The Ghana/US Cliffhanger

The Black Stars of Ghana will today open their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign against the United States of America at the Estadio das Dunas in sweltering Natal.

This will be the third time that the two will fist off in a FIFA World Cup with Ghana beaten the US on the two previous occasions in Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010 where Ghana qualified to the quarter final stage. Both games ended 2 - 1 in favor of the African side.

With matches against the Germans and the Portuguese lying in wait, Coach Kwesi Appiah's Black Stars will have to tackle the so called 'Group of Death' with a must win over the United States but Jurgen Klinsmann has said time without number that his players should approach their game against Ghana as their final match of the tournament.

“It’s pretty much like a knockout game,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann told fans at a send-off pep rally last month in New York’s Times Square.

Coach Jurgen Klinsmann has fashion his United States team on the principle of aggressive, pushing and high speed play with the son of former coach Michael Bradley being the fulcrum around which his team revolve.

Kwesi Appiah's team is also rich in midfield where he has the likes of Kwadwo Asamoah, Andre Ayew, Rabiu Mohammed, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Afriyie Acquah, Sulley Ali Muntari and the experienced Michael Essien.

“It’s a team full of individual talent with players, certain players that can hurt you in a split second if you’re not alert, if you’re not awake,” Klinsmann said about his opponent.

For coach Appiah to succeed in this game he needs to put one man on Michael Bradley to stop him from surging forward. Klinsmann will have a duty to shape his defence to contain the sharp Ghanaian attack led by captain Asamoah Gyan.
The game will be very difficult for both sides but the team with the strong psychological acumen will pick up the three points at stake.

Probable Line-ups:

Ghana USA
Adam Kwarasey Tim Howard
Harrison Afful Geoff Cameron
Kwadwo Asamoah DeMarcus Beasley
John Boye Omar Gonzalez
Michael Essien Matt Besler
Sulley Ali Muntari Michael Bradley
Kevin Prince Boateng Graham Suzy
Rabiu Mohammed Germain Jones
Abdul Majeed Waris Jozy Altidore
Asamoah Gyan Clint Dempsey
Andre Ayew Fabian Johnson