Betting odds Ghana

Manager: Milovan Rajevac (Serbian)
Captain: Stephen Appiah
FIFA World Ranking: 38
World Cup Appearances: 1
Best World Cup: Last Sixteen – 2006

Ghana Team Profile

Although the name ‘Ghana’ may not ring too many bells with most part-time international football followers, they have actually been somewhat of a powerhouse nation back in the African continent. Ghana have made 16 appearances in the African Cup of Nations, winning the tournament on five occasions, dominating during the 60′s. However, although they were the team to beat in Africa 50 years ago, they didn’t assert themselves when it came to World Cup qualification, failing to qualify for the World Cup during their most successful period.

Ghana have been an irregular entry into the World Cup, just 1 in fact, and, although they have made regular appearances in the African Cup of Nations, they haven’t actually won the tournament since 1982, over 26 years ago. This huge baron run has reflected in their World Cup bids but their did break their duck and evidentally booked their first World Cup date back in Germany 2006. They arrived in Germany as an unknown quantity and left with many admirers. They shocked most people by bypassing an extremely tough group consisting of USA, Czech Republic & eventual winners Italy.

Ghana were eventually knocked out by Brazil in the last sixteen but it’s clear that Ghana enjoyed their first ever World Cup and their taste for the big stage has aided them in completing a quick fire qualification double for the finals. Ghana were the first African nation, with the exception of the hosts, to qualify for South Africa 2010.

Nickname: The Black Stars

Ghana Key Players

Michael Essien

Michael Essien will be the biggest celebrity in the Ghana camp providing he actually goes. Essien has made a respectable name for himself as being the ‘hard as nails’ defensive-midfielder, who isn’t afraid to get stuck in with a tackle or two. He provides a more than adequate cover over the Chelsea defence, with his main role to break down the forward play of their opponents. For Ghana, though, while he may put his Chelsea responsibilities to good use, Essien does get forward a lot more as so he can support the forwards, while everyone knows Essien can strike a ball very well from distance.

The bad news is, of course, that Essien may not feature due to a knee injury he sustained in the middle of December last year. Essien’s planned return has suffered several setbacks along the way and he could now miss the 2010 finals are a result. 

Stephen Appiah

Appiah captained Ghana in their first ever World Cup and he is set to do the exact same in 2010, but will he match the feat of 2006 which seen Ghana reach the last sixteen. He was actually the player which crushed Czech dreams back in 2006 and it’s obvious that Stephen Appiah loves the mantle of being captain. Appiah has been around the block at club level, mainly in the Italian division, a league where defensive qualities are crucial, and these qualities will be needed if Ghana are to enjoy their second stint in a World Cup.

Strengths

Back in Germany 2006, Ghana were a very solid outfit and an awkward side to break down, as Italy, USA and the Czech’s found out. The Italians were the only one of the three to beat Ghana but even they struggled to break a workmanlike Ghana defence down. Michael Essien & Stephen Appiah are a rigid backbone to an unheard of defensive line while Inter Milan’s Sulley Muntari can also provide an adequate service in the centre of the park. Rarely do Ghana thump sides, they often win games by the odd goal, absorbing the opposition attacks and then hitting them on the break. Ghana will be a frustrating team to play against in the summer, one us English fans hope we don’t draw.

Weaknesses

Their lack of fire-power. During the group stage of qualifying, Ghana never managed more than 3 goals in a single game, and while that may sound a ridiculous thing to say, against the average opponents they were facing, they should of scored a lot more regularly. Ghana are short of quality forwards, with Asamoah Gyan & Matthew Amoah the likely striking partnership for Ghana this summer. The pair average under a goal every other game and, although that may seem an OK average, we must take into consideration that they have come up against some ordinary African nations and not against the quality of defences that will await them in South Africa. It will be a test for their attackers to say the least and one we aren’t sure they’ll pass.

