Portugal pip Ghana but both bow out

Portugal defeated Ghana 2-1 in a World Cup Group G match on Thursday night but the win could not save Portugal who are eliminated with the Africans. Meanwhile, United States, beaten by 0-1 by Germany in another Group G match last night, moved to the 2nd Round on better goal difference than Portugal. While Germany and the United States celebrated, there was disappointment for world footballer of the year Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. The Portuguese captain scored his first goal of the tournament in a 2-1 win over Ghana but it was not enough to prevent his side exiting in the first round. Portugal had needed a big win over Ghana, but Ronaldo’s normally unerring eye for goal deserted him. The Real Madrid star missing several promising openings. ‘The match today was a match we tried to win and we did win. We created many opportunities but we could not finish them all,’ said a disappointed Ronaldo. ‘We knew we had to score three goals and we were depending on the result of the Germany game. We knew it was complicated but what's left at the end shows that it was possible considering the number of opportunities we created during the game.’ The defeat completed a miserable campaign for 2010 quarter-finalists Ghana, who never recovered after losing 2-1 to the United States in their opening match. A row over player bonuses earlier this week led to the bizarre spectacle of $3 million being airlifted to the squad from Ghana ahead of the Portugal match. Just hours before kick-off stars Sulley Muntari and Kevin Prince Boateng were axed from the squad for indiscipline. Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah denied the expulsions had damaged his team's morale ahead of a must-win match. ‘I don't think it had any impact on the game. The boys played well. They had a few chances but we couldn't take them,’ Appiah said, according to AFP.