Ghana comes up with Black Magic

By John Cheeran
Ghana’s performance against the Czech Republic was a revelation. The 2-0 win does not reveal the extent of the threatening football Africans unleashed especially in the second half of the game.
If not for a stupendous show from goalkeeper Peter Cech, who foiled a many a Ghana move, the Czech defeat would have been terrible. Also, the Africans wasted a penalty kick.
Yes, of course, the Czechs were forced to play without injured strikers Jan Koller and Milan Baros, they looked a shadow of the team that put three goals past the United States.
But the Czechs committed a few tactical mistakes. First, they chose to push through the middle and the tall Ghana defenders were easily able to win the ball from Pavel Nedved and company.
The Czech should have attacked through both flanks and showered the Ghana penalty area with crosses and lobs. This would have put enormous pressure on the Ghana defence and the story could have been different then.
Second, Czech defence was porous and they let through balls slice open their last line of defence with ample room for Ghana strikers Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari to shoot home. Third, the Czechs were too eager to get the equalizer after conceding a goal in the second minute of the match. In the process they were hurrying through their moves and not skillful enough to control the tempo of the game. A more calm and confident approach would have given them more openings in the Ghana penalty area.
In the end, Germany 2006 got its first taste of black magic.