Ghana Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Africa

Group: D

Position: 1st

Win-Draw-Lose: 4-1-1

Goals Scored: 9

Goals Conceded: 3

World Cup Qualifying statistics:

• Ghana were the first African nation to book their place in the South African World Cup, securing qualification with two games to spare.
• Matthew Amoah finished as Ghana’s top goalscorer during qualifying, scoring a reasonable tally of 5.
• Richard Kingson, the Ghana goalkeeper, was the only player to partake in each of Ghana’s 12 qualifying encounters.
• Ghana received 17 yellow cards during qualification, an average of 1.42, but didn’t receive a single red card. Perhaps their new Serbian coach has installed discipline into the Ghana ranks.

World Cup Potential: 2/5

Ghana will be a difficult group opponent, with their awkward set up and style of play, but their solid tactics won’t be good enough against sides that will punish them if given half-a-chance. Their defence will frustrate opposing teams and should earn them a few points in the group, but their apparent lack of fire-power does leave them extremely vulnerable against the better sides. Expect the Midfielders to chip in with a few this summer.

Ghana World Cup Betting Odds

Ghana to win the World Cup: 40/1 Sportingbet

Before the World Cup the odds on Ghana were 100/1 

Official Ghana World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Richard Kingston (Wigan)

Daniel Adjei (Liberty Professional)

Stephen Ahorlu (Heart of Lions)

Defenders

Samuel Inkoom (Basel)

Hans Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen)

Lee Addy (Bechem Chelsea)

John Mensah (Sunderland)

Ibrahim Ayew (Zamalek Cairo)

Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim)

John Paintsil (Fulham)

Jonathan Mensah (Granada)

Midfielders

Dede Ayew (Arles)

Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese)

Stephen Appiah (Bologna)

Anthony Annan (Rosenborg)

Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan)

Quincy Owusu Abeyie (Al Sadd, Qatar)

Derek Boateng (Getafe)

Kevin-Prince Boateng (Portsmouth)

Strikers

Prince Tagoe (Hoffenheim)

Asamoah Gyan (Rennes)

Dominic Adiyiah (AC Milan)

Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Ghana Fixtures – Group D

26/06 – 19.30 – Round of the last 16: Ghana – USA: 2-1 AET

02/07 – 19.30 – Quarter Finals: Ghana – Uruguay

World Cup 2010 Group D - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

Uruguay v Ghana Betting Odds

Uruguay to win – 11/10 at Bet365
Draw – 9/4 at SkyBet
Ghana to win – 16/5 at Ladbrokes

Uruguay

The South Americans are one of four teams from the continent left in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Will it be two all-South American semi finals? It’s a little unlikely, but Uruguay themselves will have a lot of belief that they will be one of them. Uruguay’s early World Cup history is rich in success, winning the world’s premier football tournament twice in their history. Since then they have always seemed to live in their shadow of their former successes, and coming into the tournament, there looked to be nothing different as they were the final team to secure their place at South Africa 2010. After coming out on top of Group A against France, Mexico and South Africa with three wins out of three, Uruguay moved to the Quarter Finals after beating South Korea 2-1 in the semi finals. There has been criticism levelled at the South Americans about the fact that they are a bit negative in their approach to their game. But where Portugal have shown the bad side of negative play in the tournament, Uruguay are showing the positive sides, as they have hit six goals in their four matches, with Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez firing the South Americans forward. What Uruguay do very well is keep a narrow formation in the centre of the pitch, and that pushes teams wide, which then means that Uruguay soak up the pressure well when crosses come in. The other side of their 4-3-3 formation, with Forlan, Suarez and Edinson Cavani making up a three pronged attack, is they have a lot of power in breaking forward.

The forwards do drop back and help out in tightening up the midfield, and that makes them a hard team to play through. What Uruguay seem to do is sit back and wait for their chances. While the are happy in soaking up pressure, while they are happy to concede possession to their opponents, they find a lot of strength in it, simply because they are so strong in attack. Uruguay also have a lot of composure in their team which means that they do not panic. They have no apparent problem in flicking the switch and moving up a gear if they find themselves in trouble. They have not come under a lot of pressure at the back to be honest, and are yet to fall behind in the match. In their last sixteen match against South Korea though, they found an extra gear once the Asian nation had equalised, which allowed them to push on and find the winning goal. That came from having three forwards on the pitch at all times, even if they do not all work in forward positions all of the time. Uruguay have a great work ethic and visibly fight for their team’s cause on the pitch. This gives them a lot of strength, and naturally coming from South America, they are tough tacklers when needs must. They are one of the surprise teams of the tournament, but do not be surprised to take another step forward into the semi finals. While they have not been a flowing or exciting team to watch, they have their qualities which have made them very interesting to follow. They will have been fantastically happy with their draw and now they need to make the most of it.

