itsbeautifuloutside

Portugal v Ghana

Brazilia, 26th June 2014

Introduction :

Switzerland demonstrated that getting a thrashing in a group match does not have to see an end to your World Cup hopes. Winning your other matches is usually enough to see you finish 2nd. Portugal however followed their stuffing at the hands of Germany with a draw against USA. That left them on 1 point and below Ghana on goal difference. There were scenarios that could see one of these sides progress but they were at the mercy of the result in Recife where Germany and USA looked better placed to get out of Group G.

I need to get this moan out of the way up-front. BBC had the audacity to put this game on the “RED button.” This is the World Cup for heaven’s sake – the single most important sporting event on the planet, yet BBC determine it not worthy of being broadcast on a proper channel. So I had little idea of who was playing in what position and even less about who came on for who during the game. If BBC cannot treat important sport with the necessary respect, it is time to get out of live sport altogether. Leave it to the dedicated sports broadcasters who will do a proper job!

Match Report

Had it not been for the Suarez story, the major headline coming out of Brazil might have been the sheer chaos in the Ghana camp prior to this match. Again it seems, here was a squad from an African country fighting among themselves and, as is often the case, it was about money. There were tales of planeloads of cash crossing the Atlantic and brawls between players and officials. Upshot was that Kevin Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari (both former PFC of course) had been “sent home” from the tournament. That necessitated changes in Ghana’s line up but, with nothing transmitted before the last half of Portugal’s anthem, who knows what these may have been!

Portugal also made changes. Pepe was back and a bloke called Amorim was making a rare start. Ronaldo was there of course. He was carrying some sort of tendon injury and operating at about 75% effectiveness. This still made him the best player on view by a considerable degree. Sorry, but I don’t share this childish loathing of Ronaldo that appears to be de rigeur in the UK. The bloke is clearly ego-centric but that is not rare in a sportsman with his degree of talent. I’m happy to just to watch what he does on the pitch: the rest is unimportant. For the remainder of this report I‘m calling him CR7 for the simple reason that it is easier to write and – as with most matches he plays – it was, pretty much, “all about him.”

The one plus point of the RED button was we got Messrs Brotherton and Keown doing the match, one of the least offensive pairings operating in Brazil. I loved the child-like delight Keown showed at being in this stadium. The Mane Garrincha had a running track removed and the pitch lowered to accommodate 25,000 extra seats. In Martin’s eyes, this is the best stadium anywhere!

The Bahraini ref started the match and Ghana enjoyed early possession. It was 3 mins before Portugal attacked. CR7 went down the right, turned the ball back to Pereira whose terrible cross sailed out for a throw on the opposite side. Moutinho then needed treatment after a nasty looking clash of heads. With him upright, Portugal returned to the attack and CR7 again made progress down the right. From a ridiculous angle, he struck a curling shot that soared above the keeper and bounced off the bar.

The game was now mostly contested in midfield. A number of Portuguese attacks floundered due to Nani’s poor control. Ghana passed the ball nicely at the back but frustratingly failed to find their busy forwards with forward passes. Significantly, they were now at least making those passes. Dauda, in the Ghana goal, looked a character. At one point he raced from his area, and chested the ball past an opponent before booting it clear.

On 11 mins Moutinho was fouled in CR7 territory. He struck a firm shot past the wall and drew a good save from Dauda. Moutinho was involved in lots of fouls, sometimes as victim, sometimes dishing it out. As a consequence the game stuttered along. Ghana kept trying without creating a clear chance – Gyan once received the ball but was quickly smothered by 4 defenders who robbed him.

On 19 Portugal created a great chance. Pereira launched a cross from the right which landed right on CR7’s head. His powerful close-range header was brilliantly saved by Dauda who celebrated as if he’d just scored. Good stuff! Within a minute Ghana created as good a chance – Gyan turning and hitting a low shot which Beto saved with his legs. Game on perhaps…

With no goals in Recife this match was in danger of becoming irrelevant but the maxim 'win and hope' applied to both sides. Gyan drew another save from Beto with his header but the match was deteriorating with wayward passing and poor control. CR7 tried his luck in the middle and soon earned a free kick. Guess he deemed it too far out as he left it and trotted into the box. Nani hit it straight out of play.

On the half hour the referee made a major impact. As Ghana tried to work the ball across field, Ayew’s pass bounced off him and was pinched by Pepe. With the Africans berating the official, Portugal mounted an attack down the left. Veloso got level with the box before driving the ball across. With Moutinho moving in, Boye panicked, took a wild swing and succeeded in slicing the ball into his own goal off both bar and post. 1-0 Portugal.

