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Ghana are the champs!!

Ghana are the champs!!

Posted: 2009-10-16 23:30

Ten-man Ghana beat Brazil 4-3 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes to become the first African team to win the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

Maicon would have won it for Brazil when the score stood at 3-2, only for him to blast his kick wide. Tournament top scorer Dominic Adiyiah then drew Ghana level at 3-3, before Alex Teixeira had his kick saved. Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu then sent his spot-kick into the back for the win.
 
This was only the second U-20 World Cup Final to be decided by a penalty shoot-out, and for the Black Satellites, it was third time lucky as they had lost the finals in 1993 and 2001.
 
This Final, played in front of over 67 000 fans at the Cairo International Stadium, dragged into extra-time after Brazil controlled the match from start to finish, but poor marksmanship combined with some resolute defending by Ghana ensured there were no goals in normal time.
 
Brazil got off to a bright start during which Dalton swung a free header off target after just three minutes. Ghana, on the other hand, appeared a bit nervous and could hardly express themselves as they have done so well in their previous matches at this tournament.
 
After 20 minutes of action, Brazil had four attempts at goal, while the opponents could not boast of even one.
 
In the 24th minute, Brazil goalkeeper Rafael rushed out of his goal to deal with a corner from which Mohammed Rabiu headed wide of the target.
 
Three minutes later, Brazil's danger man Alex Teixeira was booked for controlling the ball with his hand on his way to goal, before Ghana's central defender Daniel Addo saw a straight red for bringing the same player down as he headed towards the penalty area.
 
The Black Satellites of Ghana began to get back into the game after half-time as Brazil continued to dictate the pace.
 
Skipper Guiliano's diving header on 50 minutes caused some confusion inside the Ghanaian 18-yard box, but the west Africans somehow scrambled the ball out for a corner.
 
Brazil's Alan Kardec came close to breaking the deadlock in the 58th minute, only for his diving header from inside the box to be cuddled by goalkeeper Daniel Adjei. Television replays later showed the Brazilian striker had helped the ball on with his hand.
 
Ghana striker Ransford Osei was replaced after 65 minutes by defender Ghandi Dassenu as the Black Satellites tried to stem the tide of Brazilian attack. Another glorious chance fell for the tall Kardec in the 70th minute, but he failed to direct his header at goal.
 
Brazil continued to attack with substitutes Maicon and Douglas Costa making use of the flanks to open up the Ghanaian defence, who to their credit kept their shape and discipline.
 
In extra-time, both sides had chances to break the deadlock – Maicon, Douglas Costa and Wellington Junior for Brazil, while Ghana's Rabiu saw his long-range shot after 100 minutes go wide of the mark.

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Wonder : 2009-10-16 23:35

We are the Champions...!!!

Ghana has shown the way, now its time for the Bigboys of Africa to do it in WC2010.

Brianngozi : 2009-10-17 00:05

Surely the World Cup 2010 is also coming to Africa. Time is up for Brazil

Harry james : 2009-10-17 00:06

Afrcn futbol s taking a turn for the better,maybe we(s.africns)should be patient,THANK U ghana fo making us proud!!!

Bheseni : 2009-10-17 00:35

I wud like to cngradulate the black sattelite of Ghana 4 their victory,you guyz did it 4 the entire continent...shapa

richie: 2009-10-17 00:41

1st of all i want to thank the Almighty God 4 such a wonderful victory. We coudnt have done it without u. I thank da live of our Wonderful President, Evans Atta Mills, The GFA, players and the fans.

We are the WORLD CHAMPS.....WE ARE THE WORLD CHAMPS...wow..that title is so cool....WE ARE THE WORLD CHAMPS.... cant stop saying it..WE ARE THE WORLD CHAMPS, WE ARE THE WORL.......proudly GHANAIAN

Shooter : 2009-10-17 01:04

S.Africa U were supse to be the first one coz u hav got talent, money, infrastrucre i can say almost every thing that can build the best team in the continent, but i wonder what could be the problem, imagine the richest nation in the continet wil mis out the continental show piece in ANGOLA but teams like malawi and zambia wil there and u 're only playing world cup by hostin it.

franco : 2009-10-17 01:10

Swt revenge, remeber how they robbed Ghana in the previous round when 2 off-sides were allowed to be goals? It was planned again 2day but the Black Satelites stood their grounds.

franco : 2009-10-17 01:18

Swt revenge, remeber how they robbed Ghana in the previous senior wolrd cup,when 2 off-sides were allowed to be goals? It was planned again 2day but the Black Satelites stood their grounds.

obeche: 2009-10-17 01:41

Go Ghana.Go Africa,lets do it in 2010 i know we can do it for mother Africa,i want all the teams that qualified to the WC2010 to note this,if this Ghana U20 can do it,i believe we all can do it in 2010.

Gh4Eva : 2009-10-17 02:23

character.....that defined ghana's performance. In 2001 we beat them @ de quarter finals with ten men, in 2009 we did it with ten men we did it again. De blecker de belgian ref forgot as he tried to break our spirit, the words of our nat anthem...God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great n strong. Bold to defend for ever...we showed all the qualities today...just delighted to have witnessed history

soccabros: 2009-10-17 02:50

Black satellites of God..... I predicted ur success right from the very first last, u worked for it and u've rewarded with a win, even with all the tribulations suffered from the unjustful refereeing, u'all kept ur cool and fought till the end.
CONGRATULATIONS BROTHERS, all Africa is proud of you, we love you.....still as ur celebrating remember to dedicate this win to God the almighty who made all things be.... to God be the glory for all his mercies Amen...

