Australia overcame the first-half dismissal of Harry Kewell to battle for a draw against Ghana that keeps their slim hopes of reaching the World Cup second round alive.
The Socceroos, hammered 4-0 by Germany in their opening Group D game, took an early lead through Brett Holman before former Liverpool forward Kewell was shown a straight red for a handball on the goal-line and Asamoah Gyan slotted home his second penalty of the tournament.
But an inexperienced Ghana side struggled against 10 men, showing limited imagination and resorting to shot after shot from long range.
And it was Australia who came closest to winning the match when Luke Wilkshire failed to beat Black Stars goalkeeper Richard Kingston when clean through on goal.
It was an impressive display from the Australians who had been lambasted by their national press after a meek opening performance and suffered the hammer blow of having a key man sent off for the second game in a row.
The Socceroos could still emulate their 2006 effort of reaching last 16 in South Africa if they defeat Serbia in their final game on Wednesday, while Ghana need only a point against the Germans to advance.
While injuries to captain John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah forced Ghana boss Milan Rajevac to field an inexperienced centre-back pairing of Lee Addy and Jonathan Mensah, under-fire Australia coach Pim Verbeek made four changes to the side that lost to Germany with Kewell called in to lead the attack.
And Kewell was immediately in the thick of the action, going down twice inside the area in the first 10 minutes but seeing both his penalty appeals turned down by Italian referee Roberto Rosetti.
The Socceroos had reason to thank the official shortly afterwards when he awarded the free-kick from which they took the lead.
Mark Bresciano’s 30-yard strike bounced awkwardly in front of Kingston, but the keeper should have done more than just parrying the ball straight in front of him. Holman reacted quickest to clip the loose ball into the top corner.
Kingston has played more for his country than his club in the last four years and his sloppy work provided another page in the catalogue of goalkeeping gaffes at this World Cup.
Ghana, the only African team to win at the tournament so far, reacted with a series of pacy attacks and they did not have to wait long for their equaliser.
Andre Ayew showed great determination to work some space for himself on the byline and produce a measured cut-back to Mensah, whose powerful goalbound shot struck Kewell on the arm.
Kewell protested that the ball had hit his chest and implored the referee to watch the replay on the big screen but when the incident was shown again it entirely vindicated the decision to award a penalty and show the Australia frontman a red card.
Gyan sent Socceroos keeper Mark Schwarzer the wrong way from the spot.
The Black Stars initially made the most of their extra man, using the full width of the pitch to stretch Australia, and Rajevac’s men could have gone ahead shortly before half-time.
Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng worked his way into the box and unleashed a right-footed shot that was brilliantly tipped around the post by Schwarzer, who had to be at his best once again shortly after the break to claw away a curler from Gyan.
Ghana seemed to lose their way as the game wore on, running out of ideas and firing speculative shots from distance which were often embarrassingly off target.
The Africans’ profligacy seemed to awaken their opponents’ senses to the possibility that they could still win the game and the Socceroos came close on two occasions.
First Scott Chipperfield headed over the bar, and then Wilkshire found acres of space in the box, but his shot was smothered by Kingston, who was on hand to gather Josh Kennedy’s follow-up effort.
But Ghana ended the game the stronger side with Mensah heading over from Sulley Muntari’s cross and Schwarzer pulling off a one-handed save to keep out Quincy Owusu-Abeyie’s long-range strike.
and denmark…
Denmark came from behind to defeat Cameroon in a pulsating match that ensured the African team became the first to be knocked out of the 2010 World Cup.
It was a game in which both teams squandered numerous chances – but the Indomitable Lions were undoubtedly the most profligate, particularly after they fell behind and chased the goal that they so desperately needed.
Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen superbly denied Achille Emana, while substitute Vincent Aboubakar had a goal-bound effort blocked by Christian Poulsen in the closing stages as the atmosphere reached fever pitch at Loftus Versfeld.
Denmark have qualified from the group stage at all three previous World Cup appearances – and Morten Olsen’s team will face Japan in their final game knowing a victory will take them into the next round.
And the result also ensured that the Netherlands – 1-0 winners over Japan earlier in the day – will qualify from Group E.
It did not look as though the experienced – if aging – Scandinavians would leave with three points after Cameroon tore into them in the opening minutes.
The African side had taken an early lead through Samuel Eto’o, who later hit the post, after a horrific error from Christian Poulsen.
But Nicklas Bendtner equalised from close range before veteran Dennis Rommedahl ghosted beyond substitute Jean Makoun after the break to leave Cameroon pointless after two games.
Cameroon were simply awful as they lost their opening match against Japan but in the minutes after kick-off on Saturday they looked strong, enthusiastic and focused.
There had been much talk of a rebellion against the tactics of coach Paul Le Guen, particularly after Eto’o played on the right and Alex Song was left out altogether against the Japanese.
But Song was restored to the Indomitable Lions midfield and had a fine game in a deep role, while Eto’o played in a more central position and took just 10 minutes to put his team in front.
Denmark, who lost to the Netherlands in their opening match, started nervously and gifted Eto’o his goal when Poulsen’s awful square pass close to the edge of his own penalty area was intercepted by Pierre Webo.
He slipped the ball to an unmarked Eto’o and the Cameroon skipper had time to slot the ball beyond Thomas Sorensen from 14 yards.
Eto’o had already shot wide, while Emana went close with a rasping low strike shortly after the opener as Le Guen’s team threatened to take a firm grip on the contest.
Denmark, with Jesper Gronkjaer, Jon Dahl Tomasson and Rommedahl playing behind Bendtner, simply could not keep hold of the ball during the opening 15 minutes, but they slowly edged their way back into the contest.
Rommedahl and Gronkjaer had both failed to hit the target with shots from wide positions but it would have been difficult for Bendtner to miss as he drew Denmark level after 32 minutes.
The unmarked Arsenal striker stabbed home Rommedahl’s low cross from six yards but it was the sensational raking 60-yard cross-field pass from the impressive Simon Kjaer that really caught the eye – and caught Benoit Assou-Ekotto out of position.
Both teams might have scored again before the break as some atrocious defending ensured the game became an increasingly enjoyable spectacle.
Song blocked a goal-bound strike from Tomasson, while Eto’o struck the post with a drilled effort before Sorensen denied Emana after the Cameroon forward had been allowed to easily skip his way through the centre of the Danish defence.
The match continued to seesaw after the restart, with Sorenson tipping over a header from Stephane Mbia and Kjaer shooting inches over the crossbar.
But a swift Danish counter led to the game’s next goal, with Rommedahl showing a burst of space to easily skip past substitute Jean Makoun before precisely slotting the ball across Hamidou Souleymanou and into the bottom corner.
Makoun had been covering for right-back Assou-Ekotto, who seconds earlier had been involved in a break almost led to a Cameroon goal.
Stung into action, the African side responded, with Webo heading wide and Makoun shooting over.
Denmark held their shape and showed a steel to preserve their lead but suffered a blow late on when Kjaer picked up a booking that means he will miss the match against Japan.
Even so, it was Olsen’s team who were celebrating at the final whistle while Cameroon’s only win since the 1990 World Cup remains a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in 2002.
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