Ghana

All of Africa’s 2010 FIFA World Cup hopes rest on the shoulders of Ghana. Ghana will be hoping that the South African fans get behind them, and help them to make history by becoming the first African team to make it to the semi finals of the World Cup. They have made it this far with a certain degree of style, without having ever put a side really to the sword. They rode their luck in their opening group match against Serbia, failed to press home a man advantage against Australia, and then lost to Germany in their final group match. Ghana have played well though, and actually gave Germany a good run for their money. Because of the young side they have, they are able to play the game at pace, which troubles most opposition. They are quite proficient in getting down the flanks as they run with more of a general 4-4-2 formation, and that is exactly what will be required against Uruguay. Their opponents will not leave a great deal of space in the middle of the park, and area where Ghana like to knock the ball around, so getting some width into their game will be all important. They are bold and brave side and can exploit even the smallest of spaces because of their speed. Perhaps their finishing is the only thing which lets them down.

Coach Milovan Rajevac does has some selection problems with some of his defensive corps, as Samuel Inkoom and John Mensah are on the injury table. That’s not great news as Jonathan Mensah is suspended for the match, along with midfielder Andrew Ayew. Forward Kevin Prince Boateng is also struggling for fitness and is a serious doubt because of a hamstring problem, while star striker for the Black Stars, Asamoah Gyan is probably going to be fit after picking up a knock on his ankle during training. Inexperienced, yes? Youthful, yes? Overwhelmed? No. Fortunately they have a strong hand guiding them, and this is a young team which reached the finals of the African Cup of Nations at the start of the year. Ghana’s youth system both produce and find a lot of talent, which apparently can make the step up to the top level of world football without too much hassle. They are now the great hope of Africa, and they too will know that this is a great opportunity for them to make history. They will look at the other three quarter finals and see tough, high pedigree teams in there, and when they turn and see Uruguay, they will be respectful, but confident. Inflated confidence does not appear to be too much of an issue for Ghana, not with Rajevac in charge. Gyan is the fulcrum of the team in attack, and again it will fall on his shoulders. Do they have the patience to break down what is a tough, dogged and very well disciplined Uruguayan defence. The longer the game goes on in parity, the more they may get edgy and make a mistake. Ghana were also taken through extra time by the USA, will that count against them as they take on the fit South Americans?

Uruguay v Ghana Betting Prediction: Uruguay to win by 1 goal 11/4 at Bet365
 

Current Uruguay v Ghana Odds:

USA v Ghana Betting Odds

Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
Kick Off: 19.30 GMT

Ghana to win: 2/1 at William Hill
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
USA to win: 7/4 at Totesport

USA

World Cup Second Round: After Landon Donovan performed some last minute heroics for the USA against Algeria, the Americans now head into their last sixteen match against Group D runner’s up Ghana. The USA looked to have blown their chance of progressing to the next stage, needing a win against Algeria to confirm their place in the knockout round. It took a 91st minute effort from Donovan to break the deadlock and send the Americans into a state of euphoria. England and the USA were expected to progress from this group, but it was meant to be a lot easier for both of them. It didn’t turn out that way, and the Americans actually topped Group C in the end, setting up their clash with Ghana. The USA play with a lot of determination and a never say die attitude, but there is not always the skill levels there to back it up. They rode their luck against Algeria, but there was one important difference in this match to the others they had played, and that was, they did not fall behind early on. They very nearly did, with Algeria hitting the wood-work, and although the USA were creating chance after chance, and had a goal wrongly disallowed for off-side, it looked as if the break through was never going to come for the USA. That last minute goal by Donovan typified the game the American’s play, as they fought to the very last break.

