Can Africa Ever Go Beyond Quarter-finals In World Cups?

It was the hope of every African that the ongoing World Cup in South Africa could
see Africa going beyond the quarter final stage. All hopes were shattered when Ghana
lost against Uruguay in a very bizarre circumstance. The loss emphasised the long
time belief that no African team will ever go beyond the quarter finals.


Cameroon was a great team in 1990. They played in the World Cup in that year with
old Roger Milla the main source of attention. He crowned any goal he scored with a
wriggle of the waist near the corner flag. Hopes were high in Africa during
Cameroon's quater-final encounter with England. David Platt put the English ahead in
the 25th minute. Cameroon hit back to equalise through Kunde in the 61st minute with
a penalty goal and actually took the lead four minutes later when Ekeke scored.
Cameroon were 25 minutes from a semi-final place but a penalty in the 83rd minute
pushed the game into extra time which England won by another Gary Lineker penalty -
3-2 and the Africans were out. Cameroon missed pushing itself further into the
history books by a mere 7 minutes!

The next team to almost make it to the semi-final was Senegal in South Korea 2004
World Cup. Senegal displayed a very attractive football which kindled the hope of
Africa. Anyone who watched their skills and bravery knew they were going to have
their feet firmly in the semi-finals. They were, however, beaten by Turkey in a
match they could have won and the African hope to enter the semi-final zone was once
again dashed.

This year 2010 was to be a year of hope, perseverance and success for the African
teams. The event had never been so close to our own doorsteps. Surprisingly all the
African countries, including the host country South Africa, were eliminated in the
group stage. Only our twinkle twinkle Black Stars carried the African honours beyond
the group stage. We pulled a fast one over the US in extra time to squeeze our way,
deservedly, into the quarter finals. All Africa turned its hope and moral support to
Ghana. We were the team to take Africa further. Indeed, Ghana's support was immense
among all the African countries and included important personalities like Nelson
Mandela and Jacob Zuma.

The day came when the Black Stars had to break the jinx of African teams' inability
to move beyond the quarter-final stage. The Black Stars met Uruguay in the quarter
finals. Hopes were very high when Muntari registered the first goal. Uruguay got the
equaliser on resumption of play through a free kick that was well taken but really
not beyond Kingson's capabilities of stopping if he had positioned himself correctly
behind the wall and did not think the ball was going to his right.

It was in the last minute of extra time when the Uruguay keeper missed Adiyiah's
shot in what Ghanaian sports journalists popularly call "goalmouth scramble" and was
heading into the roof of the net when a desperate Suarez, in a very desperate move,
used his hands to stop the ball. A penalty was duly awarded and Suarez sent off. The
whole world was in no doubt that history was in the making for Ghana and Africa.
Quite unlike Asamoah Gyan, he shot the penalty hard and nearly removed the crossbar
as it hit the woodwork. The cameras showed Suarez jubilating on the sidelines and
the Uruguayan keeper thanking his gods and the crossbar for the deliverance. The
penalty shootout was an anti-climax for Ghana. The game was already lost to us even
before we started the penalty shoot out (PSO in Fifa's parlance). The Black Stars
killed the African dream by losing on penalties to Uruguay and crushing 23 million
hearts in the motherland. Some of us have still not yet recovered from that loss.

What is worthy of discussion was why the Portuguese referee did not whistle for a
goal when the ball was prevented from entering the goal by the hands of Suarez who
is a player and not a goalkeeper. FIFA must change the rules regarding a player
deliberately touching the ball in the goal area. FIFA must consider this seriously
as they did in 1938. Before the rules were changed, seven corner kicks were equal to
one goal. There was nothing like "throw-in" when the ball went off the field. The
ball was put down and kicked. Even when a goalkeeper caught a ball and a player was
able to push him into the goal, it was considered a goal.

I hope Ghanaians would forgive Asamoah Gyan for wasting the penalty. However, Sule
Muntari must be banned from the Black Stars. He arroganty refused to join the team
to honour Mandela's invitation. Instead he chattered a private jet worth 50,000
euros, and left with his family to Ghana. Antwa yie.

Written by Stephen Atta Owusu
Author:Dark Faces At Crossroads
Email:stephen.owusu@email.com