Ghana reached the second round at the World Cup in its first appearance, beating the United States 2-1 on Thursday in Group E.
Captain Stephen Appiah scored the winning goal, converting a penalty kick in the second minute of first-half injury time after US defender Oguchi Onyewu was whistled for a foul in the penalty area.
"This is a historic moment for us," Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic said. "We are very happy. It was a very nervous event for us."
PHOTO: AP
Haminu Draman put the African team ahead in the 22nd minute, breaking in alone on goalkeeper Kasey Keller after tackling Claudio Reyna, who crumpled to the ground in pain.
The US, which has never won a World Cup game in which it trailed, equalized when Clint Dempsey scored in the 43rd minute.
Brian McBride nearly leveled again in the 66th, but his diving header inside the box hit the near post. A minute later, Onyewu sent a header off Landon Donovan's corner kick over the crossbar.
PHOTO: EPA
"We worked real hard to get back in the game. I am disappointed in the judgment of the referee in the penalty call," US coach Bruce Arena said. "We would have liked to come out at halftime even, with a chance to win the game."
Meanwhile, Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic said the Black Stars, Cinderella qualifiers for the second round, are ready to make reigning champions Brazil suffer next.
"Yes, they will suffer," he said. "Any team who will face the Black Stars will have to suffer. You have seen the determination in the performance of the Black Stars."
PHOTO: EPA
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira admitted beating the Africans would be a tough task for his side, who had to be roused from their torpor to come from behind and beat Asian champions Japan 4-1 in their final Group F clash on Thursday night.
"Now we are going to play Ghana, who are a very good side," said Parreira, bidding for a second World Cup title after guiding Brazil to the 1994 trophy. "I saw them play Italy and the Czech Republic. It is going to be very hard to beat them."
Ghana's 2-1 victory over the US here on Thursday put the Africans into the round of 16 in their Cup debut. Finishing behind Italy in Group E set up their date with the Brazilians next Tuesday in Dortmund.
"We're happy we're going to face Brazil," Ghana captain Stephen Appiah said. "No fear. No fear."
That confidence comes despite knowing the Black Stars will be without star playmaker Michael Essien, the Chelsea midfielder received his second yellow card of the tournament in the fifth minute of the US match and is automatically suspended.
"I'm very happy for the team but disappointed for myself," Essien said. "I made only two fouls the whole game and I received one yellow card."
Dujkovic knows the Black Stars, longshots to advance out of what proved to be the event's Group of Death, will have their hands full with Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and the rest of the flamboyant South American squad.
"It's very difficult with Brazil. But we will try. We have nothing to lose," said the much-traveled 60-year-old Serbian, whose previous greatest international achievement was taking Rwanda to the 2004 African Nations Cup finals.
"Black Stars have capability enough to face Brazil. We will not be afraid of Brazil," he said.
After eliminating the US squad and stunning the Czechs 2-0 in the shocker of the tournament, Ghana would love nothing more than to add Brazil to the victim list.
"They are the best team in this competition and in the world," Dujkovic said. "We will try our best and I hope we will do another surprise. The main drawback for Ghana will be the absence of Essien."
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