They now will face their toughest task of the competition so far, as they take on Ghana. Ghana are a young side who will have just as much energy and pace as the Americans, but will have the passing abilities to push the USA back. But the USA will stick to their strengths, and that is playing the game at pace and taking chances at the back if need be. Coach Bob Bradley has been quite brave in his tactics, pushing people forward and trusting in things at the back. Things at the back have looked decidedly ropey at times, but their hard work and energy often makes up for the things in their game which are lacking. Whoever they play, the USA will present tough opponents for, but they will need to tighten up midfield if they are going to take a sensible approach to their last sixteen match. They have looked vulnerable in that area, as well as lacking punch up front. The USA look like one of those rough and rugged teams that play with great spirit and heart and won’t roll over. Time and time again they have come back from bad positions after lapses in concentration have put themselves behind in matches. They used their get out of jail card against the Algerians, do they have more left in them?

Ghana

Ghana are one of those sides which can impress but look vulnerable at the same time. Their defence sits quite high up the pitch, and there is often plenty of space in behind for opponents to exploit. Fortunately for Ghana, they have the youngest team at the World Cup, and that means they will have plenty of pace and running in their legs. They are not a great side by any stretch of the imagination, but they are tough opponents in their own right. They have nice touches through the middle of the park, and work the ball well into the final third of the pitch. They have Asamoah Gyan, who is their main source of goals up front, who works tirelessly and always seems to be in the thick of everything. They are missing Michael Essien, as his quality and time on the ball would make them an even stronger side, but they are not to be dismissed lightly. They got a lucky break in their opening match when Serbia lost a man and then gave away a penalty, and then Ghana failed to press home another man advantage in their drawn match against Australia. That very likely cost them top spot in the group, and their second place finish was confirmed by a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Germany in their final match.

Ghana are as energetic as the USA, but with a bit more polish. That will be the fair assessment of them. They work well as team, but they have some vulnerabilities at the back, which could be exploited with long balls over the top. The Americans will look at that and take heart, especially when attacking down the wings. But Ghana themselves are able to mix up their attacks, and created some good chances against Germany which they were unable to take. Ghana will probably be the betting tip to go with in this one, as they look just to have that little bit more quality and composure against them. They should certainly win the midfield battle, even without Chelsea’s Michael Essien. Ghana have a higher passing success rate than the USA, and that could make all the difference, if they get their slick passing game going. The accuracy of which, should cause the USA problems. After three games played though, only Argentina are ahead of both Ghana and the USA in attempts on goal, with the Africans having 55 attempts to the USA’s 49. That suggests than an open, attacking game may well be on the cards, and the winner would progress to a quarter final match against either Uruguay or South Korea.

World Cup Second Round Betting Tip: Ghana to win by 1 Goal 7/2 at Labdrokes

Current USA V Ghana Odds:

Backing the Black Stars for bright World Cup betting outcome

Ghana, the only African nation to pick up three points from the first round of group matches, will again be feeling the pressures of expectation as they go up against underdogs Australia in their second match. The Black Stars seemed to be heading towards a comfortable 0-0 results against tough European side Serbia in their first match, until the Serbian’s capitulated in the last fifteen minutes. A red and a cheap penalty, gave Ghana the chance they needed to walk out of the match victorious. Striker Asamoah Gyan dispatched the penalty with great aplomb, giving the African nation, a somewhat surprise victory, considering how hotly the Serbians had been tipped in World Cup betting odds. Not that Ghana really outplayed Serbia or anything, but the strengths of Ghana were again evident, even though they were missing their star midfield man, Chelsea’s Michael Essien. Ghana are an organised, solid side, which like to control the ball and pass it around. They are not a cautious side, but a sensible one, which knows how to apply pressure to the opposition in a careful manner, without exposing themselves at the back. Ghana are a relatively young side, and they have not been afraid to draft in their young stars this year, as the nation continues to grow as a football power. They have been living under the shadow of the Ivory Coast, simply because they do not have as many household name stars as the Ivorians. But that does not mean Ghana are pushovers, and in fact, they play more of a controlled European style than any other African nation. This has rewarded them well, with some impressive performances, and for a young, growing side, there is clearly potential there. Now a six point total after their opening two matches is a real reality for Ghana, a victory which put them in great standing to reach the second round. The Aussies are battered and bruised after taking a hammering from Germany, and Ghana should be ready to pounce, and press home their clear advantage in quality, composure and style.

