Germany draws 2-2 with Ghana as Klose equals Ronaldo record

Ghana held Germany to a 2-2 draw yesterday despite veteran striker Miroslav Klose coming on as a substitute to tie the World Cup scoring record with the equalizer in their highly entertaining Group G match.

Klose now has 15 career World Cup goals, equaling the mark set by former Brazil star Ronaldo. Klose scored the equalizer in the 71st minute, less than two minutes after coming on, when a corner by Toni Kroos was flicked to the far post by Benedikt Hoewedes and the striker slid in to knock the ball into the roof of the net.

The result means the United States would advance from the group if it beats Portugal on Sunday. Mario Goetze had put Germany ahead in the 51st, but Ghana equalized three minutes later through Andre Ayew.

Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan then put the Africans ahead in the 63rd, only to see Klose cancel out his goal. The 36-year-old Klose is in his fourth World Cup and had been level with former Germany striker Gerd Mueller on 14 goals.

Ronaldo also scored his 15th against Ghana, in 2006 in Germany.

With coach Joachim Loew preferring to play with a "false nine" system without a striker, Klose sat out Germany's opening 4-0 rout of Portugal.

But with Ghana threatening to put a damper on Germany's hope of winning the group, Loew turned to his veteran, who provided again.

The draw continued Germany's habit of struggling in second matches in a tournament and left it with four points from two matches.