FORTALEZA // German forward Miroslav Klose struck minutes after entering the field as a second-half substitute to equal Brazilian legend Ronaldo's all-time World Cup goals record and claim his side an invaluable point in a spirited, strength-sapping 2-2 draw with Ghana.
Four goals in 20 minutes turned a balanced encounter into a thrilling tie as the lead was passed back and forth like a hot stone.
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Mario Gotze opened the scoring, before Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan reversed the lead. But the final word was to be had by the veteran, Klose, 36, who snatched a typical poacher's goal with 19 minutes remaining.
Germany had started unchanged from the side that crushed Portugal 4-0, while Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah replaced goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey with Orlando Pirates' Fatawu Dauda. Kevin-Prince Boateng, the Berlin-born Ghanaian, came in to line up against his brother, Jerome.
The manner in which Joachim Loew's side dismantled Portugal has seen their reputation as one of the tournament favourites strengthen and they looked menacing from the start.
Slick and quick, their passing in the final third proved engrossing as Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller linked up to lay-off Toni Kroos, whose shot was cleared.
Ghana were defending deep, refusing to allow their opponents too much time or space on the ball. In the stifling humidity, they stifled the German attacks, leaving Dauda with few saves to make in the first half.
Yet this was not a Ghanaian side set up merely to defend.
The 2010 quarter-finalists looked far more focused and dangerous in the opening exchanges here than they did in their 2-1 defeat to the United States and had the better chances in what was a balanced first half.
Gyan, the Al Ain striker, fired over under pressure from Per Mertesacker, while Christian Atsu and Sulley Muntari both saw their rasping drives from distance beaten away by Manuel Neuer.
At the interval, Loew introduced Shkodran Mustafi in place of Jerome Boateng and within six minutes his side had stolen a lead – and in an odd sort of way. Gotze, who had squeezed between John Boye and Harrison Afful, headed a cross downwards, but it bounced off his own knee and into the net. If ever there was such a thing as an own goal at the right end, this was it.
The lead did not last long. Appiah quickly hooked Boateng off for Jordan Ayew and within a minute his older brother Andre had restored parity. The Marseille forward leapt highest and expertly clipped a header past Neuer to quieten the German fans.
Nine minutes later and the tables had turned entirely. Gyan – who scored 29 times in the Arabian Gulf League last season – timed his run perfectly to find himself through on goal and, from a one-on-one position, never looked like missing as he fired an emphatic shot past the helpless Neuer.
It was Loew's turn to react to his side falling behind and he introduced Bastian Schweinsteiger and Klose.
Again, within minutes, the switch paid dividends.
A corner was knocked on at the front post by Benedikt Hoewedes and Klose poked home at the back to tie Ronaldo's record of 15 World Cup goals.
Klose has now scored at four separate World Cups, a feat achieved only by compatriot Uwe Seeler and another Brazilian popular in these parts, Pele.
For Germany, a draw means they are still in control of their own destiny, with four points from two games. Beat or draw against the United States in their final match and they will reach the last 16.
Ghana, with just a point from two fine performances, will wait on the result of the US v Portugal match tonight before knowing whether they have a chance of joining Germany in the knockout rounds.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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