Germany, Ghana share spoils in Fortaleza thriller

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Germany and Ghana were forced to settle for a share of the points after their back-and-forth thriller in Fortaleza finished 2-2. All the goals came in the second-half of the Group G contest as strikers Miroslav Klose and Asamoah Gyan both equaled FIFA World Cup™ scoring records.

The Africans had the first chance of the game at the Estadio Castelao. Lively winger Christian Atsu raced up the right and crossed low and dangerously through the area, where Asamoah Gyan was only able to slam the ball over the bar with a sliding effort. Not long after, in the 13th minute, Kwadwo Asamoah stretched Manuel Neuer with a swinging shot from the edge of the box.

It soon became clear that Ghana would be a far tougher proposition for the Germans than Portugal were in their first game. The Africans’ speed and agility caused the Europeans problems throughout the first-half. But Thomas Muller, hat-trick hero from their opening game, continued to look dangerous in attack for the Mannschaft. Near the half-hour mark Sulley Muntari tested Neuer again with a pile-driver from well outside the area that had the German No1 scrambling to punch clear.

Mario Gotze had a snap-shot saved ten minutes from the break. Most of the German attacks up to then fizzled out before any serious danger was caused, slid away by a highly elastic Ghanaian central defensive pairing, who stretched and dove to keep the score-sheet clean.

German coach Joachim Low must have figured things out at the half, because it took his side only six second-half minutes to open the scoring. Gotze snuck in between the centre-backs and hit home a Muller cross from the right with his thigh. The early cross was the secret weapon to unlocking the Ghanaians.

Ghana’s response, however, was immediate and similar. An early cross from the right picked out Andre Ayew, who headed home brilliantly to the back post just seconds after seeing his side go behind. Ghana were suddenly in the mood and Gyan made it 2-1 to the Africans, tying the immortal Roger Milla of Cameroon as the top-scoring African in World Cup history. Muntari picked off a slack pass in midfield and laid on a righteous ball for the racing Gyan, who fired inside the back post to send the Ghanaian fans into ecstasy.

But the Germans weren’t done yet and second-half substitute Miroslav Klose slid home a flicked-on corner-kick in the 71st minute to level the score again. It was the striker’s 15th World Cup goal, bringing him level with Ronaldo as the top marksman in World Cup history. There were chances at either end as the clock wound down, but 2-2 it was to stay.

Germany close out their section campaign against USA on the northern coast in Recife on 26 June, the same time Ghana face Portugal.

Afful speed ahead for Ghana

There were only five minutes before an electrifying encounter between Ghana and Germany. Both sides had revealed no inch of turf in the Estadio Castelao and the score was locked to 2-2. However, despite the heat and humidity in Fortaleza - strength juice there conditions for each player - a man who continues to calculate the pitch, dashing back, to win the ball, before the thundering w. Upfield again, to send in a dangerous cross.

This man was Ghana No23 Harrison Afful who were patrolling the Black Stars right flank, seemed to have all game long but even more speed and power than all the other 21 players on the field. A relatively unknown name on a global scale, to stay longer to FIFA World Cup ™ expected value of a random variable, Afful unlikely, as these benefits in 2014 in the shadow.

How could you have stayed, such can phenomenal athlete under the radar for so long, especially almost twenty-eight questions? The answer is simple: Afful has never played in European football. He has not lacked, promotions, but the all action Defender has still preferred with Tunisian Giants Espérance Sportive de Tunis, where he has spent the last four years.

"I had offers, but I do not feel that they were right for me," said a smiling and refreshingly modest Afful, in an interview with FIFA.com after the Germany game. "I am happy in Tunis and they have treated me always very well, I would not leave only to something new try." On the other hand, when an interesting opportunity come my way, of course I it would hold, "he added with a twinkle in his eyes."

Hope still intact
The Primera División of course has more strings to his bow than just speed and endurance. Citing a never-say-die attitude as another strength, Afful is technical quality remarkably well, as shown when he sent in the exact cross, André Ayew Ghana level 1: 1 head enabled.

"It [the spirit] is a part of me." If I didn't, not myself would be,"said the little Dynamo. "Since I was very young, I quickly and I liked ever with the ball when I'm nearby so I have to go looking for it." Moreover, I love my country and my team-mates, so I never will stop, everything I have to help them."

How Afful Ghana's chances of moving from Group G, now, that their fate in their hands, not alone? "It's a shame, that we win today could not. It would be great to get all three points have been. But we ran us into the ground, and against a team of the caliber of Germany played really well", he said before emerging with a vow of all-stars of Black supporters. "We have to go one more game and we will give it to go through everything. If we do not qualify, not from lack of effort it."