| Sanchez salvation: Mexico rallies to top Ghana |
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| Thursday, 27 March 2008 | |
 LONDON (AP) - Mexico rallied to beat Ghana 2-1 Wednesday in a friendly international, getting late goals from Carlos Salcido and Pavel Pardo. Ghana took the lead early in the second half at Craven Cottage, the home of Premier League team Fulham, when Michael Essien sent a 30-meter (yard) shot past Mexico goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez and into the net off the left post. Salcido equalized after a mistake by substitute goalkeeper Patrick Antwi in the 79th. Antwi slipped while trying to kick a simple pass back from Essien, leaving Salcido to put the ball into the empty net. Ghana captain John Mensah then hauled down Mexico substitute Adolfo Bautista as he burst toward the line in the box in the 88th, and Pardo slotted the penalty just beyond Antwi's grasp. Mexico had started the stronger and created a chance straight from the kickoff. Striker Antonio de Nigris fed the ball down the wing to Nery Castillo before latching onto the Manchester City forward's low cross with a powerful first-time shot that Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson blocked with his legs. Mexico continued to threaten with Deportivo La Coruna winger Andreas Guardado and Castillo troubling Ghana with their dribbling. However, Ghana defender John Paintsil cut down Guardado from behind in the 18th, picking up the game's first yellow card. The Mexico midfielder seemed to temporarily lose his appetite for taking on Paintsil, and Ghana came into the game. Anthony Annan whipped a long-range shot just over the bar and Manuel Agogo dragged the ball wide after being played through by Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari in the 26th. Muntari then narrowly failed to make contact with a curling cross from the left when only four meters (yards) out. Mexico finished the half strongly as Guardado began to run with the ball from deep again. In the 43rd he teased Paintsil before hanging a cross up to the back post, but Fernando Arce could not pick out de Nigris with his header. In the last action of the half, Castillo broke the offside trap and rounded Kingson, but his low shot was cleared off the line by Mensah sliding back into his own net. |
