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Serbian handball grants Ghana victory
Published: 13 June, 2010, 20:16
Edited: 15 June, 2010, 09:18
South Africa, Pretoria: Ghana's striker Asamoah Gyan (R) shoots to score the opening goal against Serbia during the Group D first round. (AFP Photo / Vincenzo Pinto)
TAGS: Sport, Football, World cup
A penalty from Asamoah Gyan was enough for Ghana to beat Serbia in their first game at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
After Russia failed to qualify for the World Cup, many of the country’s fans chose to shout for their Slavic brothers from Serbia in South Africa.
In addition, five players, who used to play or now play in the Russian Premier League, including CSKA Moscow star winger, Milos Krasic, are present in the Balkan team’s squad for the tournament.
Another fact that added to the intrigue was that the Serb coach, Milovan Rajevac, led Ghana to the pitch against his own nation… and came out victorious in the end.
The typical – tight – World Cup encounter pretty much copied the scenario of the day’s first game between Slovenia and Algeria.
The Serbs went a man down with around 15 minutes to play after Aleksandar LukoviÑ got his second yellow.
And they conceded the game’s only goal after a penalty was awarded for an unexplainable handball in the box from Zdravko Kuzmanovic.
Ghana’s leader Asamoah Gyan left no chance to Serb keeper Vladimir Stojkovic from the spot on 85th minute, 1-0.
The Rennes striker could’ve then converted a double, but his stoppage time effort hit the post.
The finalists of the winter’s African Cup of Nations got their campaign in South Africa off to a winning start, and Ghana’s No. 1 Richard Kingston recieved a clean sheet as present for his 32nd birthday.
Group D favorites Germany face Australia in the last game on Sunday.
13.06.2010, 17:42
Slovenia outfoxes the Desert FoxesThe team that denied Russia its World Cup chances has kicked off its campaign in South Africa with a narrow 1-0 win over Algeria. |
14.06.2010, 00:33
Germany destroy AustraliaAustralia could do nothing to break a 20-year-long tradition, according to which Germany always win their starting match at the FIFA World Cup. |
For the decades Serbs have sufferred from apathy and poor-spiritedness every time they succeeded in placing themselves at the World Championship. Serbs also used to get hypnotised every time they played against Germany, Argentina and Holland. They are not as bad as their spirit is traditionally low. I bet it is going to be 4:1 for Germany in the next round. Even if Serbs would lead 2:0 against Germany in 15 minutes till the end of the game, it will be enough of time for Germany to reverse the trend and to finally celebrate with 3:2, or 4:2. That is a tradition and that has happenned so many times in the past. Serbs simply use to become frightened in the last 15 minutes of the game, they then stop running and helplessly begin to direct their eyes at the watch crying for the end of the match to come. Being a Serb, I always feel so shamefull when watching our national football team on great tournaments. That displays all the nation in a very bad light.