Ghana upsets Czech Republic 2-0

Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari scored a goal each Saturday to lead Ghana to a surprise 2-0 upset over the Czech Republic in Group E of the World Cup.

Photo: Ghana upsets Czech Republic 2-0

Ghana upsets Czech Republic 2-0

Gyan picked up a pass from captain Stephen Appiah in the second minute and easily beat goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Gyan then missed a penalty in the 67th after Czech Republic defender Tomas Ujfalusi was sent off.

Muntari added the second goal in the 82nd minute for Ghana, which will face the United States in its final match.

The group is now fully open," Gyan said. "We have to concentrate on the next game and give our best performance.

"If we win we will definitely qualify, and that's very important to us."

The Czechs were playing without strikers Jan Koller and Milan Baros, who are injured. Vratislav Lokvenc was the lone striker for the Czech Republic, but was quiet for most of the game and will be suspended for the third group match.

The Czechs beat the United States 3-0 in their opening match.

Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic shook up his team's defense following the 2-0 opening loss to Italy. He dropped regular Samuel Kuffour and Emmanuel Pappoe to a give place to Shilla Illiasu and a surprise start for untested Habib Mohamed.

The changes paid off as Ghana dominated the first half, with Appiah and Michael Essien repeatedly exposing weaknesses in the Czech defense.

Gyan nearly scored in the 32nd minute, with only Cech to beat at close range but the Modena striker shot straight at the goalkeeper.

The Czechs squandered two first-half chances with Karel Poborsky shooting across the goal in the 29th minute. Tomas Rosicky failed to connect on an excellent cross from Poborsky.

Midfielder Pavel Nedved led a Czech rally in the second half and headed the ball into the Ghana goal in the 46th but he was offside.

In the 52nd, Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingston tipped an angled shot from Jaroslav Plasil over the bar.

But the Czechs had a setback when Ujfalusi brought down striker Matthew Amoah in the 64th minute and was sent off. Gyan failed to convert the penalty, hitting the post.

Cech did well to stop a shot at close range from Amoah in the 70th, and again from Muntari three minutes later.

With Essien and Appiah running the Czech defense ragged, Cech was in top form to stop a barrage of late Ghana strikes, with Gyan missing another a one-on-one in the 79th, reports AP.

O.Ch.