World Cup

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Attendance: 59,521

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 21, 2014 at 8pm UK

Germany
2-2
Ghana

Gotze (51'), Klose (71')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Ayew (54'), Gyan (63')

Evergreen Miroslav Klose rescues point for Germany

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 21 June 2014

Miroslav Klose comes off the bench to rescue a point for Germany in a thrilling 2-2 draw with Ghana in Fortaleza tonight.

Miroslav Klose came off the bench to rescue a point for Germany in a thrilling 2-2 draw with Ghana in Fortaleza tonight.

Miroslav Klose of Germany scores his team's second goal past Fatawu Dauda of Ghana during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group G match between Germany and Ghana at Castelao on June 21, 2014 © Getty Images

Second-half goals from Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan had given the African nation a slender lead after Mario Gotze opened the scoring.

However, the evergreen Klose was on hand to equalise within minutes of coming on with a typical poacher's goal to earn Joachim Low's side a point.

In scoring, the 36-year-old moved level with Brazil legend Ronaldo as the World Cup's most prolific goalscorer of all time with 15 tournament goals.

Kwadwo Asamoah of Ghana and Philipp Lahm of Germany compete for the ball during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group G match between Germany and Ghana at Castelao on June 21, 2014 © Getty Images

It was Ghana who managed to fashion the game's first attempt, as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was forced to beat away Christian Atsu's well-struck shot on 13 minutes.

The Germans responded well as Mesut Ozil menaced in the opposition half, with the Arsenal man teeing up Sami Khedira to fire straight at Fatau Dauda, before his cross for Thomas Muller was cut out in the nick of time.

James Kwesi Appiah's side finished the half in the ascendency as Sulley Muntari's fiercely-struck shot tested Neuer, but the European outfit survived and took the lead within minutes of the restart.

Ghana's midfielder Andre Ayew celebrates after scoring during a Group G football match between Germany and Ghana at the Castelao Stadium in Fortaleza during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 21, 2014 © Getty Images

Muller, who bagged a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Portugal in the Group G opener on Monday, turned provider to set up Gotze with an easy header on 51 minutes.

Falling behind only served to spark Ghana into life, though, as Appiah's men flipped the game on its head shortly after.

Ayew scored his second in as many games, providing an immediate riposte with a glancing header, before Gyan fired past Neuer nine minutes later to give the Black Stars a narrow advantage.

Asamoah Gyan of Ghana celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group G match between Germany and Ghana at Castelao on June 21, 2014 © Getty Images

Low's decision to replace goalscorer Gotze with Klose was met with a chorus of boos by the Germany supporters, but the coach was vindicated within minutes as the 36-year-old wriggled free from his marker to poke home from a corner.

Die Mannschaft finished off the contest the better of both sides, and Klose fired agonisingly wide of the mark from a good position late on, but it was as close as they would come to finding a winner and Ghana held on for a point.