Ghana pip Serbia, Courtesy Asamoah Gyan

It is the first victory by an African team in the first World Cup on African soil.
Accra, June 13, GNA - Ghana Black Stars began their FIFA 2010 South Africa campaign with a vintage performance that enabled them to pip Serbia by a lone goal a la Baby Jet Asamoah Gyan via the penalty spot. The Black Stars playing their usual entertaining soccer were a delight to watch as they strung their passes together like clockwork and it was evident by the 10th minute that they were going to carry the day. However, the "aponkye nkrankra" was not ready for the table until the 83rd minute when Gyan took the first sip by converting a penalty awarded to the Black Stars when Kuzmanovic used his hand to direct the ball. The goal was greeted with a loud shout of joy by Ghanaians, who had deserted the streets and were glued to television and radio sets. Pantelic of Serbia was the first to shoot at goal in the very first minute but his shot was harmless as it crossed the goal line. Ghana replied almost immediately as Annan's effort also went off target. Stankovic conceded a free-kick but Gyan's resultant kick went wide in the fourth minute.

Tagoe conceded a free-kick following a challenge on Milijas in the eighth minute but the Serbians blasted it wide. The Black Stars earned a corner-kick in the 10th minute which was expertly taken by Asamoah but it was wasted.

In the 14th minute Ghana earned another corner-kick which was again taken by Asamoah. The ball eventually came back to him and he took a powerful shot en-route to the net but it was blocked. The Referee booked Zigic in the 18th minute for committing a foul. Asamoah sent the resultant free-kick into the Serbian box but Skipper Mensah's header missed the target.

In the 21st minute Price Boateng sent a cross meant for Gyan into the Serbian box but Stojkovic was able to collect the ball. Gyan had to go touchline in the 24th minute to receive medical attention following a challenge on him. He returned in the 28th minute when Vorsah had committed a foul, but Kolarov shot the resultant free-kick wide. In the 32nd minute Pantelic tried a long-range shot that went off target. Kingson was called to duty in the 39th minutes to prevent Stankovic from drawing the first blood. Kingson was able to pull a save after an initial fumble.

The Serbians mounted an attack in the dying minutes of the first half with Pantelic being ruled offside in the 43rd minute. During the one-minute added time Krasic took a powerful shot at goal but it was blocked. The second half started on a fast note and Mensah committed a foul in the 49th minute but the resultant free-kick by Kolarov was blocked. In the 50th minute Jovanovic dribbled past a couple Ghana Defenders but he shot high and wide.

Ayew's diving header from a Tagoe cross missed the target by inches in the 54th minute.

Pantelic cut in from the left in the 58 minute and sent in an inviting cross into the Ghana box but Zigic opted to flick the ball from an acute angle and the opportunity was lost.

Gyan jumped high to meet a corner-kick in the 60th minute but his header clattered against the post.

The Serbian Coach brought in Kuzmanovic to replace Milijas in the 62nd minute. Annan conceded a foul in the 68th minute and Stankovic's cross from the resultant free-kick was headed wide off target by Zigic. Lazovic came in to replace Zigic in the 69th minute while Ghana also brought in Appiah to replace Asamoah in the 73rd minute.

In the 76th minute Subotic came in to replace Jovanovic and in the 79th minute Lazovic ran past Pantsil and passed the ball to Pantelic but he left it to Krasic, whose powerful shot was tipped away by Kingson. In the 83rd minute Ayew sent a long surging cross into the Serbian goal area and Kuzmanovic in an attempt to prevent the ball from going beyond him, used his hands resulting in a penalty, which Gyan successfully converted to send Ghanaians into jubilation.

The Serbians were not finished yet as they piled up pressure on the Stars. Stankovic saw his well taken shot in the 86th minute blocked while another attempt at goal by Kuzmanovic also went wide in the 87th minute. Tagoe attracted a yellow card in the 89th minute and Addy came in to replace Prince Boateng in the 90th minute.

Gyan nearly increased the score line during added time but his curling shot hit the upright. He was replaced by Owusu-Abeyie in the final minute of the game.

The line-up: Black Stars
22-Richard Kingson; 4-John Pantsil, 5-John Mensah, 15-Isaac Vorsah, 2-Hans Sarpei, 6-Anthony Annan, 21-Kwadwo Asamoah (10-Stephen Appiah 73), 13-Dede Ayew, 23-Kevin-Prince Boateng (19-Lee Addy 90+1); 3-Asamoah Gyan (20-Quincy Owusu-Abeyie 90+3), 12-Prince Tagoe.

Serbia: 1-Vladimir Stojkovic; 6-Branislav Ivanovic, 5-Nemanja Vidic, 13-Aleksandar Lukovic, 3-Aleksandar Kolarov, 17-Milos Krasic, 10-Dejan Stankovic, 11-Nenad Milijas (22-Zdravko Kuzmanovic 62) 14-Milan Jovanovic (20-Neven Subotic 76), 15-Nikola Zigic (8-Danko Lazovic 69), 9-Marko Pantelic.

