MTNFootball

Ghana's Asamoah Gyan gets round England's Joleon Lescott (left)

29 March 2011

Ghana earned a deserved 1-1 draw with England in their international friendly clash at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Black Stars left it late to secure a share of the spoils though, as Asamoah Gyan's sublime piece of skill cancelled out a Andy Carroll goal late in the first half.

England were much changed for this one,with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and John Terry all released to their clubs, who have important UEFA Champions League matches on the horizon.

But Ghana fielded eight of the players who played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Uruguay, and just as they did in that tournament, they showed the battling qualities that have made them such a popular side with neutrals worldwide.

They might have taken the lead early on when Dominic Adiyiah was put through on goal, but England keeper Joe Hart did brilliantly in a one-on-one situation to deny him.

At the other end, Ashley Young produced one of the great misses of all time when he connected James Milner's low cross from the right, but with the goal gaping, managed to somehow scoop the ball on the crossbar.

Hart had to be smart to save from Adiyiah at the other end again as Sulley Muntari's floated free-kick reached the young striker at the back post, but he could not beat the home keeper.

But just as an even first half was drawing to an end, England stole the lead, though in somewhat controversial circumstances.

Stewart Downing set up Carroll to score, but replays showed that the Liverpool striker had fouled a Ghanaian defender in the build-up with a well-timed push, and the goal should have been ruled out.

The second half did not have the flow of the first as substitutions aplenty broke the rhythm of the game, but Ghana had a great chance to equalise when Gyan beat the offside trap, but his shot was into the side-netting when he really should have hit the target at least.

Both sides created half-chances without really stretching the keepers, until Gyan came up with a piece of magic in injury-time to rescue a draw for the visitors.

He received a ball on the edge of the box and brilliantly turned inside England defender Joleon Lescott, before unleashing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner to send the 20 000 Black Stars fans in the ground into delirium.