ALWEENDO AKA TEVEZ : 2009-10-17 04:19

WHT A GREAT TOURNMENT GHANA FLAG IS FLYNG HIGH ,CONGRATULATION GHANA EN AFRICAN CONTINENT!!!

TomZizo : 2009-10-17 05:29

CONGRATULATION GHANA! I think this team can beat Bafana Bafana. Haa haa haaaa. Bafana wil start winning during de World cup. Wa hlanya santana- FIRE HIM KIRSTEN ,FIRE!

Khohleng SOLOMON NKOPANE : 2009-10-17 06:04

Lovely game

OBZA KING : 2009-10-17 06:38

Ths put pressure on big africn tims

Alex duodu : 2009-10-17 07:29

I want to makf a correction.the name of the ghananian chap in the 13 shirt is kassenu not Dassenu as u have written.also agyemang badu had an execellent free-kick from him saved by Raphael in the second half.

speechless: 2009-10-17 08:02

I must say a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all Ghanians and AFRICANS...last nite football was brought back to the home lands of MAMA AFRICA...where real football is played....well done young starlets we re all proud of you....you showed every bit of africaness in our game lastnite...even when the ref dubiously reduce you to ten men....you exibited the qualities we africans posses....A BIG SHAME TO EUROSPORTS FOR NOT LETTING US SEE THE HISTORICAL MOMENTS WHEN THE GHANIAN CAPTAIN LIFTED THE THROPHY...WELLDONE AFRICA....

tumi: 2009-10-17 08:27

well done Black Star......this shows how serious other coutries takes development SAFA must learn from this.

Sfiso M: 2009-10-17 08:31

Africa is the world champion!!!!!!

Didier Drogba said, when he came to SA recently, that we as Africans we must change the way the world looks at Africa. The Ghananians young stars took the first step to the right direction. We must all rally behind African teams in 2010. It just felt good to be African.

arsa§ : 2009-10-17 08:36

jersey 20 ghana was tops

Kozeem zakariyah : 2009-10-17 08:47

Thank God Africa won u-20 world which country 2 host next u-20 world and how year interva.the same goes 2 u-23.pls send d reply 2 kozeem@yahoo.com

T boy : 2009-10-17 08:58

Thank God African won FIFA U-20 world cup

T boy : 2009-10-17 08:59

Thank God African won FIFA U-20 world cup

junior: 2009-10-17 09:11

this is a clear messege that anything can happen come WC 2010 and the African team can go all the way to clinch the World title.

Masa : 2009-10-17 09:42

& we have SAFA!
No vision, no progresive planning, just greed & self entitlement mentality.
We IS doomed!

Harry james : 2009-10-17 09:59

Couldnt hve said it beta Masa,u r on point ma brada!

Mduma : 2009-10-17 10:05

Ghana won it 4 the selves, we must stand up and fight 4 ourselves. Congra... Ghana

Sechaba: 2009-10-17 10:50

Africa has won

CHIJIOKE: 2009-10-17 11:49

Thanks Ghana,i would like your coach to coach siasia how to reach final and not giving unnsesasry reasons concerning the refree,even with 10 against 11 you still mada it.siasia and his team could not beat the germans even when they were 10 against 11.God bless you for removing this shame from africa enough is enough yes we can coming south 2010

BIG Nokiase: 2009-10-17 13:11

We are the champions, my friend!

Kaku: 2009-10-17 13:22

GHANA'S GOLD....AFRICA'S GOLD.....In deet it's Amazing 2 b d world champs.....Kudos to Ghana, Africa's pride and I believe that all the African teams that would qualify for WOZA 2010 would replicate this example..... Proud to be Ghanaian.
Go Ghana....Go Africa..... God Bless

Eric: 2009-10-17 14:02

Congrats Africa!! Congrats Ghana!!
There are a lot of similarities between Nigeria and her twin brother Ghana.

Nigeria set the tone for Africa in the U-17 and U-23 levels when it became the first African country to win the U-17 world cup in China 85 and the Olympic U-23 gold medal in Atlanta 96. Since then other African counties especially Ghana has followed in that footstep.

Yesterday, Ghana repeated a similar feat for all other African contries to follow.

I beleive with adequate preparation and tactical discipline, African teams will surprise the world in SA 2010.

Once again, congrats Ghana!! Vamos Ghana!! Vamos Ghana!!

Eric, Nigeria.

Jomo : 2009-10-17 14:35

Its a great deèelin à be an african at the moòment wth th black stars victory n th fifa 2010 wrld cup!

derick@ngodini: 2009-10-17 15:16

Weldone Ghana, now for the big one in 2010. Those who take Africa for granted they better watch out. We are here to play

ntokozo : 2009-10-17 15:29

The blaq starz had made us(africanz) proud n m veri hapi 4 them n i jus wish dat an african team walks away wth da wrld cup as it is 2 b playd in our hom soil

siisi: 2009-10-17 23:27

c o n g r a t my boys u defended well, attacked less,were down by one man but u guys never gave up and went 4 the ultimate title.but we shouldn't 4get God's part He played 4 us.He deserves all the praise.

kayode: 2009-10-20 04:10

History will never 4get u guys 4 what u have done.
keep it up. The sky is ur limit.

danarchy -is- back: 2009-10-22 16:38

MRI SCAN SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN UNDER-20 ALSO