It is the first victory by an African team in the first World Cup on African soil.
Accra, June 13, GNA - Ghana Black Stars began their FIFA 2010 South Africa campaign with a vintage performance that enabled them to pip Serbia by a lone goal a la Baby Jet Asamoah Gyan via the penalty spot. The Black Stars playing their usual entertaining soccer were a delight to watch as they strung their passes together like clockwork and it was evident by the 10th minute that they were going to carry the day. However, the "aponkye nkrankra" was not ready for the table until the 83rd minute when Gyan took the first sip by converting a penalty awarded to the Black Stars when Kuzmanovic used his hand to direct the ball. The goal was greeted with a loud shout of joy by Ghanaians, who had deserted the streets and were glued to television and radio sets. Pantelic of Serbia was the first to shoot at goal in the very first minute but his shot was harmless as it crossed the goal line. Ghana replied almost immediately as Annan's effort also went off target. Stankovic conceded a free-kick but Gyan's resultant kick went wide in the fourth minute.

Tagoe conceded a free-kick following a challenge on Milijas in the eighth minute but the Serbians blasted it wide. The Black Stars earned a corner-kick in the 10th minute which was expertly taken by Asamoah but it was wasted.

In the 14th minute Ghana earned another corner-kick which was again taken by Asamoah. The ball eventually came back to him and he took a powerful shot en-route to the net but it was blocked. The Referee booked Zigic in the 18th minute for committing a foul. Asamoah sent the resultant free-kick into the Serbian box but Skipper Mensah's header missed the target.

In the 21st minute Price Boateng sent a cross meant for Gyan into the Serbian box but Stojkovic was able to collect the ball. Gyan had to go touchline in the 24th minute to receive medical attention following a challenge on him. He returned in the 28th minute when Vorsah had committed a foul, but Kolarov shot the resultant free-kick wide. In the 32nd minute Pantelic tried a long-range shot that went off target. Kingson was called to duty in the 39th minutes to prevent Stankovic from drawing the first blood. Kingson was able to pull a save after an initial fumble.

The Serbians mounted an attack in the dying minutes of the first half with Pantelic being ruled offside in the 43rd minute. During the one-minute added time Krasic took a powerful shot at goal but it was blocked. The second half started on a fast note and Mensah committed a foul in the 49th minute but the resultant free-kick by Kolarov was blocked. In the 50th minute Jovanovic dribbled past a couple Ghana Defenders but he shot high and wide.

Ayew's diving header from a Tagoe cross missed the target by inches in the 54th minute.

Pantelic cut in from the left in the 58 minute and sent in an inviting cross into the Ghana box but Zigic opted to flick the ball from an acute angle and the opportunity was lost.

Gyan jumped high to meet a corner-kick in the 60th minute but his header clattered against the post.

The Serbian Coach brought in Kuzmanovic to replace Milijas in the 62nd minute. Annan conceded a foul in the 68th minute and Stankovic's cross from the resultant free-kick was headed wide off target by Zigic. Lazovic came in to replace Zigic in the 69th minute while Ghana also brought in Appiah to replace Asamoah in the 73rd minute.

In the 76th minute Subotic came in to replace Jovanovic and in the 79th minute Lazovic ran past Pantsil and passed the ball to Pantelic but he left it to Krasic, whose powerful shot was tipped away by Kingson. In the 83rd minute Ayew sent a long surging cross into the Serbian goal area and Kuzmanovic in an attempt to prevent the ball from going beyond him, used his hands resulting in a penalty, which Gyan successfully converted to send Ghanaians into jubilation.

The Serbians were not finished yet as they piled up pressure on the Stars. Stankovic saw his well taken shot in the 86th minute blocked while another attempt at goal by Kuzmanovic also went wide in the 87th minute. Tagoe attracted a yellow card in the 89th minute and Addy came in to replace Prince Boateng in the 90th minute.

Gyan nearly increased the score line during added time but his curling shot hit the upright. He was replaced by Owusu-Abeyie in the final minute of the game.

The line-up: Black Stars
22-Richard Kingson; 4-John Pantsil, 5-John Mensah, 15-Isaac Vorsah, 2-Hans Sarpei, 6-Anthony Annan, 21-Kwadwo Asamoah (10-Stephen Appiah 73), 13-Dede Ayew, 23-Kevin-Prince Boateng (19-Lee Addy 90+1); 3-Asamoah Gyan (20-Quincy Owusu-Abeyie 90+3), 12-Prince Tagoe.

Serbia: 1-Vladimir Stojkovic; 6-Branislav Ivanovic, 5-Nemanja Vidic, 13-Aleksandar Lukovic, 3-Aleksandar Kolarov, 17-Milos Krasic, 10-Dejan Stankovic, 11-Nenad Milijas (22-Zdravko Kuzmanovic 62) 14-Milan Jovanovic (20-Neven Subotic 76), 15-Nikola Zigic (8-Danko Lazovic 69), 9-Marko Pantelic.