Stunning win for Ghana

COLOGNE, Germany — Ghana delivered Africa's first victory in this World Cup with style.

The Black Stars stunned the Czech Republic — ranked second in the world — 2-0 Saturday. A goal in the second minute gave them the lead, and they peppered the Czech net the rest of the game before finally getting another goal.

Ghana's win also helped the United States, which tied Italy 1-1 later Saturday. The Italians lead Group E with four points, the Czechs and Ghana have three and the Americans one.

All four are alive to advance, depending on their games Thursday. The Americans play Ghana and the Italians face the Czechs.

Asamoah Gyan scored in the second minute off a piercing pass from captain Stephen Appiah. It all went Ghana's way from then on for the biggest upset in Germany so far.

"It's fantastic. We showed we can do it," Appiah said.

Sulley Muntari put the game out of reach in the 82nd minute after keeper Petr Cech made a handful of spectacular saves.

Czech coach Karel Bruckner had hoped to have qualification sealed before facing Italy on Thursday, but was left to marvel at Saturday's stunner.

"Our opponent showed extraordinary quality. We couldn't cope," Bruckner said.

Heavily outnumbered by Czech fans in the crowd, Ghana's supporters roared with delight at every chance and danced in their seats in the 45,000-seat Cologne Stadium.

Gyan picked up a pass from Appiah and easily beat Cech from just inside the area just 68 seconds into the match. Muntari added the second, sending a rocket of a shot into the upper right corner of the net.

Both goal scorers will miss the next match after successive yellow cards.

Gyan missed a penalty kick in the 67th after Czech defender Tomas Ujfalusi was sent off. He hit the right goalpost moments after putting a shot into the net — but before the referee blew his whistle to restart play.

Ujfalusi brought down striker Matthew Amoah to draw the penalty.

The Czechs were missing strikers Jan Koller and Aston Villa's Milan Baros with injuries, but it was the defense that broke down.

"Ghana played very well, starting with their early goal. We were forced to play an open game which served Ghana," Bruckner said.

Vratislav Lokvenc, the lone striker for the Czech Republic, was quiet for most of the game and will be suspended in the third group match for getting his second yellow card of the round.

Ghana dominated with Appiah and Michael Essien repeatedly exposing weaknesses in the Czech defense. Cech did well to stop a shot at close range from Amoah in the 70th, and again from Muntari three minutes later.

With Essien and Appiah running the Czech defense ragged, Cech also stopped a barrage of late shots, with Gyan missing another one-on-one chance in the 79th.

But Muntari found the net with a shot that left Cech no chance — and the Americans a better chance.

"It was a good victory for the team, my country and Africa as a whole," Essien said.

Five African teams are playing in the World Cup: Ghana, Angola, Ivory Coast, Togo and Tunisia.

Portugal 2, Iran 0

FRANKFURT, Germany — Portugal waited 40 years to once again get beyond the first round of the World Cup.

Deco scored with a powerful first-time shot from outside the penalty area in the 63rd minute and Cristiano Ronaldo made a penalty kick 10 minutes from the end to give the Portuguese the victory over Iran. That guaranteed advancement for Portugal, which last got so far in 1966.

Portugal finished third that year, but has struggled in soccer's premier event ever since — including four years ago, when an opening loss to the United States led to a first-round elimination.

Portugal has six points in Group D; it beat Angola 1-0 in its opening match.

"This is a historic moment for Portugal, the first time in 40 years it has come so far. We're elated," Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. "We played better than against Angola. We showed some of our skill today."

Iran remained winless, having lost its opener against Mexico 3-1, and was eliminated.

Luis Figo set up both Portugese goals.

He first broke down the left flank and passed inside for an unmarked Deco to fire home.

On another break down the left, Figo was brought down in the area by Yahya Golmohammadi for the penalty kick. Ronaldo stepped up to the spot and fired in a hard shot.