Group E: Czech Republic 0, Ghana 2 Petr Cech does not get many days like this. With a minute of normal time to go, three white-shirted forwards bore down on him. The Czech Republic's defence, yet again, had been blown to smithereens. And once more only the bizarre profligacy of Ghana's attackers would spare his blushes.

With Sulley Ali Muntari to his left and Stephen Appiah to his right as they stormed the penalty area unopposed in line abreast, Razak Pimpong released his pass an instant after Muntari had edged offside while visions of quiet afternoons at Stamford Bridge flitted across the mind of the helpless goalkeeper.

The last 20 minutes of Saturday's enthralling and historic match turned into an ordeal for the Chelsea man and his colleagues as Ghana summoned all their forces in search of proof that they could turn their mesmerising approach work into the currency of goals and, ultimately, into their first victory in the finals of a World Cup.

Eventually Muntari produced the shot that destroyed the resistance mounted by the Czechs, who had Tomas Ujfalusi sent off in the 65th minute. Had efficiency been among Ghana's attributes, they would have scored half a dozen. At least they made more capital from their opportunities than while losing 2-0 to Italy and the success may help to steady their forwards' nerves as they take aim in future matches.

Having provided their continent with its first win in the 2006 World Cup, they will fear no one as they face the USA with a place in the second round at stake.

Much that has been so invigorating about the start of this tournament was encapsulated in a match the Black Stars had to win. Their young players - the average age of the starting XI was 23.9 and that of the back four lower - tore into the ageing Czechs, winning a corner in the first minute and taking the lead after 70 seconds when Muntari chipped the clearance back and watched Asamoah Gyan leave David Rozehnal floundering before volleying past Cech's left hand.

With Pavel Nedved's experience and energy and the twinkling brilliance of Tomas Rosicky at their disposal, the Czechs had expectations of mounting a recovery and confirming the good impression created by their opening victory over the USA. Lacking the injured Milan Baros and Jan Koller, however, they were left with a forward line consisting only of Vratislav Lokvenc, a player with all but an inch or two of Koller's height but none of his presence.

Ghana's defence deserved credit for a shut-out that looked on the cards even before the Czechs lost a man. Richard Kingston, known as Faruk Gursoy when playing for Ankaraspor in the Turkish league, again produced several outstanding saves, while the overlapping ambitions of Zdenek Grygera were snuffed out by the attentions of 22-year-old left back Habib Mohamed.

Ujfalusi received his straight red card for tripping Matthew Amoah inside the penalty area when the striker was through on goal. Gyan converted the spot-kick but was booked and forced to retake it, succeeding only in hitting the inside of a post at the second attempt. Like Muntari, Gyan will miss the third match, having collected yellow cards in each of the first two games.

Ghana's four-man midfield controlled the match and showed itself to be almost as much a thing of wonder as Argentina's equivalent unit.

With Appiah, the captain, at the apex of the diamond and the tough-tackling Michael Essien at the base, width was provided by the adventurous Muntari and Otto Addo, the latter replaced to even better effect at half-time by the younger Derek Boateng. Compact, muscular and vigorous, the quartet supported each other diligently. But it was Appiah who had pulled the strings.

At the end Essien exchanged shirts and an affectionate hug with Cech, a man who certainly knew he had been in a game.

SUBSTITUTIONS

CZECH REPUBLIC: Stajner for Poborsky (55 mins), Polak for Galasek (45 mins), Sionko for Plasil (68 mins). Subs not used: Mares, Kovac, Jiranek, Jarolim, Blazek, Heinz, Kinsky, Koller, Baros. Booked: Lokvenc.

GHANA: Boateng for Otto Addo (45 mins), Pimpong for Gyan (85 mins), Eric Addo for Amoah (80 mins). Subs not used: Adjei, Sarpei, Kuffour, Pappoe, Tachie-Mensah, Owu, Quaye, Ahmed, Dramani. Booked: Otto Addo, Essien, Gyan, Boateng, Muntari.

Referee: Horacio Marcelo Elizondo (Argentina).