Qatar 2022 World Cup, North Korea-Ghana 2-3: braces from Kudus and Cho. Salisu is also online

From our correspondent GB Olivero

November 28th
– Doha (Qatar)

Ghana wins the match against South Korea twice: leading 2-0 after the first half, Addo’s team recovered in four minutes at the start of the second half, but then found the winning goal with the jewel Mohammed Kudus. The Asians fought, ran and created in the second half, but their World Cup is now hanging by a thread.

FIRST HALF

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South Korea starts fast and closes Ghana in its area. The Asians collect corners (7 in the first 18 minutes), but they never manage to find the opening to shoot, also because the Africans close in carefully and with many men. Ghana sets up the match on quick restarts trying to surprise the opponents. There are no particular flashes on the two three-quarters and a fortuitous episode is needed to unlock the game. In the 24th minute Jordan Ayew conquers and delivers a free-kick from the trocar near the sideline: Kim Minjae clears against his teammate Jung Wooyoung, the ball slams into Andre Ayew’s hand and ends up on Salisu’s left foot who has no difficulty scoring. We are used to seeing a goal like this disallowed, scored after an obvious touch of the hand, but now things have changed and after a long check at the Var the goal is validated. Ten minutes later Ghana doubled: a very nice cross from Jordan Ayew and perfect insertion from Kudus, who surprised the Korean defense and headed into the net. Son never manages to find the space and time to make himself dangerous and the first half ends without shots on target from South Korea: it is the third consecutive half of the game in which Paulo Bento’s team fails to hit the target opposing.

second half

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Too bad to be true. And in fact everything changes suddenly. Between the 8th and 16th minute of the second half Cho Guesung hits Ghana’s goal three times, always with his head: in the first case he saves Zigi, in the second (cross from Lee Kangin, who has just entered) the Asian centre-forward scores mocking Salisu, in the third chance (cross by Kim Jinsu) equalized with a splendid gap on Mensah. South Korea, carried away by their enthusiasm, even tries to win, but is hit again in the 23rd minute: Jordan Ayew rewards the insertion of Mensah, whose low cross is clicked by Williams but for Ghana it’s better this way, because the the ball reaches Kudus who from inside left brings his team back into the lead. The blow for the Koreans was strong, but once again the reaction came: the first chance to equalize went to left-back Kim Jinsu, whose shot was blocked in front of the line by Mensah in the 31st minute. The referee allows 10 minutes of added time and in the 50th minute the excellent Zigi deflects a shot by the wild Cho Guesung for a corner. Then many crosses, corners and scrums, but the result doesn’t change anymore and Ghana can celebrate.