Portugal out despite 2-1 win over Ghana
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo scores first goal at Brazil 2014 but both sides are eliminated from the 2014 World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the tournament as Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 but both teams were eliminated from the World Cup as the United States held on to second place in Group G despite their defeat by Germany.
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Starting the day on a point each, both teams knew they needed a victory to have any chance of progress and Portugal started strongly as Ronaldo hit the bar and sent a close-range header straight at goal-keeper Fatawu Dauda before Ghana’s John Boye sliced a cross into his own net after 31 minutes.
Asamoah Gyan headed the equaliser from a lovely Kwadwo Asamoah cross 12 minutes into the second half and Abdul Majeed Waris missed the chance to put Ghana ahead when he headed wide from point-blank range five minutes later.
Ronaldo finally found the net in the 80th minute but Portugal, thrashed 4-0 by Germany in their opening game, needed a far bigger win to overhaul the Americans’ goal difference.
Germany topped the group with seven points and play the Group H runners-up – probably Algeria, Russia or South Korea – while the second-placed US will face the Group H winners, likely to be Belgium. Portugal finished with four points and Ghana on one.