Korea v. Ghana [R]

[dsnipes1]

am i the only one watching this live? people interested in updates/analysis?

[FirstStar]

am i the only one watching this live? people interested in updates/analysis?

In some ways, Korea play a very similar style to the US. I am very interested in this match. Not really inthe pbp, but more in your impressions and how you see Korea attacking Ghana (we'll defend them much better).

Thanks.

[FormerGermanGuy]

am i the only one watching this live? people interested in updates/analysis?

Yes and yes.

[jtran10]

What channel is it on?

[DiscoWarrior11]

am i the only one watching this live? people interested in updates/analysis?
You can give us both whenever you're ready, Wesley.

[dsnipes1]

at the half, ghana is up 1-0 from a pk in the 37th minute. the pk came on a handball in the box from a cross sent in from the right. clear handball and was an easy call for the ref.

the match started with ghana playing a possession game, through the first 20 minutes of the match, they had 60% of the ball, but most of that came at the back. their midfielders showed bad first touch, consistently not controlling the ball and having to stretch to knock it back to keep the ball. the did create a few good opportunities early. in the 17th minute, appiah had the ball on the right and sent a great pass into the area with the outside of his right foot to a waiting essien. essien turned his defender with ease and took a good shot from about 10 yards that was well saved by lee woon jae. a couple minutes later, muntari made a good run out of midfield and took a nice shot from around 25 yards that went over the bar. a few times in the first half, ghana showed the willingness to shoot from distance.

korea finally managed to create some chances after the 20th minute or so, and from then through the rest of the first half, the match was very even, with korea creating the better chances, but ghana counterattacking with serious speed. most of korea's chances went through the center of midfield which seemed quite open. korea typically plays short quick passes, and they were able to find space and exploit it in the middle, which then opened up the wings as the defense got sucked in a bit. the right and left backs of ghana seemed to lack discipline in their positioning, and korea's best chances came from crosses sent in my lee cheon soo and lee young pyo. lee young pyo also made ghana's right back (#5, mensah i think) look foolish with some nice 1 v. 1 moves that created a great scoring opportunity that park chu young couldn't finish with his head.

so korea's quick passing game has been effective through midfield, though ghana's central defense has been very well organized and has stopped things from coming straight forward up the field. thus the attack has come primarily from the wings, and the center defenders have coped admirably. park ji sung was 1 v. 1 in the area against one of the centerbacks and had no chance really.

overall, ghana looks strong in central defense, but weak on the wings. they seem to lack good touch in midfield, although they've gotten better as the match has gone on. up front, they don't seem to have a real dynamic scorer, at least no one has shown that yet; but when they attack, they do so very, very fast.

[dsnipes1]

oh, and some things have been said regarding ghana's potential for ugly challenges. in the 3rd minute, #3, asamoah gyan had an UGLY two footed challange against lee ho that earned a deserved yellow. i mean, it was really ugly, and this is just a tune-up match, no one wants to get hurt before the world cup. besides that one though, both sides have been well behaved.

no play acting from the koreans either :)

[dsnipes1]

wow! lee eul young, 30 yard left footed strike, low in the left corner, goalkeeper got a hand to it, but we're tied 1-1. came from a long ball forward that was knocked back to him. 50th minute

[dsnipes1]

sorry if i don't give more specific information regarding players and numbers for ghana. the telecast is in korean, and my korean isn't exactly the best to understand what they're talking about all the time, so i'm just going off what i can see, and often i can't see the number of the player.

a few other thoughts: essien is all over the field, up front, in midfield, across to both touch lines, he's everywhere . . . and he is so good. really holds the ball and controls play. muntari and amoah are also showing well, getting really involved in attack, good work rate from both of those guys. so funny that no matter where korea plays, its like a home game, they have so many fans there (match is being played at easter road in edinburgh, scotland)

[DiscoWarrior11]

thanks snipes! korea and ghana are two solid teams, IMO... I wish I'd been able to see ghana play before the WC... but like the US coaches, I'll do most of my scouting during their first two games.

[dsnipes1]

funny, i was going to write how ghana doesn't look that dangerous on set pieces and then in the 63rd minute they score off a free kick from 45 yards. essien sent the ball in from the right and muntari got in front of his marker, elevated with ease and finished clinically into the bottom right corner of the goal. pretty poor marking by korea. 2-1 now.

[dsnipes1]

ghana doesn't really pressure the ball on defense, they kinda sit back in their own half and react to the movement of the ball . . . but it seems like their reactions are just slow. korea is finding room to work, and is passing quickly and creating space, just not creating really dangerous chances right now, and certainly not finishing.

[Cornballer]

Thanks snipes! We appreciate it. :)

If you have time, can you post Ghana's starting lineup for us?

[dsnipes1]

park ji sung should have just scored, i'm still not sure how he missed. 70th minute, korea had a free kick, ji sung came flying in back post totally unmarked, i mean, no one was with him or near him, and he headed just over the bar. it was a clear header though. poor marking by ghana

[TigersFIMA]

Thanks snipes! We appreciate it. :)

If you have time, can you post Ghana's starting lineup for us?

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/sc/detail.html?id=2652237&year=2006&month=6&day=4

[dsnipes1]

ghana seems content to absorb korea's attacks and counter off of them. when they counter, they do so with great speed and look really dangerous. essien just found himself alone inside the box on a counter and skied his shot over the bar from 8 yards out. #3, gyun also looks really dangerous going forward on the counter, he gets himself in dangerous positions in the box.

[dsnipes1]

mensah just got kicked in the head by cho jae jin. seriously high boot, studs hit mensah in the back of the head.

[dsnipes1]

ghana is really flowing now on offense. muntari had the ball on the right, sent a great ball towards the endline that gyan outran his defender to, the flicked it back towards the penalty spot with the outside of his right boot directly to a waiting essien for a great finish. 82nd minute

[dsnipes1]

muntari down in a heap, seems in a bit of pain from a clumsy challenge. back on the pitch now. anyone know anything about him from his play at udinese? he's really impressed me today.

[DiscoWarrior11]

wow, so that makes it 3-1 Ghana now?

And we should bear in mind that one goal was from the run of play.. the others being a PK and free kick.

I seriously hope we're practicing all aspects of free kicks thoroughly.