2014 FIFA World Cup - Group G - PORTUGAL vs GHANA - Match Highlights

Along with USA and Germany in Group G, Portugal and Ghana fought their way to Round of 16 at Estadio Nacional, Brasilla.

Here's the line up for Group G Portugal-Ghana match:

POR

• 22BETO (GK)
• 2B. ALVES
• 3PEPE
• 4MIGUEL
• 6WILLIAM
• 7RONALDO (C)
• 8J. MOUTINHO
• 11ÉDER
• 17NANI
• 20R. AMORIM
• 21J. PEREIRA

GHA

• 16DAUDA (GK)
• 3A. GYAN (C)
• 7ATSU
• 8BADU
• 10A. AYEW
• 17RABIU
• 18WARIS
• 19JONATHAN
• 20K. ASAMOAH
• 21BOYE
• 23HARRISON

YOUR 11

These are the most-popular line-ups chosen by FIFA.com users.

POR

12 Rui PATRICIO, 2 Bruno ALVES, 3 PEPE, 4 Miguel VELOSO, 5 Fabio COENTRAO, 6 WILLIAM, 8 Joao MOUTINHO, 16 Raul MEIRELES, 18 VARELA, 7 CRISTIANO RONALDO, 17 NANI

GHA

16 Fatawu DAUDA, 2 Samuel INKOOM, 4 Daniel OPARE, 19 Jonathan MENSAH, 20 Kwadwo ASAMOAH, 5 Michael ESSIEN, 8 Emmanuel BADU, 9 Kevin Prince BOATENG, 13 Jordan AYEW, 3 Asamoah GYAN, 10 Andre AYEW

The players are in the tunnel at the Estadio Nacional, ready to walk out onto the pitch.

The teams are out on the pitch and the Portuguese national anthem plays out. The players clutch each other around the shoulder and sing along passionately with the crowd.

Before the game will start here is the Group G Standings:

STANDINGS - GROUP G

Teams	Pts	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA
GER	4	2	1	1	0	6	2
USA	4	2	1	1	0	4	3
GHA	1	2	0	1	1	3	4
POR	1	2	0	1	1	2	6

Next up is 'God Bless our Homeland Ghana', and it's sung passionately by players, coaching staff and fans alike.

LINE-UPS:

22

2

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21

POR

22 BETO, 2 B. ALVES, 3 PEPE, 4 MIGUEL, 6 WILLIAM, 7 RONALDO, 8 J. MOUTINHO, 11 ÉDER, 17 NANI, 20 R. AMORIM, 21 J. PEREIRA

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3

7

8

10

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18

19

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23

GHA

16 DAUDA, 3 A. GYAN, 7 ATSU, 8 BADU, 10 A. AYEW, 17 RABIU, 18 WARIS, 19 JONATHAN, 20 K. ASAMOAH, 21 BOYE, 23 HARRISON

Portugal get us underway in their all-red kit, facing the Ghanaians who are wearing all-white.

OFF THE BAR! Cristiano Ronaldo fires the ball across the penalty area and it swerves towards Dauda's goal. The back-peddling Ghanaian keeper can't get anywhere near it and it smashes back off the woodwork.

Portugal have a free-kick in what can certainly be described as 'Cristiano Ronaldo territory' with Joao Moutinho going down under a challenge from Badu.

Ronaldo steps up and powers a thunderous effort towards goal, but Dauda is equal to it and palms it away.

The Manchester United man's set-piece is cleared away with ease by the Ghana defence.

WHAT A SAVE! DAUDA FROM RONALDO! Joao Pereira whips the ball into the Ghana box from the Portugal right and the Portuguese skipper is free at the back post. He heads powerfully, but it's too close to Dauda and he does brilliantly to kepe it out.

CHANCE! And another great save! Gyan finds space in the Portugal penalty area and holds off the challenge of Bruno Alves before firing low at goal. Beto keeps it out with his legs.

Asamoah whips a free-kick in and Gyan is free at the back post. His looping header is tame and easily collected by Beto.

GOAL! It's a John Boye own goal! Veloso picks the ball up on the Portugal left and hits a low cross into the area which bounces up just in front of the Ghana No21. He tries to clear but the attempted clearance slices off of his knee and loops over Dauda into the Ghana goal.

A ball is swung in from the Ghana left and Gyan rises highest between the two Portuguese central defenders, but his header goes well wide of Beto's left-hand post.

Ronaldo shimmies past a couple of Ghanaian challenges and pings a right-footed shot towards goal. Dauda gets down to stop it, and the ball is cleared away.

