Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in five World Cups as Portugal beat Ghana in the final to seal a thrilling five-goal victory in Group H.
Portugal took control of the game from the first whistle, and almost turned their early possession dominance into a tangible reward – Ronaldo was thwarted by Lawrence Atti-Zigi, before heading wide at the far post moments later.
The ball was in the Ghanaian net just above the half-hour mark, usually through Ronaldo’s assured finish, but the Portugal captain was adjudged to have fouled Alexandre Dziku when he spun the ball and the strike was disallowed.
Portugal continued to push hard in the second half but was gifted a golden opportunity when Ronaldo was tripped by Mohamed Salisu and scored his 118th international goal from the spot.
There was some debate as to whether the challenge would have resulted in a penalty, but with the award already given, the referee was not asked to change his decision by VAR.
Ghana responded strongly. Qudus bit the palm of Diogo Costa before getting down the left and delivering a low cross that deflected to Danilo Pereira and fell perfectly for Andre Ayew to curl the ball in from close range.
This time it was Portugal’s turn to find an answer, and they scored twice in three minutes to secure victory. First Joao Felix and then Rafael Leo, the latter slipping passes into the Ghana backline for a certain finish from his first international goal, the architect of both being Bruno Fernandes.
Ghana renewed hope after Ousmane Bucari pulled a goal back in the 89th minute and then mocked Ronaldo in his celebration, which saw Costa deftly caught out by Inaki Williams. The decisive moment was when he tried to nip in front of the goalkeeper.
For Ronaldo, the result means he is off and running to win one of the few trophies that elude him, in what will surely be his last World Cup.
It also puts a different context on a difficult week after his contract with Manchester United was terminated following his explosive, and highly critical, interview with Piers Morgan.
Portugal vs Ghana Live Score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Portugal | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Ghana | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Goals:
POR – Ronaldo – 65 Min
GHA — Andre Ayew -73 mins
POR — Joao Felix -78 mins
POR — Rafael Leao- 80 mins
GHA — Osman Bukari -89 mins
Starting Lineups:
Portugal (4-1-2-1-2, right to left):
22. Costa (GK) — 20. Cancelo, 4. Dias, 13. Danilo Pereira, 5. Guerreiro — 18. Neves — 8. Fernandes, 25 Ottavio — 10. Bernardo Silva — 7. Ronaldo, 11. Joao Felix
Ghana (5-4-1, right to left):
1. Ati-jigi (GK) – 26. Seidu, 23. Digiku, 18. Amartey, 4. Salisu, 17. Rahman – 20. Qudus, 5. Parte, 21. Abdul Sameed, 10. A. Ayew – 19. Williams.
Portugal vs Ghana Live Updates, 2022 World Cup Highlights
FULLTIME: It’s all over and Portugal is opening the World Cup for the first time since 2006. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring from the spot and Joao Felix and Rafael Leo looked set to secure the game. Even though Henri Ayew equalized, the European team had to survive a grandstand finish to secure the three points.
90+10 minutes: What on earth is happening? Diogo Costa doesn’t see Inaki Williams lurking behind him and the Ghana striker comes out after the ball is left on the ground, but slips at the crucial moment, and Portugal is able to clear it!
The given video is available in US
We almost had a MASSIVE blunder by Portugal 😱 pic.twitter.com/CjW4gNs3vS
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 24, 2022
90+8 min: A moment in the heart for Diogo Costa who completes his goal after Ousmane Bucari tries his luck from the left. The ball is just, wide, to the relief of the Portugal goalkeeper.
90 + 4 mins: Portugal is trying to run down the clock here, and time-wasting is definitely becoming an issue, but the referee seems wise to it. That nine extra minutes can still be extended.
90+1 min: Inaki Williams is on the books for revenge after being fouled by Danilo Pereira, and we’re nine minutes into added time. Don’t go anywhere!
Goal! 89 mins: Hello! In any case, with Ghana one behind, Baba Rahman’s tenacity pays off down the left and his cross is looped in for Usman Bukari to head in at the far post!
The given video is available in US
GHANA TAKES ONE BACK 🇬🇭 pic.twitter.com/iKqjAwOqfF
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 24, 2022
88 min: Two of Portugal’s three goalscorers depart as Ronaldo and Joao Felix are substituted for the final leg.
83 min: Ronaldo goes away again, bursting in front of the defense to thwart Lawrence Atti-Zigi, at which point the offside flag goes up.
Goal! 80 mins: Of course now that’s it! Bruno Fernandes carries the ball from inside his own half and multiplies his pass perfectly, sliding a perfectly weighted pass to Rafael Leo, who applies the finish for his first international goal.
Goal! 78 min: Portugal is ahead! Bruno Fernandes found a gap in the Ghanaian defense and headed in Joao Felix’s pass on the right, and the Atletico Madrid forward headed Lawrence Eti-Zigi.
