It hasn’t stopped raining in Natal for days but the weather can do nothing to dampen the fire of contest when Ghana take on the United States of America at the Arena dos Dunas. Ghana and the United States are fast becoming football foes as the African country have eliminated the Yanks’ in the last two World Cup tournaments. This time, though, they meet in the opener and the United States can ill afford to lose this time as Portugal and Germany still await both teams.
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This match has been a near-obsession for the American team and their fans ever since the draw came out in December with Germany-born United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann calling it a must-win on several occasions. USA go into the World Cup without Landon Donovan, their most experienced player with 157 caps and 57 goals, who was dropped by Klinsmann in favour of younger, more mobile options. Well, sort of, as the team still includes Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, newly installed team captain Clint Dempsey as well as Puebla defender DaMarcus Beasley who all have a century of caps. After losing their first qualifier in the CONCACAF Hex to Honduras in February, the Yanks got back on a track with a vital 1-0 victory over Costa Rica in March and qualified for Brazil with a tidy 2-0 win over Mexico in September. Jurgen Klinsmann’s side go into the game on the back of successive friendly wins against Azerbaijan, Turkey and Nigeria.
Ghana, arguably Africa’s best team head into this match confident that they can repeat what they did in 2006 and 2010 – beat USA. A 4-0 victory over South Korea in their last warm up game will have boosted morale going into the match against a United States side ranked 24 places above them. Ghana have experience in their ranks with the likes of Kwando Asamoah and Kevin Prince Boateng and coach James Kwesi Appiah will hope they can lead the team to do one better than last World Cup’s qarter final exit against Uruguay.
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Possible Line ups
Ghana (4-2-3-1) : Kwarasey; Afful, Boye, Mensah, Muntari; A. Ayew, Essien, Asamoah;
Boateng, J. Ayew; Gyan
United States (4-3-1-2) : Howard; Johnson, Basler, Cameron, Beasley; Beckerman, Bradley,
Jones; Bedoya; Dempsey, Altidore
KEY BATTLE
Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore is a powerful forward and will give Ghana centre back John Mensah something to worry about all game long. Altidore endured a torrid time at the Stadium of Light last season, scoring only twice but his morale will have been boosted by a match-winning brace in the last warm up game against Nigeria.
ONE TO WATCH
Jordan Ayew, one of the two sons of Ghana legend Abedi Pele in the Ghana squad came off the bench to score a hattrick in the friendly match against South Korea. The 22–year old will be a goal threat whether he starts or comes off the bench.
PREDICTION
Ghana have a strong midfield and a fast attack and will be looking to break quickly on the counter while the Americans try to attack through the middle. This game will be about capitalizing on mistakes and I’ll back Ghana to edge it, again.
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