WC2010 Day 16: The Ghost Of Ghana Lingers

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Day 16

• Uruguay 2-1 S Korea
• USA 1-2 Ghana

• Africa still has representation in its first World Cup thanks to Ghana's extra time victory over the United States. The USA is familiar with Ghana, of course, having lost to the Black Stars in World Cup 2006. That loss ended American participation in that World Cup as well, though four years ago it came at the group stages. This time, extra time in the Round of 16 is as far as the Yanks could make it. South America, on the other hand, still has plenty of representation in this World Cup. All five teams made the knockout stages and Uruguay dispatched South Korea 2-1 to become the first team in the quarterfinals. There, the World Cup's first host will play Ghana, with all of Africa rooting on the Black Stars once again.

  Day 15

Day 14

• Chile 1 : 2 Spain
• Switzerland 0 : 0 Honduras
• North Korea 0 : 3 Côte d’Ivoire
• Portugal 0 : 0 Brazil

Day 13

• Paraguay 0-0 N Zealand 0-0
• Slovakia 3-2 Italy 3-2
• Cameroon 1-2 Holland Thu
• Denmark 1-3 Japan Thu

• Former president Bill Clinton changed his schedule and will attend the U.S.-Ghana match Saturday.

• 0 Finalists from the 2006 World Cup still playing after the group stage after Italy and France were ousted. It's the first time both finalists from the previous tournament were eliminated in the first round.

Day 12

• Slovenia - England 0-1
• USA - Algeria 1-0
• Ghana - Germany 0-1
• Australia - Serbia 2-1

Day 11

• Mexico 0-1 Uruguay
• France 1-2 S. Africa
• Nigeria 2-2 S. Korea
• Greece 0-2 Argentina
• South Korea will face uruguay in the next round.After South Korea vs Nigeria ended 2-2 South Korea wins a ticked to the next round

Day 10

• Portugal 7-0 N Korea
• Chile - Switzerland Spain 2-0 Honduras
• Is any team at the World Cup not experiencing “a split in the camp” (and is any other term allowed in the media)? France kicked it all off; since then, we’ve had John Terry grumbling at a press conference, Aaron Mokoena having to quell rumours of unhappy South Africans, Carlos Queiroz dispelling similar stories regarding him and Deco, and an official warning for Ghana’s Sulley Muntari, as well as hundreds of death threats for Nigeria’s Sani Kaita after his red card against Greece, and this isn’t a World Cup of quiet harmony — and that’s without any reports so far from an underperforming Italy

Day 9

• Slovakia 0-2 Paraguay
• Italy 1-1 New Zealand
• Brazil 3-1 Ivory Coast

Day 9

• Denmark 2-1 Cameroon
• Ghana 1-1 Australia: .
• Japan 0-1 Netherlands

• Day 9 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ proved to be a decisive one in Group E, where the Netherlands beat Japan 1-0 to become the first side to make sure of their place in the Round of 16. In contrast Cameroon became the first team to exit the tournament after losing 2-1 to Denmark. In the day's other game, Ghana could only draw with ten-man Australia, though it was still enough to take them top of Group D.

• The French team at the World Cup continues to unravel as striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home for making rude remarks to his coach in the match against Mexico. The French face elimination from the group stage.
• Ghana's talents extend far beyond football. On their arrival at the Royal Bakofeng Stadium in Rustenburg on Saturday, the Black Stars took the stadium volunteers and officials by surprise with an impromptu session of singing and dancing, repeating the show when they celebrated their equaliser against Australia.

Day 8

• Germany 0-1 Serbia
• Slovania 2-2 USA
• Algeria 0-0 England
• Ghana are facing an injury crisis ahead of Saturday's FIFA World CupT meeting with Australia with both their first-choice centre backs doubtful for the Group D match.
  Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac revealed that Isaac Vorsah had not trained for 'several days' while captain John Mensah, who has suffered from recurring back-related injuries all season, broke down in training at the Royal Bafokeng stadium on the eve of the match.

Day 7

• Argentina 4-1 South Korea
• Nigeria 1-2 Greece
• France 0-2 Mexico
• Ghana had to delay its Thursday morning practice session in Rustenburg because the field was unusable.
  “The pitch is frozen and it has to be cleared.” Fred Pappoe, vice president of the Ghana Football Assn., said on the group’s website.
  Temperatures in Rustenburg, about 70 miles northwest of Johannesburg, dropped well below freezing overnight. A week ago they were in the 80s.
  Ghana, a 1-0 winner over Serbia in its opener, plays Australia on Saturday in Rustenburg.

Day 6

• Honduras 0-1 Chile
• Switzerland 1-0 Spain
• South Africa 0-3 Uruguay

Day 5

• N Zealand 1-1 Slovakia
• Ivory C 0-0 Portugal
• Brazil 2-1 N Korea
• SULLEY MUNTARI is happy to be a World Cup reserve - as long as Ghana are winning. The midfielder stayed on the bench during his side's 1-0 win over Serbia in their first game on Sunday. Ghana face Australia in Rustenburg on Saturday but Muntari, who has recovered from a thigh injury, is not a certainty to play. The former Pompey ace, 25, said: "It did not matter I didn't play in the Serbia game. "The big thing was that we won."