The given video is available in UK
A lovely finish 😍
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 24, 2022
João Félix puts Portugal back in front! #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/YyxGOACFFY
77 mins: Two changes for Ghana and one for Portugal. Rafael Leo is on for Ruben Neves while Jordan Ayew and Ousmane Bukhari are on for Ghana.
Goal! 73 min: Ghana is level now! And it’s Mohamed Qudus at the heart of it, coming down the left and pulling back a cross from Danilo Pereira and falling perfectly for Andrew Ayew to slot home from close range.
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GHANA TIES IT 🇬🇭
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 24, 2022
What a response 💪 pic.twitter.com/L0etnbI8Le
The given video is available in UK
AYEW LEVELS IT FOR GHANA! 🇬🇭
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 24, 2022
The first goal for an African nation at the 2022 World Cup #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ZjUozewI0Q
72 min: If Ghana is to get back into it, Mohamed Qudus is surely going to be the man to provide it, stinging the palms of Diogo Costa with a fierce drive from range.
68 mins: Yet another record for the collection!
Goal! Portugal 1-0 Ghana (Ronaldo)
Portugal’s lead! After a long protest from the Ghanaian players, Ronaldo rises up and buries the ball between Lawrence Atti-Zigi. He has now scored in five World Cups.
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RONALDO MAKES HISTORY
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 24, 2022
With this goal, he becomes the first men's player to score in five different FIFA World Cup tournaments 🔥🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/PxWP4Z5z8o
61 min: Penalty to Portugal! Ronaldo goes down in the box under a challenge from Salisu and is pointed to the spot by the very lenient referee.
60 min: I can’t believe Seidu got away with that. While Felix was on the offensive early, the Ghanaian full-back nosed him and knocked him back with his head. It wasn’t the most violent bot you’d ever see; I’ve never seen one, far from it…but I’ve seen players get straight red cards for such actions in the past.
58 min: Already on a yellow card, a violently protesting Seidu is led off by his teammates after going head-to-head with Joao Felix, rising to the Portuguese striker’s grill and headbutting him. The Portuguese forward falls dramatically to the ground and Seidou walks away with a tick-off from the extremely lenient referee instead of a second yellow and red.
57 min: Portugal Substitution: William Carvalho for Ottavio, who looks to have sent off a knock.
55 min: On the left side of the Ghana penalty area, Ronaldo is unable to create an angle for a shot. He chooses to cross instead but his attempt is blocked.
52 min: Joao Cancelo is having a shocker by the usual high standards expected of him in a Manchester City shirt. After being fed the ball by Ruben Neves in a promising position wide of the Acres, he tries to cut inside rather than cross, beats Mohamed Qudus, and falls over.
51 min: A big deal continues to happen for a long time. Possession continues to dominate as Portugal makes precious little with it.
49 mins: Andre Ayew is booked for a clumsy challenge on Ottavio, who just turned him over.
47 mins: Bernardo Silva is dispossessed by Rahman Baba in the Ghanaian half and the left-back extends the lead. Fun fact: Ghana has yet to enjoy a touch of the ball in the Portugal penalty area.
Half Time: Portugal 0-0 Ghana. After two minutes of added time, both teams entered the break after the game ended in a goalless draw. Portugal dominated and probably should have scored but Cristiano Ronaldo missed two good chances that came his way.
45 min: There will be two added minutes. I’m glad because it’s bad, but are we going back to not keeping the time right? The highlight of this World Cup is the amount of injury time played.
45 min: KUDUS launches into CANCELO. Legs spread, stud borne … and he lands a right sawyer yin on Cancelo’s leg. He has already booked.
45 min: Ottavio crosses from the right into the Ghanaian penalty area and sends the ball over the bar.
42 min: Bruno curls a good cross onto the back stick
Ronaldo sees it going over his head and switches off, so when Guerreiro reverses it, it hits his leg, and Félix is penalized for the foul, chasing the loose ball.
40 min: Anytime Ghana finds themselves with a goal-kick, Portugal’s front three line up in such a way as not to risk their opponents playing in behind. It’s a tactic that is working, by forcing a long kick instead of a ball, they directly gift possession to Portugal.
38 min: Another weak corner. Ronaldo leads, then the flag goes up for a foul on Danilo.
37 min: Ghana wins a corner, their first of the game. Kuddus heads the ball to the near post, where Ruben Neves heads clear. The ball falls to Quddus, who sends it back to the mixer. Fernandez headed the ball in for another corner, which Ronaldo cleared.
33 min: Portugal wins another free-kick. Bottom right and level with the edge of the box, 25 yards out. Bruno swings in a good-looking ball, but Ayew gets a big head on it and concedes a corner; That goes short to Ottavio, who crosses straight to Ziggy.
31 min: Ronaldo latches on to Felix’s pass, spins away from Alexandre Dziku and gets the ball into the Ghanaian net with a neat finish but is penalized for pushing the defender in the build-up. It was a foul but quite unfair; Ronaldo looks suitably unhappy and the stalemate remains unbroken.
30 min: Salisu fouled Ronaldo. Freekick Portugal, 45 yards out, and Bernardo’s effort is headed comfortably by Amartey.
