Ronaldo breaks record to inspire Brazil to last eight

Jun 27, 2006, 17:53 GMT

Ronaldo (R) from Brazil is celebrated by teammates (L-R) Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Adriano, Kaka after scoring the 1:0 lead against Ghana during the 2nd round match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Ghana in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, 27 June 2006. EPA/ROLAND WEIHRAUCH

Dortmund - Brazil beat Ghana 3-0 to move into the last eight of the World Cup in Dortmund on Tuesday thanks to goals from Ronaldo, Adriano and Ze Roberto.

Ronaldo's strike on five minutes made him the highest goals corer in World Cup history with 15 goals and when Adriano added a second on the stroke of half-time it was Brazil's 200th World Cup goal.

Ze Roberto scored the third late-on against a spirited Ghana side who were denied by some excellent saves from Dida and were unlucky with Brazil's second goal which replays showed was fractionally offside.

'It's not something I was deliberately aiming for,' said Ronaldo, deflecting praise after the convincing win. 'I'm very happy. We're playing as a team, and I score the goals. I know I've been under pressure but it's good for me. It allows me to laugh it off and show what's in me. Now I want to score more goals so we can be champions.'

Ghana started the most important match in their history without arguably their most important player, midfielder Michael Essien, who was suspended.

Brazil were looking for goals number 199 and 200 in their World Cup history and almost scored as early as the second minute when Ronaldinho threaded Ronaldo through but the striker was a fraction offside.

Three minutes later there was no off-side flag as this time Kaka put the Brazilian number nine through. Latching onto the pass, and with one step-over and a neat finish he beat Richard Kingson in the Ghana goal to put Brazil in front and write himself into the history books.

Conceding early was the last thing Ghana wanted and Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari were booked in quick succession for rash challenges. Still rocking back on their heels the Africans were almost two-down on 13 minutes.

Ze Roberto's pass split Ghana's defence and Adriano, looking marginally offside, honed in on goal. The Inter Milan striker couldn't finish and was harshly booked for diving as he went down in the box.

Ghana finally troubled Dida in the Brazilian goal on 20 minutes with a tame shot from Muntari. Matthew Amoah then twice tested the keeper twice but he also failed to connect properly with his shots.

With the chances now coming at both ends Ronaldinho almost caught Kingson napping with a shot to his nearpost but the Ghana keeper got down well to palm the effort away for a corner.

On 40 minutes Ghana had their best chance but Mensah headed straight at Dida's feet and he made the save. The mistake proved costly as on the stroke of half-time Brazil went 2-0 up thanks to Adriano.

For the second time in the game the Brazilian striker looked offside but the flag stayed down and he bundled in Cafu's cross to mark-up Brazil's double century.

Replays confirmed the goal should not have stood and Ghana, who had also received four first-half bookings, left the field arguing with match officials.

Brazil made a change at the start of the second half bringing on Gilberto Silva for Emerson, and the Arsenal man slotted straight into defensive midfield ready for the Ghanian onslaught as the Africans fought to stay in the World Cup.

The underdogs' boss, Ratomir Dujkovic, was ordered to the stands to watch the second half but refused to go and from the mouth of the players' tunnel saw John Pantsil head Muntari's corner wide on the hour mark.

Then on 68 minutes Asamoah Gyan tested Dida with a fierce shot from an Appiah pass but the Brazil keeper got down well to make the save of the match.

Ghana, roared on by thousands of fans in the 65,000 capacity crowd, sensed they could still come back into the game - Gyan flashing another shot at Dida with 10 minutes left.

But the same player was then adjudged to have dived in the box and received his second yellow card. Down to 10 men, Ghana were exposed and Brazil immediately killed the tie - Ze Roberto beating the offside trap and flicking the ball over Kingson to make it 3-0.

Brazil were now well on top and only two last-gasp stops from the keeper kept the score down in the dying minutes as Ghana bowed out of the first World Cup.