Ghana beats Brazil in shootout to win Under-20 World Cup for 1st time

Ghana wins U20 World Cup in shootout

CAIRO — Ghana held on with 10 men to beat Brazil in a penalty-kick shootout Friday, becoming the first African team to win the Under-20 World Cup and ending a decade of South American dominance.

The game finished 0-0 after regulation and extra time. Ghana’s Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu scored the winning penalty kick to make it 4-3 after Brazil’s Maicon missed a chance to win it at 3-2.

Ghana’s players and staff streamed off the bench in a wild scene. As Agyemang-Badu peeled off his shirt and thumped his chest, Brazil’s players fell to the ground in disbelief.

Ghana’s players, draped in their national flags, climbed the stadium stairs to receive the trophy. Then they returned to the field in a jumping, jubilant celebration.

The last team to win this tournament from outside South America was Spain in 1999.

In the third-place game, Hungary beat Costa Rica in a shootout in which goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi saved straight three penalty kicks. The score was 1-1 entering the shootout.

Ghana’s Daniel Addo was given a red card in the 37th minute for a late tackle on Alex Teixeira. Brazil failed to capitalize, wasting several chances and struggling to crack the tenacious defense of Ghana’s Black Satellites.

Both teams formed huddles before the shootout.

Alan Kardec scored Brazil’s first kick and Ghana captain Andre Ayew did the same. After Brazil goalkeeper Rafael saved poor shots from defenders Jonathan Mensah and Bright Addae, Maicon stepped up to the penalty spot with a chance to give Brazil its fifth tournament title. But Maicon hesitated and sent his shot high over.

Then Dominic Adiyiah buried his chance past Rafael, Alex Teixeira’s kick was saved and Agyemang-Badu struck the ball home.