The Black Stars can Shine

Following their treacherous exit at the hands of Uruguay in their home continent, the Black Stars are looking to go to Brazil and display some more of the disciplined, organised and stylish football that almost got them a semi-final berth in South Africa.

The squad’s older members have aged a bit and won’t be the prominent figures they were last time round, but coach Kwesi Appiah can still field a team that is good and young enough to do well at the World Cup.

Squad:

GK:

Dada – Adam Kwarasey – Stephen Adams

DF:

Samuel Inkoom – Daniel Opare – Harrison Afful – John Boye – Jonathan Mensah – Rashid   Sumalia

MF:

Michael Essien – Sulley Muntari – Rabiu Mohammed – Kwadwo Asamoah – Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu – Afriyie Acquah – Christian Atsu – Albert Adomah – Andre Ayew – Mubarak Wakaso

FW:

Asamoah Gyan – Kevin Prince-Boateng – Abdul Majeed Waris – Jordan Ayew

With 16 players contesting their very first World Cups, the squad does lack some experience, but the key players (including influential captain Asamoah Gyan & Michael Essien) are going for their second or third.

Most of them are coming into this World Cup on relatively average form (Christian Atsu has had a great season though), but that was the case last time around and they still did very well. Coach Appiah will have a fit and energetic squad, and it is crucial that Essien is kept fit in order to muscle players such as Ronaldo and Schweinsteiger when they encounter them

Group:

Ghana
Germany
Portugal
USA

Despite being placed in the veritable “Group of Death”, Ghana still have an outsiders hope of making it. In the past two World Cups, they’ve knocked out the USA, and without Landon Donovan it should be easier this time. Germany proved too much for them in 2006, and it looks like it will be the case once again.

However, they do have a chance of beating Portugal – their qualification hopes rest on that match. If the mercurial Ronaldo (currently injured) can be contained, then they can surely beat them and go on to the quarter-finals.

Form:

WLWWWWWL

GF: 25

GA: 6

An amazing run at the qualification matches peaked when they humbled one of Africa’s greatest teams by netting six past Egypt. A recent 1-0 loss to the Netherlands displayed a certain limpness to their performance and robbed them of Jerry Akaminko through an ankle injury.

With a final friendly to be played against South Korea in Miami on the 9th of June, the Black Stars will be looking to add some ferocity to their game in order to put some fear into the Americans, who they will face on the 16th in their opening fixture.

Verdict:

Despite vice-captain and former Chelsea FC stalwart Michael Essien’s claims that it would be “difficult” to repeat their 2010 run, if Ghana can accrue at least 6 points from their 3 games, they will make it to the round of 16, and in one-off games, anything can happen. They do have the hardest group, but they also seem to poised to do well this time round.