Australia and Ghana will take to the field (10am, ESPN) in a Group D match that could see the first eliminated team from the tournament.
After losing its first match 4-0, Australia needs a win or it will be heading home early. The Socceroos will be without key midfielder Tim Cahill, who was sent off in the group opener, but Harry Kewell could pick up the slack as he returns from injury.
Ghana enters the match hoping to get a step closer to the Round of 16. Having stunned Serbia in its opener through a Asamoah Gyan penalty kick, another victory would inch the Black Stars towards a repeat of its performance at the 2006 World Cup.
As always, if you will be watching the match please feel free to leave your thoughts, opinions and play-by-play in the comments section below.
The Harry Kewell red card was a joke! Worst ref ever.
Group D:
1- Ghana: 4 points (goals: 2-1)
2- Germany: 3 (4-1)
3- Serbia: 3 (1-1)
4- Australia: 1 (1-5)
Next games:
Australia vs. Serbia
Germany vs. Ghana
Every one still has hope in reaching the knock out round.
If the USA reaches the last 16, they may face one of the teams that eleminated them in the last three world cups: Ghana (2006), Germany (2002), or Serbia (Yugoslavia 1998)
They’ve scored 1 goal in each of their two games. Both were PKs.
They will probably need more than a freebie PK against Germany.
This is like Korea in the 2002 world cup all over again. The African nation getting free kicks from phantom calls, like Korea in their elimination round games. The only difference is that Kewell got a red card for a less obvious hamdball than Frings. He didnt move his hand. If Frings was a no call than this is pretty bad.
Guidance apparently is that unless moving directly at goal (diagonal doesn’t cut it), it is not a “clear scoring opportunity”)
Australia looks like they’ve come to life. Where has this been?
Ghana should be very disappointed. What a poor showing by them.
Phantom fouls giving Ghana free kicks. JP seems very confused at why the official keeps giving them.
Does anyone know how many goals Ghana has actually scored from the run of play/free kicks versus penalty kicks?
What an exciting game it’s turning out to be
The game is not particularly interesting, but at least the referee is hot!
the ball was not even close. how is that a clear scoring opportunity?
Ghana’s coach should be pretty embarrassed by the shots his players are taking.
Australia can take a point if all Ghana does is take 35 yard shots on the ground.
Ghana gets alot of pk’s in the WC. some are very questionable….
Wow, too bad the ref missed Fring’s handball on the German goal line back in 2002. Now we have the latest refereeing blunder to think about. Go USA and beat Algeria on Weds.
I feel for the Aussie’s here and I hope they can hold on defensively, get one counter-attack goal and win this one 2-1.
So many of Ghana’s goals come from penalty kicks.
Jozy had a clear scoring opportunity.
Very reminiscent of US in WC ’06 for sure in regards to the red cards
“Last man take-downs, by FIFA rules, are red cards” only apply if the player has a clear scoring opportunity. Altedore didn’t have that. He even didn’t possess the ball yet. Yellow is right here.
I feel sorry for Australia. This is the second game where they lose their to player to a red card. (Cahill and Kewell)
I am starting to feel that the officials do not know the rules, plain and simple.
For example, Jozy Altidore was taken down on a fast break, ahead of the last man. Last man take-downs, by FIFA rules, are red cards. There is no discretion to give a yellow, it is always a straight red. Yet, the Slovenian player only got a yellow.
I also think that official was cheating.
i think that guy knowingly stuck his hand out. It is pretty confident to give a red card there, but if your on the goal line, you have to know it’s a red is much more inevitable. He had his arm out from his body for sure, which is risky in itself. It was still a bit harsh though unless you definitely know he meant it
FIFA has brought up the point of changing the double penalty of PK and red card, but have not actually changed anything yet regarding it.
lol, nice dry humor. I thought this was an honest contribution for a second. I just think these complaints are unbelievable. How can you rightly criticize a $100+ ball. Adidas didn’t spend all that money to make a sh*tty ball on purpose. If it ‘moves’ more in the air, you could just as well argue that it makes a world-class goalkeeper more of an asset. Tim Howard’s judgment and ability is now more valuable because there is less routine to stopping balls that perhaps every goal keeper in the field use to have no trouble with. i.e. crosses across the area, like the ones he tipped away yesterday.
Wow a handball on the line is actually called. *facepalm*
I thought FIFA was gonna quit giving red cards and PK’s for the same play?
Terribly harsh call.
The ball bounced off his shoulder, into his hand.
I agree with the PK but not with the red card.
He didn’t move his arm. The ball just hit it.
What a crap red. Penalty yes, red no.
I heard that, last night, all the goalkeepers of the world cup got together and formed a union. They are planning a stike agaisnt FIFA.
Their main issue was that FIFA is making a mockery of their position by using technology. They see this as an attempt at undermining their position as an important one on the field.
It was said that Lev Yashin will come back from his grave and head the new union.
I knew that Australia would be up for this game after getting thumped by Germany previously. If Australia does win this game, all 4 teams in Group D will be on 3 pts. Truly a group of death
Before I get yelled at… I know, it’s keeper
Can’t blame the Jubalani ball on that goalie blunder, Australi 1-0
C’MON Ghana!! Do it for Africa!