all time. Ghana could now have the chance to claim revenge by knocking out the Uruguayans.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – MOHAMMED KUDUS
The Ajax youngster was one of the stand-out players in Ghana’s opening game against Portugal, and he shone again here by scoring twice to earn his side the win.
Kudus, 22, is a huge talent and an immense attacking threat, as he showed by scoring two goals with two attempts against South Korea – one a well-placed header and the other a composed finish. At this rate, the winger will be remembered as one of the breakthrough players of the tournament.
PLAYER RATINGS
South Korea: Kim Seung-gyu 5; Kim Moon-hwan 6, Kim Min-jae 6, Kim Young-gwon 6, Kim Jin-su 8, Kwang In-beom 6, Jung Woo-young 6, Kwon Chang-hoon 6, Jeong Woo-yeong 5, Son Heung-min 6, Cho Gue-sung 8
Subs: Na Sang-ho 6, Lee Kang-in 7, Hwang Ui-Jo 6, Kwon Kyung-won 6
Ghana: Ati-Zigi 7, Lamptey 7, Amartey 6, Salisu 7, Mensah 7, Partey 7, Abdul Samed 6, Kudus 9, Andre Ayew 6, Williams 7, Jordan Ayew 8
Subs: Odoi 6, Kyereh 6, Sulemana 6, Djiku 6, Rahman 6
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
25’ GOAL! GHANA IN FRONT! With their first chance of the game, Ghana score! Jordan Ayew wins a free-kick on the left wing and it’s swung in dangerously by the Crystal Palace man. South Korea fail to deal with it as it’s headed down into the path of Salisu, who knocks in the rebound from close range.
35’ 2-0 GHANA! KUDUS! And they’ve got another! Jordan Ayew is again the creator, whipping in a fantastic ball from the left wing to Kudus, who nods home from six yards into the bottom corner.
53’ GREAT SAVE! That’s much better from South Korea. Kim Jin-Su whips in a fantastic cross from the left and Cho gets in front of his man to get a strong header away, but Ati-Zigi leaps acrobatically to palm it away! That was South Korea’s best chance of the game.
59’ GOAL! SOUTH KOREA BACK IN IT! An immediate impact from Lee, who wins the ball on the left wing off Lamptey and immediately whips a cross in to Cho, who gets in front of Salisu to head in from close range! Game on.
61′ GOAL! SOUTH KOREA ARE LEVEL! Incredible, what a turnaround from South Korea! Two goals for Cho in a few minutes! A hanging cross is thrown into the box from the byline and the striker gets up brilliantly to power home the header from close range!
69’ GOALLLL! GHANA BACK IN FRONT! What a second half! Ghana find space down the left and the ball is worked across the box to Kudus, via an Inaki Williams air-shot, and the Ajax man slots home a finish from 12 yards. South Korea switched off there, and the Black Stars are back in front.
