ROUND OF 16
▲Ghana 2 - 1 United States
Africa are still at the World Cup party after Ghana realized the hopes of a success-starved continent by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time on Saturday.
The poor showing of African nations had cast a pall over South Africa 2010, with the hosts and four others exiting at the group stage of the continent’s first World Cup.
“We’ve made everybody proud — not Ghana alone, but all of Africa,” said striker Asamoah Gyan, whose extra-time goal clinched a 2-1 victory over the US in the round-of-16.
The win, which set up a quarter-final against Uruguay, took Ghana one stage further than at their World Cup debut four years ago, when they were also the last African contender.
“Me and my colleagues were very disappointed there were no African teams with us,” forward Dede Ayew said. “Now we are lucky to be here, we must fight, not just for us, but for the other teams that are not here. We feel we have a continent behind us and the whole of Africa behind us, and that’s given us a lot of energy to fight more.”
What energy Ghana had.
Kevin-Prince Boateng tore through the US defense to score after just five minutes at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, while a compact defense thwarted the US resistance.
While Landon Donovan equalized with a second-half penalty, the Black Stars shone as the US wilted and Asamoah Gyan volleyed in the winner early in extra-time.
“In the end, we needed strength and we had that strength,” coach Milan Rajevac said. “Ghana are now among the best eight teams in the world.”
The players see no reason they can’t be the best.
First, they must beat Uruguay.
“After Uruguay, we stand a chance of being in the final,” defender John Pantsil said. “Having Africa’s support adds a bit of pressure on us, but we have to put the pressure outside and go outside, and play our normal football.”
The signs that Ghana could progress far at the World Cup have been there for some time.
Three of the starters in Rustenburg on Saturday also featured last year as Ghana became the first African team to win the under-20 World Cup, prevailing over runaway favorites Brazil in a penalty shootout and Ghana were only denied a fifth African title earlier this year by Egypt in a tight final in Angola.
“It was important the youth team taking the cup and the whole of Ghana was happy, and since Angola when we were in the final, we have shown we are progressing and there is more to come,” Pantsil said.
Back home, they are ready for more celebrations. On Saturday night, dancing fans swarmed onto the streets, while car horns were honked across the nation.
Abena Serwa, a 34-year-old street vendor, said Ghana had beaten “one of the world’s big powers.”
“The whole continent was looking up to them to show that Africa was not in the tournament just to keep the numbers,” said Mohammed Abu, a 17-year-old celebrating in the streets of Ghana’s capital, Accra.
The elation was witnessed across the continent.
Mozambicans celebrated in the streets of their capital and South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) issued a statement calling the Black Stars “our pride.”
“We are very confident that having gone this far, you are indeed heading for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals on our soil,” the ANC said.
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