Ghana gets first African win at first African World Cup

Ghana gets a first for Africa at WCup

PRETORIA, South Africa — Ghana’s victory over Serbia carried far more significance than earning three points. It was the first World Cup win for an African team on African soil.

The Black Stars created better chances and finally cashed in on a penalty kick by Asamoah Gyan for a 1-0 victory Sunday over Serbia — a win celebrated all over the continent.

“This is an important World Cup for Africa and it’s important that the Africans support each other,” midfielder Dede Ayew said. “That’s what happened today. The support was marvelous. We want to thank everyone who came to support us and I hope we’ll continue to make them proud.”

“That’s what you’re seeing,” Ghana midfielder Stephen Appiah added. “This is the first time the World Cup is held in Africa, and all Africa is united.”

Large crowds gathered on major streets in Accra. Cars draped in the national flag swarmed the roads, and some drivers honked their horns while others sang.

“The Black Stars have started what the African countries in the tournament have not been able to do so far by winning a match,” 15-year-old viewer Inusah Gariba said. “We have taken the lead and hopefully an African team — preferably Ghana — would come out tops in the final.”

That’s a long way off. In the opener for both teams, Zdravko Kuzmanovic needlessly handled a cross in the area, then argued the call and the yellow card he received. Gyan drove the penalty kick high to the left for the only goal, in the 84th minute.

“This is all I have worked for, and to be man of the match, it is fantastic,” he said.

In other games Sunday, Germany routed Australia 4-0 in Group D, and Slovenia edged Algeria 1-0 in Group C.

The only African team to reach the second round at the 2006 World Cup, Ghana nearly got a second goal. Gyan almost made it 2-0 in injury time but hit the post after a burst down the left side.

After the Black Stars pulled the upset, several players circled the field carrying flags and saluting the crowd. They were applauded and cheered in return.

“It was an important match for us,” said Ayew. “The aim was not to avoid losing. Winning was a big bonus for us.”

Losing was a huge drawback for Serbia, which some observers felt was the group favorite ahead of Germany. The Serbs had Aleksandar Lukovic ejected in the 74th minute for a second yellow card.

“For sure, this is a big blow for us. To start a World Cup with a defeat is a bad thing,” Serbia coach Radomir Antic said. “We will use all our energy to be positive when preparing for the next game (against Germany next Friday).”

At Durban, Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose scored in the first 30 minutes as Australia coach Pim Verbeek’s defensive tactics backfired. Thomas Mueller and Cacau also scored against an overwhelmed Australian defense in the second half after Tim Cahill was red-carded in the 56th minute for a late tackle on Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Germany hasn’t lost an opening game in the World Cup since a 2-1 defeat to Algeria in 1982. It never looked like that string would be snapped on a warm evening in Durban.

“We earned respect for ourselves,” Klose said. “It was hugely important to win the first game, but nothing is won yet. We’re a young team and we have fun playing.”

Podolski started the rout by ending a slick passing move in the eighth minute and Klose headed in his 11th career World Cup goal in the 26th off a perfect cross from Philipp Lahm.

Any slim hope Australia had of coming back evaporated with Cahill’s 56th-minute ejection.

Klose missed two more good chances before Mueller made it 3-0 in the 68th minute, dragging the ball back to avoid Scott Chipperfield’s lunge and firing a low shot in off the post.

Cacau rounded off the scoring in the 70th, just two minutes after coming on for Klose.

“I think the way we set up our attacks is something we’ve been working on intensively,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said. “But we’ve also worked on how we play off the ball — to move into unused space. We were very good on the ball tonight, and we created beautiful goals.”<

At Polokwane, Robert Koren scored a 79th goal, pushing Slovenia, the smallest nation in the field, over 10-man Algeria and into first place in Group C, ahead of the United States and England.

The Slovenian captain struck a long-range shot that Algeria goalkeeper Fawzi Chaouchi misjudged and allowed to bounce into the net off his arm in the 79th minute.

It was the first World Cup victory for Slovenia, which has a population of around 2 million. The Balkan country lost all three of its group matches in the 2002 tournament.

Algeria substitute Abdelkader Ghezzal was sent off in the 72nd, picking up a second yellow card for handling the ball inside the Slovenian penalty area.

“It was a mental victory,” said Slovenian coach Matjaz Kek. “We wanted to win so much, so it’s great for our confidence to get that win.”