Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Rozehnal, Ujfalusi, Jankulowski, Galasek (Polak 45), Poborsky (Stajner 55), Nedved, Rosicky, Plasil (Sionko 68), Lokvenc.

Ghana: Kingson, Pantsil, Mensah, Illiasu, Mohamed, O.Addo (Boateng 45), Essien, Appiah, Muntari, Gyan (Pimpong 85), Amoah (E.Addo 79).

Match Report: Africa finally arrived at the 2006 World Cup as Ghana stunned the Czech Republic with an adventurous display that contained far too much strength, pace and commitment for the European side. In comparison the Czech's looked an old and tired side.

Ghana would have been buoyed by their magnificent start as they took the lead in just over a minute and their energy levels never dropped.

The Czech's had been stretched to concede a corner and when this was half cleared Appiah sent a good ball into Gyan on the edge of the box. One neat touch on the chest and a left footed finish into the bottom corner did the rest. Ghana had the lead with a quality goal.

Almost immediately Ghana were breaking at an exposed Czech defence but Amoah tried an ambitious shot from 25 yards when he had options right and left. This would be a consistent failing for Ghana, just about their only one on the day.

A response could be expected from the fancied Czech's and a quick dart by Rosicky allowed him to slip in Nedved but his effort was straight at Kingson from 20 yards.

It was still Ghana who looked the more convincing side and a mistake by Grygera left Appuah running at a retreating defence. He too ignored options to shoot from distance and wasted a good opening.

The Africans were tackling with typical aggression all over the pitch but while they were conceding free kicks for fun in other areas their challenges were invariably clean and perfectly timed in and around the box.

Muntari was the next to go for glory with others better placed and again an opportunity drifted away.

This affliction was catching. When Nedved played Poborsky into space down the side of the Ghana box he too went for goal from a prohibitive angle rather than look for someone in the middle. The result was the same.

The next chance was a good one. Gyan produced a lovely ball to split the Czech defence and leave Amoah running through. His first touch was poor but the chance was still there as he checked back onto his right foot. From the angle he blasted over the bar, however.

The strength and pace of these two was always proving a problem to a strangely unconvincing Czech defence.

Soon afterwards Ghana fashioned another chance and this one was better still. The outstanding Michael Essien combined with Appiah who slipped in Gyan on the edge of the box. Again he was too strong for the last defender and now he had only Cech to beat. His low finish lacked conviction and Cech dropped to make an easy save.

The Czech's were now mainly reduced to long balls towards the towering Lokvenc but the eager Ghanaians were covering around him tirelessly and there was little hint of an equaliser.

At the other end there was consistent danger. Gyan stretched the defence to breaking point again before feeding Appiah who sent in a low shot a foot wide of the post from outside the box. The strike had lacked true power but Cech didn't move and was relieved to see it go outside his post.

At last the Czech's produced a quality move involving Plasil, Rosicky and Nedved who supplied a fine pass inside the full back for Poborsky. His cut back found Rosicky running into the box but the finish was flawed and slipped harmlessly wide of the far post.

As if affronted Ghana went straight up the other end and produced a flowing move of their own which ended with O.Addo pulling the ball back for Essien but the defence managed to get a block on his shot.

It was good stuff with the Africans very definitely holding the advantage.

Half Time: Czech Republic 0 Ghana 1

Both sides made substitutions at the break but the game followed the same pattern. Both sides attacking whenever possible but Ghana looking distinctly more dangerous.

A remarkable drop kick by the Ghana keeper all along the ground sent Gyan and Amoah storming through the middle. Gyan latched onto it and drove at the defence before sending in a shot that Cech dived to tip behind. He had drawn all the defence to him, however, and a simple pass would have put Amoah right through on goal.

Rosicky and Nedved, who were both peripheral, combined to release Stajner who had just come on. His low ball across goal wasa dummied by Rosicky and Plasil arrived at the far post to send in a rising drive which Kingson tipped over well. Surely Rosicky had been better placed for the shot himself though.

Ghana's strength and pace was becoming even more noticable against the labouring efforts of the Czech's and they were now pretty much carving open the defence at will, without landing the knockout blow.

