Korea defense badly exposed against athletic Ghana
Ghana's goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi, South Korea's forward Cho Gue-sung, left, and Ghana's defender Daniel Amartey in a goal-mouth scramble during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group H football match between South Korea and Ghana at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, Nov. 28. AFP-Yonhap
With their best center back playing through a leg injury, South Korea's defense was thoroughly exposed against Ghana in their 3-2 loss Monday.
Mohammed Kudus scored twice and Mohammed Salisu had the other goal for Ghana at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, west of Doha, handing South Korea their first defeat in Group H play at this year's World Cup.
All three goals were set up with passes from the flanks. It was Jordan Ayew's free kick from the left wing that Salisu headed in for the opener, and Kudus beat South Korean defenders to the ball to head home a cross, again by Ayew, later in the first half for a 2-0 lead.
Ghana's Gideon Mensah, left, battles for the ball with South Korea's Kim Moon-hwan during the World Cup group H soccer match between South Korea and Ghana, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Nov. 28. AP-Yonhap
Kudus' second goal came after a broken play, after Inaki Williams fanned on a shot after Gideon Mensah crossed from the left wing. The misfire seemed to fool Korean defenders, and Kudus, left alone on the other side of the box, easily slotted the ball home to break a 2-2 tie.
For South Korea, center back Kim Min-jae played on Monday with his injured right calf taped. He'd picked up the muscle injury against Uruguay during their goalless draw last Thursday. Kim missed two straight days of training before getting into only light cardio workouts Sunday. He was a game time decision, though there was little doubt Kim, short of a more serious injury, would miss such an important contest at the World Cup.
Led by Kim, the South Korean defense corps had effectively shut down some dangerous Uruguayan attackers. They came away feeling confident they could also contain Ghana, who had put up a good fight before losing to Portugal 3-2 last week.
South Korea's Cho Gue-sung, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's first goal during the World Cup group H soccer match between South Korea and Ghana, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Nov. 28. AP-Yonhap
But the air went out of South Korea's balloon midway through the first half. On Ayew's free kick, Kim failed to clear the ball with his head and the ball landed on Salisu's feet.
For Kudus' first goal, the cross sailed over Kim's head and the goal scorer beat fullback Kim Jin-su to the ball. Ayew was allowed to roam on the left side barely touched.
South Korea also had issues with their gap control on the game-winning goal, as Mensah found plenty of time and space to send a cross to the box unchallenged.
Ghana had their own defensive issues, as attested by Cho Gue-sung's two-goal effort in a three-minute span. But on the offensive side, the Ghanaians were faster, more athletic, more clinical and more efficient than their opponents.
South Korea won the possession battle, 52 percent to 31 percent, and put six shots on target to Ghana's three. But the inability to translate that possession edge into goals reared its ugly head for South Korea at the most inopportune time. (Yonhap)