Miroslav Klose scored his 15th World Cup goal to help Germany to a 2-2 draw with Ghana on Saturday evening, Declan Olley (@declanolley) writes.
The striker came on as a substitute to equalise for Germany with his first touch and score his 15th World Cup goal equalling Ronaldo’s record.
Before the 36-year-old’s record goal, Mario Gotze had put Germany ahead early in the second-half but his effort was cancelled out minutes later by Andre Ayew. Asamoah Gyan then gave Ghana the lead only for Klose to level things up.
The result leaves Germany on four points, with a match against USA while Ghana have their first point and face Portugal in their final group game.
Ghana lost their opening game 2-1 to the USA, but they had lost none of their belief and confidence. They caused Germany problems early on with Christian Atsu at the heart of it.
His low ball into the box in the seventh minute was blazed well over by striker Gyan. Six minutes later the Ghanaian winger had a go himself from outside the box out only to see his effort comfortably parried away by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The Bayern Munich stopper was forced into another save in the 31st minute after Sulley Muntari’s left-footed drive from 25 yards out.
At the other end, Ghana’s Abiola Dauda wasn’t seriously tested in a first-half that saw Germany create no clear-cut chances in a subdued opening 45 minutes.
But the game came to life in the second-half as Gotze headed Germany in front six minutes after the restart. The Bayern Munich forward added the finish to a wonderful cross from club team-mate Thomas Muller, who was afforded time and space by the Ghanaian defence.
Germany’s lead didn’t last for long though. Four minutes after Gotze’s goal, Andrew Ayew rose above Shokdran Mustafi, who replaced Jerome Boateng at half-time, to nod home Harrison Afful’s cross for Ghana’s equaliser.
Buoyed by their goal Ghana continued to attack and in the 63rd minute they took the lead. Gyan latched on to a beautifully weighted Muntari through ball and finished clinically past Neuer.
German coach Joachim Low responded by bringing on Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose for Sami Khedira and Gotze.
It proved a shrewd move by Low as Klose brought Germany level after prodding home Benedict Howedes’ flick on from Toni Kroos’s corner.
Klose had the chance to win the game and become the leading all-time World Cup goalscorer but he pulled his shot horribly wide in the 90th minute.