The Black Stars’ campaign at the World Cup got off to a good start in Pretoria, making me dread the possibility that I may just be forced to eat humble pie – yet again! It was a good performance against Serbia. Everyone in the team contributed their best.
Even Richard Kingson pulled up some brilliant saves to keep the Serbs at Bay. Asamoah Gyan, usually wasteful, took almost his chances, crowning it all with an emphatic penalty kick that ensured Ghana’s victory.
But in the end, the hero of the day, even from a Ghanaian perspective was not Ghanaian. I think supporters of the Black Stars should count Serbia’s Kuzmanovic as their hero of the afternoon, because he gave that silly penalty that Asamoah Gyan converted.
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It was a well-deserved victory, nonetheless.
The Black Stars dominated play and they should have won by a bigger margin if Asamoah Gyan hasn’t been so unlucky. After the match against Serbia, Ghanaian confidence seemed buoyed and people started speaking again about the possibility that Ghana would win the World Cup.
But the wishful thinking was abated as Germany started to tear Australia apart. The Germans played the most purposeful football in the tournament so far to beat Australia 4-0. They have a well-oiled machine and it’s going to take a miracle for Ghana to even draw against them. The best Milovan Rajevac’s team can do is to strive to keep the score line low when the two sides meet in the last group match.
As for the Australians, they are wounded lions and they are going to aim for a victory over Ghana in their next game. They were not bad in their first game. The Germans were just too hot for them to handle. But against Ghana, the Australians can hold their own.
The race to qualify for the next round of the competition is still an open contest between Serbia, Australia and Ghana. The Germans are already through. For Ghana to join them, the Black Stars must necessarily beat Australia. If they even draw against Australia, they may just be coming home sooner than most Ghanaians expect – and my prediction would come true. There is no way on earth the Black Stars can beat Germany.