SIDE NETTING! The ball is worked well in the Portuguese final third, with Eder spreading wide to Nani. It comes to Amorim who hits a low drive towards goal, but it's just past Dauda's right hand post.

Atsu dances past the challenge of Pereira and cuts in on to his right foot. He curls towards goal but it's wide of the Beto's left post.

That goal to put Portugal ahead doesn't change anything in terms of qualification to the knockout stages as it remains goalless in Recife. If the games finished now, Germany and USA would have 5 points, with Portugal on 4 points and Ghana on 1.

HALF TIME: It's been an intriguing first half with Portugal in the ascendancy for the most part. Ronaldo has twice gone close, and was also denied by Dauda spectacularly from a header. Ghana themselves have created chances but shot themselves in the foot with John Boye's sliced own goal. It remains goalless in Recife so, as things stand, both USA and Germany will progress to the knockout stages.

POR

GHA

STATISTICS

Ball possession

54%

46%

8	Fouls Committed	9
3	Attempts On Target	3
7	Shots	6
0	Total Goals scored	0
0	Penalties scored	0

Ronaldo plays the ball to Amorim inside the Ghanaian penalty area, who pulls back to Nani. The No17 hits a shot at goal and it's blocked by Boye, behind for a corner.

SIDE NETTING! Gyan picks up the ball on the Ghana left and cuts in on to his favoured right foot. He hammers an effort at goal but it's just past Beto's right-hand post.

GOAL! GYAN! He becomes the top African goalscorer at World Cups with his sixth finals effort. Asamoah crosses from the Ghana left with a sumptuous delivery to the far post and Gyan rises highest to nods past Beto. Game on!

Gyan's goal changes things again! If the games were to finish now, Germany (7 pts) and USA would progress (4 pts) while Ghana and Portugal would be out with 2 points apiece.

HUGE MISS! Gyan works space on the Ghana left and cuts back on to his right foot. He curls a great delivery to the back post and Waris heads wide in acres of space. Will that miss come back to haunt the Ghanaians?

The ball is worked down the Ghana right and Amorim's clearance finds Atsu in space around 30 yards from goal. The No7 smashes towards goal, but it's well over the bar.

Atsu chips a ball into the area which is headed clear but only as far as Asamoah. The full-back thumps a low drive, but it flashes wide of Beto's left-hand post.

Adelino Andre Vieira de Freitas, better known as Vieirinha, replaces the tall No11.

A whipped ball from the Ghana right sees Gyan get another header at goal, but it's well wide of Beto's left-hand post.

GOAL! CRISTIANO RONALDO! A lofted ball is headed back by Mensah and Dauda parries right into the path of the FIFA Ballon d'Or holder, who makes no mistake in smashing a left-footed effort into the bottom left-hand corner.

Ronaldo's goal changes the shape of the group once again. Portugal would finish level on points with USA if the games finished now, but they are three goals behind the Americans on goal difference.

CHANCE! Ronaldo finds space on the edge of the Ghana box and plays in Veloso, who in turn plays his captain into a great position. He sidefoots at goal, Dauda denies him, and his second effort is deflected behind.

Beto has been uncomfortable with an injury for a few minutes now and he's withdrawn for Eduardo, who becomes the third goalkeeper to play for Portugal at Brazil 2014.

Gyan capitalises on some poor defending by Veloso to drive at the Portuguese defence, but his left-footed effort is dragged wide.

SO CLOSE! Nani whips in a vicious delivery and Ronaldo gets a toe on the ball, but it's inches over the bar from close range.

Ronaldo gets in behind the Ghanaian defence and smashes towards goal but it's straight at Dauda who keeps him out again.

POR

GHA

STATISTICS

Ball possession

55%

45%

21	Fouls Committed	16
10	Attempts On Target	6
19	Shots	18
1	Total Goals scored	1
0	Penalties scored	0

FULL TIME: It was a topsy-turvy game in Brazil's capital as this pair tried to get the points and goals to see them through to the Round of 16. Ghana were at one stage just a goal away from reaching the knockout stage, and will certainly rue Majeed Waris' miss when the sides were level. It didn't matter in the end, as Cristiano scored his only goal of this World Cup to give Portugal the win. They finish level on points with USA, after their defeat to Germany, but are eliminated due to their inferior goal difference.

RONALDO

PORTUGAL

FORWARD

has been elected Man of the Match

90MINUTES PLAYED

37TOTAL PASSES

1GOALS FOR

9SHOTS

STANDINGS - GROUP G

Teams	Pts	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA
GER	7	3	2	1	0	7	2
USA	4	3	1	1	1	4	4
POR	4	3	1	1	1	4	7
GHA	1	3	0	1	2	4	6