Day 4

• Holland 2-0 Denmark
• Japan 1-0 Cameroon
• Italy 1-1 Paraguay

Day 3

• Slovenia 0-1 Algeria
  Ghana 1-0 Serbia
  Germany 4-0 Australia
• FIFA is not filled with brotherly love. A pedantic quibble it may be, but they are often the ones that rankle the most. FIFA did not allow Argentina's Carlos Tevez to have "Carlitos" on the back of his shirt, nor was Sergio Aguero allowed to have "Kun." And yet Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng was allowed to have "Prince" on his shirt, even though he was born Kevin Boateng and only added Prince, his father's name, later on in life. Surely FIFA didn't take that decision to avoid the inevitable "Boateng-Boateng" photos when "Prince" comes up against his half-brother, Jerome Boateng, in Ghana's final Group D match against Germany? Anyone would think Fifa was making up the rules as they went along: surely not.

Day 2

• S Korea 2-0 Greece
• Argentina 1-0 Nigeria
• England - USA Sat
• Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan said yesterday the African teams at the World Cup will be representing not just themselves but the entire continent. Gyan, who plays for French club Rennes, had no qualms admitting he was supporting hosts South Africa against Mexico yesterday, and that he would also root for Nigeria, Algeria and the Ivory Coast in their campaigns.

Day 1

• S Africa 1-1 Mexico
• Uruguay 0-0 France

1 day to go

• Group D: 'Group of death' may be a well-worn tournament cliche, but with Germany, Ghana, Serbia and Australia it could well apply to Group D.
  Germany are understandably top seeds. In recent years Germany have been written off, but always seem to show their quality when it matters. As seven-time World Cup finalists and three-time winners they'll be a tough match for anyone.
  As the first African team to reach the 2010 finals and their continent's only side in the knockout rounds four years ago, Ghana will perhaps be seen as favourites to come second in the group. However, the loss of Michael Essien is a severe blow leaving the Black Stars relying heavily on Sulley Muntari and Stephen Appiah.
  Radi Antic's Serbia team will be seen by many as dark horses. Any side boasting the talents of Nemanja Vidic, Dejan Stankovic and Milan Jovanovic deserve respect.
  The Socceroos, led by Guus Hiddink four years ago, were unlucky to be knocked out by Italy in the second round. Now under the tutelage of another canny Dutchman, Pim Verbeek, this strong-willed outfit will once again be determined to prove their worth.

2 days to go

• RUSTENBURG, South Africa — Ghana has moved its World Cup base from the Roode Vallei Hotel in Pretoria to Sun City in Rustenburg because of "unresolved technical issues." The Ghana Football Association gave no further details in a statement Wednesday on its website.

  Also Wednesday, Serbia was given permission by FIFA to switch training grounds after players complained that the pitch at AW Muller Stadium in Johannesburg could cause injuries. The team is to move to the nearby rugby union ground.

• Kwadwo Asamoah says he is feeling ’slight pain’ in his ankle. Reports say it’s nothing serious. However, Milovan Rajevac does not want to take any chances on his key players. He rested Asamoah at this evening’s training session. Muntari is still not feeling ready as his thigh issues nag him. He’ll be crucial to Ghana’s experience as he’s been at the highest level of club and national football.

• Goalkeeper Richard Kingson looks set to play for the Black Stars in their opening World Cup game against Serbia after a shoulder injury threatened to sideline him.

• Sulley Muntari is back in training, but remains a doubt for Ghana's opening game against Serbia . The midfielder did light physical training in Pretoria as the Black Stars got straight down to work hours after touching down in South Africa for their campaign. A thigh strain meant he missed Ghana's final warm up game against Latvia on Saturday after taking no part in training.

• NEMANJA VIDIC is excited that Serbia will be standing tall at the World Cup in their own right. The Manchester United defender is expected to shrug off a virus in time to play in his nation's opening game against Ghana on Sunday.

  3 days to go

  • Coach Milovan Rajevac insists nobody is guaranteed a start in their opener against Serbia on Sunday. With regular keeper Richard Kingson injured, Under-20 World Cup winner Daniel Adjei stepped in for the 1-0 victory over Latvia on Saturday. And Rajevac said: "Adjei did well, he's a young keeper and a world champion. "The goalkeeper's slot is like every other - no one has a guaranteed place."

  4 days to go

  • Ghana is the youngest team at the world cup at 24 years, 9 months, with North Korea next at 25 years, 4 months. Brazil is the oldest team, averaging 29 years, 3 months, followed by England at 29 years, 2 months.

  • Crocked Michael Essien aims to be a 'Beckham-like' helper for Ghana in South Africa.

  • The Black Stars camp has placed a ban prohibiting all players from sex for the period of their participaton in the World Cup.

  • After losing talisman Essien, Ghana are sweating over the fitness of midfielder Sulley Muntari, who missed the last test game against Latvia

  • Scores of people waited in the O R Tambo Airport arrivals hall to see World Cup teams arrive on African soil. Players from Ghana were directed to the cargo centre of the massive airfield and ushered into a makeshift marquee-style building in the style of a World War Two barracks.

  • A RELIEVED Milovan Rajevac reported a clean bill of health for his Ghana World Cup squad after concluding preparations in Britain at the weekend. Ghana beat Latvia 1-0 in Milton Keynes on Saturday in the last of their pre-tournament games. "For us the most important thing was that no player got injured," the coach said

  • Kevin-Prince Boateng may start for Ghana in their World Cup opener after impressing against Latvia.