Essien produced a lovely ball inside the full back which Muntari did not read until it was too late and Ujfalusi just managed to nick a smart centre from Gyan off the head of the onrushing Essien.

The Chelsea man was the dominant force on the pitch. Just as energetic as his colleagues he also showed a footballing brain far in advance of his teammates. Always available and moving possession on at just the right moment he kept his side moving forward.

Suddenly there was high drama. A long range shot was mishit towards the Czech goal but turned into a perfect pass for Amoah breaking into the box. As he was lining up his shot Ujfalusi clipped his standing leg and a penalty was awarded.

It seemed as though no further action would be taken but just as Gyan was ready to take the kick the referee decided to show the defender the red card.

When he turned back Gyan had put a shot high into the net. For some reason the referee deemed it necessary to now book him as well.

When Gyan then stepped forward to take the kick for real he hit a crisp shot against the inside of the post that rebounded to safety.

Now the game became almost surreal. The Czech's kept men forward in the hope of an equaliser while Ghana streamed forward from all angles. There was nothing wrong with this tactic as they created chance after chance but they were somehow unable to score the second goal.

Cech produced a fine save to deny Amoah after he forced his way through onto another monster kick from Kingson before Muntari found himself with all the time and space in the world after Ghana had worked their way through the remnants of the Czech defence.

Muntari had time to take a touch, look up and compose himself before shooting from around the penalty spot but still managed to send his effort straight at Cech. When Ghana next worked their way inside the Czech area they were spoiled for choice and ended up trying to walk the ball in and were eventually denied.

Although they could create nothing meaningful themselves the Czech's still retained hope as they too were able to break consistently as the game became incredibly stretched. They had no-one high up the field to test the Ghana defence, however.

Essien was hugely involved as Ghana passed their way into the Czech box yet again. He had to get clear of one of his teammates before getting his shot away and again the effort was close enough to Cech for him to save comfortably.

When Amoah then squared the ball to Gyan completely unmarked on the penalty spot and he rolled another low shot straight at Cech it looked as though the Ghanaians had made a pact with the keeper not to score again.

Not so. With eight minutes remaining Appiah and Gyan worked the ball into Muntari deep inside the area and this time the finish was emphatic, high into the roof of Cech's net and Ghana were home and dry.

There were still more clear chances for Ghana to waste, most notably when Pimpong led a three man break on Petr Cech. He should have just scored himself but decided to slip the ball to Muntari to his left. Although he tapped into the empty net he had run into a blatantly offside position and the flag went up.

Kingson had to make two decent saves in the third minute of injury time when his defence finally decided to stop marking and Sionko and Polak were allowed free headers in turn but the job was done and Ghana were worthy winners.

All of a sudden this had become a really interesting group and both sides are now on a knife edge. They will both be short for their final games as well. The Czech's are struggling up front and Lokvenc looked a totally inadequate replacement for Koller while Ghana will be without several players suspended after picking up a collection of yellows here.

For the moment that will be the least of their worries.

Full Time: Czech Republic 0 Ghana 2

Czech Republic: Cech 8, Grygera 5, Rozehnal 3, Ujfalusi 2, Jankulovski 3, Galasek 4 (Polak 3), Poborsky 3 (Stajner 4), Nedved 6, Rosicky 6, Plasil 6 (Sionko 6), Lokvenc 3.

Ghana: Kingson 8, Pantsil 7, Mensah 9, Illiasu 7, Mohamed 7, O.Addo 4 (Boateng 6), Essien 9, Appiah 8, Muntari 7, Gyan 9, Amoah 8 (E.Addo 6).

Referee: H.Elizondo (Argentina) 4
Inconsistent and made a real meal of sending the guy off after the penalty award.

Good:
Michael Essien has been brilliant in both games so far and ran the show from start to finish here. Ghana were everything that is good about African football today. Strong, quick, adventurous. They simply overwhelmed the Czechs.

Bad:
Lokvenc. The Czechs have less cover up front than we do. In general they looked slower and less commited than Ghana. They might have been scared.

Ugly:
Nothing really. This was an uplifting game after a few non events recently.