Ghana World Cup Betting: Ghana really should beat Australia, but it probably will not be by a big margin to be honest. The African’s do not look that explosive of a side, but good enough to be good 1-0 winners. They do have the edge in youth and enthusiasm, and should be able to use that to their advantage. They will know that they were lucky to come out of their first match with all three points, and may again have to work just as hard to get the next three. They will have the legs over the slower Aussies, as well as superior passing skills, which all points to it being a comfortable, if not expansive Ghana win.

Ghana World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W1, D0, L0
GF/GA: 1/0
Cards: Y2, R0
Most Shots: Asamoah Gyan, 5
Top Scorer: Asamoah Gyan, 1
Shots/On Goal: 16/3
Fouls Committed: 15
Total Passes: 467
Pass Completion: 73%
Last 5 Form: LLLWW

Aussies look for a way back from German bombardment

Australia simply did not show up and perform in their opening group fixture against Germany. A red card for Everton’s Tim Cahill did not help their cause much either, as they were outplayed, outclassed and outscored by an impressive looking German side. The Socceroos lost 4-0 and would probably have been hanging their heads in embarrassment at their display on the world stage. While rank outsiders in the group, they would not have expected to be such pushovers, as the green and gold are known for their defensive approach to the game. The Aussies like to tackle hard, and defend staunchly, and even though their style is not the prettiest to watch, it is one which has worked for them up until now. Now they must find a way to shake off the disappointment and find a way to get three points against Ghana, even if it means a radical shake up of the team. But the question is, is there enough quality in the team to even compete with one of African’s top nations? On the evidence of their first match, the answer to that would be no, and while they may not get as constantly exposed by Ghana, who will take a more cautious and calm approach to the game, the Socceroos will know that they are underdogs. Something needs to be done to change that on the team sheet, but what can Australia really bring to football’s premier global tournament? They will be missing the key figure of Cahill, who is now serving a one match ban for his indiscretions against Germany, and now Australia will really be struggling to find any positives to take with them into the Ghana match. Cahill’s absence will illustrate further the major problem with Australia, that they lack the punch and firepower up front to go out and outscore teams. Aussie Coach Pim Verbeek has mighty task on his hand in getting his side to rebound back from that defeat. There is now the problem of having to go for a win, which could expose them further at the back.

Australia World Cup Betting: If you are looking and believing that the Aussies can get something out of this fixture and keep their World Cup 2010 hopes alive, then you will be best served by backing them in an Asian Handicap with a plus advantage. There’s probably no need to go too big, as Ghana don’t look as if they have a lot of goals in them. Anywhere from between +1 and +2 goals should give decent value for backing the Aussies. It is hard to see where the goals will come from though for the Socceroos, and a draw is probably the best they can hope for, even though that really won’t be good enough for them.

Australia World Cup 2010 Odds
Played: P1, W0, D0, L1
GF/GA: 0/4
Cards: Y3, R1
Most Shots: Two players, 2
Top Scorer: N/A
Shots/On Goal: 10/2
Fouls Committed: 19
Total Passes: 530
Pass Completion: 72%
Last 5 Form: DWWLL

Ghana v Australia Betting Odds

Australia to win: 3/1 at SkyBet
Draw: 5/2 at Stan James
Ghana to win: Evens at Bet365

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: So, would back the outcome of Ghana winning this one, even if it is just by the odd goal. The Aussies, will, hopefully from their perspective, have tightened up, but still look goal shy. Therefore one of the best value bets for this one is
Ghana -0.75 Asian Handicap for 7/5 at Paddy Power
 

Current Ghana v Australia Odds:

Vidic Leading Serbia To World Cup Success From the Back

Apparently the bold Manchester City are preparing to launch an optimistic bid for Serbia’s star defender, and Manchester United player Nemanja Vidic. Vidic will captain his side against Ghana on Sunday, in one of the most intriguing first round of matches. This action takes place in Group D, which should be a close run thing with Germany in the mix as well. England fans from Group C will be keeping an eye on the proceedings from Group D, as the winner from each plays the runner’s up of the other in the second round. This is a chance to scope out the two potential opponents who will face England in the first knockout stage of the competition. To be frank, neither of them would make particularly easy opponents for Fabio Capello’s men, and this should be stern test of each of their abilities in the crucial race for a qualifying spot from the group. Serbia are a strong physical side, but have drawn much praise for their technical abilities with the ball. They were, perhaps, the most surprising team of the European qualification zone, as they beat France to top spot in their group, looking solid and strong along the way.

