KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The
United States and Ghana both kept their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup
knockout stage alive after surprise results in their Group E matches on
Saturday.
The United States held Italy to a
1-1 draw in an ill-tempered match in Kaiserslautern while Ghana scored an
astonishing but well deserved 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in Cologne.
Italy defeated Ghana 2-0 and the Czech Republic beat
the United States 3-0 in their first-round matches. Saturday's results put Group
E open and every team will wait until the last match for their fate.
Portugal, who beat Angola 1-0 in their opener,
qualified for the knockout stage after easing past Iran 2-0 in Frankfurt.
Three players were sent off by Uruguayan referee
Jorge Larrionda in the US vs Italy match, in which a loss could keep the United
States out of the next stage.
Italy caught the US defence flat-footed as Andrea
Pirlo's in-swinging free-kick was headed into the bottom of the net by Alberto
Gilardino in the 22nd minute.
The United States pulled it even thanks to an own
goal five minutes later, when Bobby Convey's free-kick from the right evaded
everybody until Italian defender Cristian Zaccardo shinned it into the corner of
his own net.
The two sides failed to score in the second half even
though both fought hard in search of a winner.
US coach Bruce Arena was delighted with a point.
"It's fantastic to get a point from the match. We want to stay alive and we know
that four points will enough to put us through from the group," Arena said.
"It's a crazy match. We were nervous today," said
Italy head coach Marcello Lippi. "The own goal and the Rossi's red card made us
more nervous. Obviously I am not satisfied with the draw."
US goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who was named Man of the
Match after the match, was their team's No. 1 hero, producing a stunning display
of goalkeeping to help earn his side a point, particularly in the second half
after his side was reduced to nine men.
The pick of his saves came in the 73rd minute when he
denied Alessandro Del Piero with a one-handed save at full stretch.
Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi was the first to be
sent off in the 28th minute for throwing an elbow at US striker Brian McBride on
the halfway line.
McBride, who plays with English premier league side
Fulham, suffered claret all over his face but he went back on his feet and
returned to the pitch after being cleaned by the physios.
The US side was also left 10 men on the pitch in the
final minute of the first half, when Pablo Mastroeni was shown the red card for
a lunge on Andrea Pirlo. His studs caught the Italian on the ankle.
In the 47th minute, the United States were down to
nine men. Defender Eddie Pope caught Alberto Gilardino and received a
secondbooking and his marching orders.
Ghana have leveled the points with the Czechs on
three with the victory and raised to a third place in the group, trailing on
goal differences to the Czechs.
Ghana's coach Ratomir Dujkovic, however, believed a
far better result should come from the performance of his team.
"I was surprised that we just win 2-0," he joked at a
post-match press conference.
Asamoah Gyan netted in the first-ever score for the
Black Starsin the Finals in just 75 seconds, as he chested down a centered ball
from captain Stephen Appiah and fired past Petr Cech with an unstoppable low
shot after the Czechs failed to clear their lines following a corner.
Sulley Muntari scored the second in 82 minutes,
coolly finishing a cross from Gyan to the roof of the net after the latter broke
forward down the right, steadied himself and squared the ball to Muntari.
Portugal midfielder Deco, voted Man of the Match
against Iran, scored the opener with a powerful drive. Cristiano Ronaldo sealed
the win from the spot after Luis Figo was brought down in the box.
Portugal squandered a few chances in the first half,
with striker Pauleta the main culprit.
Iran's defence shook in the second half. In the 63rd
minute, Portugal finally seized their chance as Figo laid off the ball to Deco,
who sent a curling right-footed shot straight into the corner of the net from 20
yards out.
Figo created another chance in the 78th minute when
he was tripped by Yahya Golmohammadi on the edge of the box. French referee Eric
Poulat pointed to the spot.
Ronaldo coolly stepped up for the penalty and drove
it cleanly home to stretch Portugal's lead. Luiz Felipe Scolari punched the air
in delight as Ronaldo sank to his knees.
Rasoul Khatibi wasted a great chance to level for
Iran, just minutes after coming on to the field. With the Portugal defence
indisarray, he received a long ball in the box but his shot glanced across the
face of the goal. Enditem