28 min: Joao Cancelo sends a cross from the left into the Ghana penalty area but it’s overheated and goes to Bernardo Silva on the far wing. He tees up Joao Felix on the inside ball for a shot on goal but the Atletico Madrid man sends his effort high and wide.
25 min: Ottavio tries to get Bruno Fernandes to run on with the ball from deep. He is not accurate enough and the ball goes out of play for a goal kick.
24 min: Andre Ayew wins a free-kick, drawing a foul from Ruben Neves halfway inside his own half. Ghana takes it and immediately cede possession again.
22 min: Ghana spread the ball from one end of the pitch to the other and gets forward courtesy of Andre Ayew, who finishes by playing it to Seidu.
17 min: Is there no escaping Ronaldo?
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Will this World Cup be Ronaldo’s last? 🤔 #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/JVwAGYBh0I
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 24, 2022
16 mins: Inaki Williams tries to latch on to a great long ball from the back played by Mohamed Salisu but his first touch lets him down.
13 min: Another chance and once again Ronaldo can’t capitalize. Portugal quickly takes a corner and Ghana is caught cold, Rafael Guerreiro finding space on the left to volley the ball towards the far post… where Ronaldo rises highest to nod wide!
11 mins: Bernardo Silva and Otavio link up down the inside-left but the latter’s shot is blocked by a defender.
7 mins: Portugal continues to enjoy the majority of possession but are yet to create anything in the way of scoring chances. For their part, Ghana is the fifth and final African team to play in the tournament and will be hoping to be the first to score. Qudus gets a cross into the Portugal box from the left but Diogo Costa quickly gathers it on his line.
5 mins: It’s our first effort of the game as Ghana fails to clear a corner completely and the ball falls to Otavio outside the area, but the Porto midfielder gets in a shot and it goes well wide.
2 min: You’d have long odds on Ronaldo being fouled on his first contribution but it proves it, with the Portugal captain conceding a free-kick to travel on the halfway mark.
Kickoff: Ronaldo gets the ball rolling and we’re on a roll in this Group H opener.
3 minutes from kickoff: The teams are in the tunnel before standing on the pitch. Kickoff at Stadium 974 is moments away.
Ghana lineup against Portugal
Fernando Santos faced a coin toss for his starting goalkeeper and Porto’s Diogo Costa gave the nod to long-serving No. 1 Rui Patricio. Danilo Pereira started ahead of veteran defender Pepe, leaving Ronaldo as the only cap centurion in Portugal’s starting XI.
Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandes started the attack behind Ronaldo.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes misses out, leaving Rafael Guerreiro at left-back and Joao Cancelo in the other full-back position.
Portugal (4-1-2-1-2, right to left):
22. Costa (GK) — 20. Cancelo, 4. Dias, 13. Danilo Pereira, 5. Guerreiro — 18. Neves — 8. Fernandes, 25 Ottavio — 10. Bernardo Silva — 7. Ronaldo, 11. Joao Felix
Both Kamaldeen Sulemana and Daniel Kofi Kaireh have been included in Ghana’s World Cup squad despite injury concerns, although neither has started. Inaki Williams got the nod, with fellow recent call-up Tariq Lampte starting on the bench.
Ghana (5-2-3, right to left):
1. AT-Ziggy (GK) – 26. Seidu, 23. Digiku, 18. Amartey, 4. Salisu, 17. Rahman – 5. Parte, 21. Abdul Sameed – 20. Qudus, 19. Williams, 10. A. IU.
Portugal vs Ghana Live Stream, TV Channel
Here’s how you can see all the action in the major global regions.
| Date | Time | TV Channel | Streaming | |
| USA | Thu, Nov. 24 | 11:00 ET | FOX, Telemundo | fuboTV, Fox Sports app, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Peacock Premium |
| Australia | Fri, Nov. 25 | 03:00 AEDT | SBS | SBS On Demand |
| UK | Thu, Nov. 24 | 16:00 GMT | ITV, STV | ITVX, STV Player |
| Canada | Thu, Nov. 24 | 11:00 EST | TSN | TSN app |
| Hong Kong | Fri, Nov. 25 | 00:00 HKT | — | Now TV |
| India | Thu, Nov. 24 | 21:30 IST | Sports18 | Voot, JioTV |
| Malaysia | Fri, Nov. 25 | 00:00 MYT | Astro, RTM | Astro Go, RTMKlik |
| Singapore | Fri, Nov. 25 | 00:00 SGT | — | MeWatch, Singtel, StarHub |
| New Zealand | Fri, Nov. 24 | 05:00 NZDT | Sky Sports | Sky Go NZ |
Portugal vs Ghana
Portugal vs Ghana live: World Cup scores, highlights, 2022 Group H match results: Ronaldo captains Portugal
Event Type: SportsEvent
Event Attendance Mode: Online + Offline
Event Status: EventScheduled
Performer: Person
Start Date: 2022-11-24 21:45
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Availability Starts: 2022-11-24T21:45:49