The Serbians will be confident as well as aggressive in their approach to this match, which neither team can really afford to lose in such as tight group. Coach Radmir Antic has done a fantastic job in taking the national side forward, with Vidic at the heart of the defence. Serbia also boast familiar names such as Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic and Dejan Stankovic, so they have a good core of players who are plying their trade at the top European domestic level. Up front they have a Peter Crouch-esque figure of Nikola Zigic (who has signed for Premier League side Birmingham next season) and he will play a large part in the focus of the Serbian attack. The main spearhead of the Serbia attack will be winger Milan Jovanovic, who netted five times during qualifying, and is a spark of inspiration, and one player to watch out for in the tournament. Serbian netted an average of 2.20 goals per match through qualifying, and the solid defence leaked just eight. The strength of Serbia is in their organisation and their technical ability. Sure they may not be World beaters just yet, but they are perhaps one of the most promising of the emerging nations.

Ghana Ready For Life Without Essien

There is a little twist in this one as Ghana have a Serbia coach. Milovan Rajevac has a great tactical mind on him, and has not been scared to work with the excellent crop of youth that the nation is starting to produce. Both of the qualification hopes of these nations rest on this match, with Germany favourites to top the group, so both need to get off to a good start. Naturally the support should favour Ghana, who were trounced by Holland in an international friendly as part of their build up. The Ghana side should be a tough one to break down, and in an understated way are a stronger, more organised unit than the Ivory Coast, who everyone seems to back as being the strongest African contender. Ghana have always had a little more composure, but lacking the clinical thrust of the Ivory Coast, and it was their strength in depth, and using their youngsters to fill in for an injury ravaged first eleven, that took them to the final of the African Cup of Nations earlier in the year. Yes, Ghana will be missing their talisman Michael Essien in the engine room, as he lost his battle against fitness, but the Africans are not short of quality with a lot of strength in midfield still. That will be where the key battles are won, and their ability at the back to deal with Serbia’s height.

The goal scoring responsibilities will fall on their history making youngster Asamoah, the scorer of Ghana’s first ever World Cup goal. It is he who will be charged with getting past the solid back line of Serbia, which is led by Manchester United’s Vidic. The Vidic v Asamoah battle should be worth keeping an eye on. Ghana are a good side, but the only question about them in this match, is whether or not they will have enough punch in the crucial areas to break down an incredibly organised Serbia side? Certainly the bookmakers are leaning towards the Serbians as favourites for this match, as they enter the tournament full of confidence and labelled with being the strong dark horse of the competition. There is a massive amount at stake in this first match, and the Serbians should just edge it with a little extra creativity in going forward from the midfield, and their big, strong defence. Expect Jovanovic and Zigic to be quite influential during the match, and if Serbia get their noses in front, it could be a long afternoon for Ghana.

Serbia v Ghana Betting Odds and Stats

Last 5 Matches
Serbia 4, Cameroon 3
Serbia 0, Poland 0
Serbia 0, New Zealand 1
Algeria 0, Serbia 3
Serbia 1, Korea Republic 0

Ghana 1, Latvia 0
Netherlands 4, Ghana 1
Bosnia 2, Ghana 1
Ghana 0, Egypt 1
Ghana 1, Nigeria 0

Last 5 Match Goals
Serbia: 8 For, 4 Against
Ghana: 4 For, 7 Against

Recent Stats
Serbia: P50, W25, D13, L12 with a 50.0% win percentage
Ghana: P37. W18. D7, L12 with a 48.6% win percentage

World Cup Stats
Serbia: P40, W16, D8, L16, GF62, GA56 (Serbia/Yugoslavia)
Ghana: P4, W2, D0, L2, GF4, GA6

Last 10 Match Form
Serbia: WDWLWWWLDW
Ghana: DLLWWWLLLW

Match Odds
Serbia to win: 6/5 at Bet365
Draw: 23/10 at SkyBet
Ghana to win: 14/5 at Boylesports

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Serbia should be the stronger of the two sides, although it could be a mighty tough encounter. The conservative option is Serbia -0.25 at 5/6 at Paddy Power, or backing Serbia a little more on Serbia -0.75 at Bet365 is well within the realms of possibility and therefore profit. Whichever way, would lean on Serbia not losing.

