Ghana’s 3-2 defeat to Portugal will have a bitter taste for the Black Stars, but it was not short on entertainment value.
It was an eventful game in the final half hour, after Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring from the penalty spot. Andre Ayew equalised and had barely finished celebrating before Joao Felix gave Portugal the lead again. Two minutes later, Rafael Leao would double it.
With minutes to go Osman Bukari pulled one back, but instead of recovering the ball and racing back to the centre circle, Bukari decided to wheel away and break out the ‘Siu’ celebration – in front of Ronaldo.
In the final moments, Inaki Williams came close to writing his name into Ghana history, but could not keep his footing at the vital moment.
El portero regala un gol en el último segundo pero Iñaki Williams lo falla 😭 pic.twitter.com/WjF5D04GVd
— Rodrigo (@Rodrigo_ATM_) November 24, 2022
What could have been! 😧
Iñaki Williams slips in the dying seconds of the game and misses the chance to level it for Ghana #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/t9C00ik9jt
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 24, 2022
We almost had a MASSIVE blunder by Portugal 😱 pic.twitter.com/CjW4gNs3vS
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 24, 2022
That slip likely deprived Ghana of a point in Williams’ first competitive start for the Black Stars. His 90-year-old grandfather, a major part of the reason he switched allegiance to Ghana, will have been on a rollercoaster of emotions watching back home.
"Look at Ronaldo's face!" 😲
Portugal really got away with one here…#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/zzhVWTKD88
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 24, 2022