The lead almost doubled as Portugal attacked again but CR7’s shot was beaten away by Dauda. Then Nani fed Amorim who struck a shot into the near post netting. For a few minutes Portugal looked to be in control but Ghana then created another chance which Gyan headed wide. On 39 mins it was Atsu driving into the box but his shot drifted across the goal and wide. Shortly afterwards, Ghana worked the ball to Gyan with his back to goal. He felt the defender behind him and went over. Slow motion showed the defender had his hands on him but both I, and more importantly, the ref thought he’d dived.

The half ended with Portugal on the attack. Another wayward shot by Nani was quickly followed by more desperate defending by Boye. He took another swing at a low cross, sliced this too but was relieved to see the ball clear the bar: HT 1-0 here – but meaningless as it was 0-0 in Recife.

I was playing with Rover when the 2nd half began but there didn’t seem to be any changes. Portugal started on the front foot, creating and wasting a number of chances. It really wasn’t very good to watch. Ghana showed a little more urgency on 51 mins when Gyan missed at the near post. I was then shocked to see CR7 tackling back. As he came away with the ball, he was hacked down. Rather summed this game up.

Portugal still got forward but unconvincingly. I sighed when, after a period of Portuguese pressure, Dauda fielded Veloso’s cross and booted the ball the length of the pitch for Beto to start another attack. The game was disintegrating – the referee stopped play to book Waris for a foul on Pepe. The loose ball ran to Moutinho who was scythed down behind the official’s back. Ridiculous!

On 57 mins a sliver of light entered the crypt: news from Recife – Germany 1 USA 0. That score still meant those sides were going through but anyone winning by a few goals in Brazilia might overtake the Yanks. Ghana were certainly inspired. They attacked down the left and Asamoah delivered a peach of a cross which Gyan headed home. 1-1. The draw was the most useless of results here and the USA looked a bit safer. Of course, Ghana had not been thrashed and were better placed to challenge the Yanks for 2nd place. They should have taken the lead on the hour too.

Gyan was working all across the pitch. When he got down the left he picked out a fine cross for Waris who should have scored - but put his diving header wide of the post. Ghana were certainly looking the more likely now. Portugal’s side is packed with old men and it looked like they were running out of steam. Indeed, their first substitute was now on. Waris set up Atsu but his shot was too high.

Portugal responded briefly but Eder’s poor control and Varela’s rotten shooting let them down. Asamoah then drove a shot well wide. More substitutes came on and CR7 missed a couple more chances. My notes read: 'World Cup will be better off without both these' and 'I’m bored – I want my tea!' Briefly we had two balls on the pitch but it didn’t improve the spectacle. A second Ayew came on and was soon booked for elbowing William.

I must give credit to CR7 here. He was the one bright spark in a quite dreary game. It is a shame he was not operating at full-capacity but even so, anything good that Portugal achieved involved him. With just 10 minutes left he was finally rewarded.

Ghana had been guilty of comedy defending for most of the match. Dauda looks a decent keeper but he must get plenty of practice sat behind them. Their piece de resistance came when a left wing cross was lofted into the box. Mensah met it but headed vertically upwards. Had everyone got out of the way, Dauda could easily have caught it as it dropped. But Valera was lurking and both centre-backs felt impelled to jump with their keeper. They succeeded in blocking him so that the ball spilled back into the box – right to the feet of CR7.

When you’ve had the sort of tournament he has had, carrying a squad of fairly ordinary footballers when not fully fit, you deserve a bit of luck. CR7 slotted the ball and his side were back in front. 2-1. It was now that the implications of the hammering by Germany became crystal clear. A win was good but what was required was a win by a load of goals and that clearly wasn’t going to happen.

Ghana brought Waskaso on. He looked lively but his long range shooting failed to trouble Beto. CR7 might have got another on 82, this time Dauda made another good save. Shortly afterwards the keeper fended off an effort from Varela. Down the other end, Beto appeared to be injured. Portugal eventually replaced him on 89 minutes but that was the end of the excitement. Actually, Portugal did create more chances as injury time ticked away but this game was already long dead. It finished 2-1. Both sides are going home but at least CR7 can now say he has scored in 3 consecutive world cup finals. I’m sure that sort of thing will be important on his C.V.

For all his human frailties, Ronaldo is an exceptional footballer and it is a great shame Brazilian punters were not able to see the best of him.

spot51