It is the time of the year when it is the worst possible to be injured. Ask Germany’s Michael Ballack. Now his Stamford Bridge team mate Michael Essien has suffered the same fate as the would-be German captain, as the Ghana star has had to withdraw from the World Cup due to his long term injury. Essien, the vital cog in the Ghana football machine, but picked up a knee injury while on duty training with his country at the African Cup of Nations. That was back in December, and prior to that, an ankle injury had been keeping him out of action for his English Premier League club Chelsea. He has been fighting to be fit in time to take part in Ghana’s World Cup fixtures but after meeting with the Ghana Football Association, it was clear that Essien simply would not be fit enough in time.

This is a blow for the world stage, and it could influence betting on Ghana at the World Cup as the African nation was expected to push hard in Group D, where Germany, Serbia and Australia also reside. How much of a loss will Essien be to Ghana’s World Cup hopes? At the African Cup of Nations, the starting eleven was beleaguered with injuries, and the youngsters of the squad were given a lot of responsibility and playing time by coach Milovan Rajevac, and reached the final of the competition. It was expected, that with their full complement at 100% fitness, Ghana would pose one of the strongest dark horse challenges in the World Cup. Has that now been thrown into doubt with the loss of their star presence?

While the experts doing the medical tests on Essien have ruled him out of contention, the same thing should not be said of Ghana’s World Cup hopes. While Essien had remained positive about his chances of making South Africa 2010, the best bookmakers for betting on the World Cup will have taken notice of the absence of another World star. Group D is now without Ballack and Essien, and whether that will give an advantage to the other two teams in the group, or whether it will make Germany and Ghana’s reserve to perform even stronger, remains to be seen. One player does not make a team, as emphasised by nations such as Switzerland and Greece, so while Ghana may be weakened, they are not to be discounted in a group which is expected to be very tight.
 

Manager: Milovan Rajevac (Serbian)
Captain: Stephen Appiah
FIFA World Ranking: 38
World Cup Appearances: 1
Best World Cup: Last Sixteen – 2006

Ghana Team Profile

Although the name ‘Ghana’ may not ring too many bells with most part-time international football followers, they have actually been somewhat of a powerhouse nation back in the African continent. Ghana have made 16 appearances in the African Cup of Nations, winning the tournament on five occasions, dominating during the 60′s. However, although they were the team to beat in Africa 50 years ago, they didn’t assert themselves when it came to World Cup qualification, failing to qualify for the World Cup during their most successful period.

Ghana have been an irregular entry into the World Cup, just 1 in fact, and, although they have made regular appearances in the African Cup of Nations, they haven’t actually won the tournament since 1982, over 26 years ago. This huge baron run has reflected in their World Cup bids but their did break their duck and evidentally booked their first World Cup date back in Germany 2006. They arrived in Germany as an unknown quantity and left with many admirers. They shocked most people by bypassing an extremely tough group consisting of USA, Czech Republic & eventual winners Italy.

Ghana were eventually knocked out by Brazil in the last sixteen but it’s clear that Ghana enjoyed their first ever World Cup and their taste for the big stage has aided them in completing a quick fire qualification double for the finals. Ghana were the first African nation, with the exception of the hosts, to qualify for South Africa 2010.

Nickname: The Black Stars

Ghana Key Players

Michael Essien

Michael Essien will be the biggest celebrity in the Ghana camp providing he actually goes. Essien has made a respectable name for himself as being the ‘hard as nails’ defensive-midfielder, who isn’t afraid to get stuck in with a tackle or two. He provides a more than adequate cover over the Chelsea defence, with his main role to break down the forward play of their opponents. For Ghana, though, while he may put his Chelsea responsibilities to good use, Essien does get forward a lot more as so he can support the forwards, while everyone knows Essien can strike a ball very well from distance.

