Football / World Youth Cup: Ghana overcome stern resistance: England's youth have a sad day down under

England Under-20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Ghana Under-20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

ENGLAND, seeking to reach the final of the Fifa / Coca-Cola World Youth Cup for the first time, bowed out in the semi-finals to the dazzling but sometimes erratic Ghanaians, here last night, writes Michael Travis from Sydney. England, however, recovered grittily after being 2-0 in 23 minutes.

Ghana will now meet Brazil, 2-0 winners over Australia yesterday, in Saturday's final while England must content themselves with the third- fourth place curtain-raiser against the host nation on the same day.

Ghana took the lead with a 12th- minute penalty by Augustine Ahinful, who had been brought down by Chelsea's Ian Pearce, although the defender seemed to win the ball cleanly. Eleven minutes later Mohammed Gargo scored from a free-kick, after a dubious handball offence.

Chris Bart-Williams was adjudged to have been fouled in the penalty area three minutes into the second half, Jamie Pollock converting the spot-kick. England almost snatched an equaliser with 15 minutes left, but the woodwork denied Bart-Williams the goal of the tournament.

ENGLAND: D Watson (Barnsley); S Watson (Newcastle), Unsworth (Everton), Harriott (Oldham), Pearce (Chelsea), Caskey (Tottenham), Hughes (Crewe), Thompson (Newcastle), Pollock (Middlesbrough), Bart-Williams (Sheffield Wednesday), Joachim (Leicester). Substitute: Butt (Manchester United) for Unsworth, 69.

GHANA: Owu; E Asare, I Asare, Gargo, Lamptey, Ahinful, Duah, Akonnor, Kuffour, Banini, Addo.

Referee: A Perez Hoyos (Colombia).