The bad news is, of course, that Essien may not feature due to a knee injury he sustained in the middle of December last year. Essien’s planned return has suffered several setbacks along the way and he could now miss the 2010 finals are a result. 

Stephen Appiah

Appiah captained Ghana in their first ever World Cup and he is set to do the exact same in 2010, but will he match the feat of 2006 which seen Ghana reach the last sixteen. He was actually the player which crushed Czech dreams back in 2006 and it’s obvious that Stephen Appiah loves the mantle of being captain. Appiah has been around the block at club level, mainly in the Italian division, a league where defensive qualities are crucial, and these qualities will be needed if Ghana are to enjoy their second stint in a World Cup.

Strengths

Back in Germany 2006, Ghana were a very solid outfit and an awkward side to break down, as Italy, USA and the Czech’s found out. The Italians were the only one of the three to beat Ghana but even they struggled to break a workmanlike Ghana defence down. Michael Essien & Stephen Appiah are a rigid backbone to an unheard of defensive line while Inter Milan’s Sulley Muntari can also provide an adequate service in the centre of the park. Rarely do Ghana thump sides, they often win games by the odd goal, absorbing the opposition attacks and then hitting them on the break. Ghana will be a frustrating team to play against in the summer, one us English fans hope we don’t draw.

Weaknesses

Their lack of fire-power. During the group stage of qualifying, Ghana never managed more than 3 goals in a single game, and while that may sound a ridiculous thing to say, against the average opponents they were facing, they should of scored a lot more regularly. Ghana are short of quality forwards, with Asamoah Gyan & Matthew Amoah the likely striking partnership for Ghana this summer. The pair average under a goal every other game and, although that may seem an OK average, we must take into consideration that they have come up against some ordinary African nations and not against the quality of defences that will await them in South Africa. It will be a test for their attackers to say the least and one we aren’t sure they’ll pass.

Ghana Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Africa

Group: D

Position: 1st

Win-Draw-Lose: 4-1-1

Goals Scored: 9

Goals Conceded: 3

World Cup Qualifying statistics:

• Ghana were the first African nation to book their place in the South African World Cup, securing qualification with two games to spare.
• Matthew Amoah finished as Ghana’s top goalscorer during qualifying, scoring a reasonable tally of 5.
• Richard Kingson, the Ghana goalkeeper, was the only player to partake in each of Ghana’s 12 qualifying encounters.
• Ghana received 17 yellow cards during qualification, an average of 1.42, but didn’t receive a single red card. Perhaps their new Serbian coach has installed discipline into the Ghana ranks.

World Cup Potential: 2/5

Ghana will be a difficult group opponent, with their awkward set up and style of play, but their solid tactics won’t be good enough against sides that will punish them if given half-a-chance. Their defence will frustrate opposing teams and should earn them a few points in the group, but their apparent lack of fire-power does leave them extremely vulnerable against the better sides. Expect the Midfielders to chip in with a few this summer.

Ghana World Cup Betting Odds

Ghana to win the World Cup: 40/1 Sportingbet

Before the World Cup the odds on Ghana were 100/1 

Official Ghana World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Richard Kingston (Wigan)

Daniel Adjei (Liberty Professional)

Stephen Ahorlu (Heart of Lions)

Defenders

Samuel Inkoom (Basel)

Hans Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen)

Lee Addy (Bechem Chelsea)

John Mensah (Sunderland)

Ibrahim Ayew (Zamalek Cairo)

Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim)

John Paintsil (Fulham)

Jonathan Mensah (Granada)

Midfielders

Dede Ayew (Arles)

Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese)

Stephen Appiah (Bologna)

Anthony Annan (Rosenborg)

Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan)

Quincy Owusu Abeyie (Al Sadd, Qatar)

Derek Boateng (Getafe)

Kevin-Prince Boateng (Portsmouth)

Strikers

Prince Tagoe (Hoffenheim)

Asamoah Gyan (Rennes)

Dominic Adiyiah (AC Milan)

Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Ghana Fixtures – Group D

26/06 – 19.30 – Round of the last 16: Ghana – USA: 2-1 AET

02/07 – 19.30 – Quarter Finals: Ghana – Uruguay

World Cup Group D - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup Group of Ghana