The first ever meeting between African pride, the Black Stars of Ghana and their English counterparts, the Three Lions is gradually gathering momentum. The 29th March encounter is scheduled for the much revered Wembley Stadium and it will come three days after the Black Stars play their Congolese counterparts in Brazzaville in an African Cup of Nations qualifiers and England play Wales in an Euro 2012 qualifying match.

After great performances against Bulgaria and Switzerland in Euro 2012 qualifiers, the English went blank against Montenegro in October 2010. The Three Lions has however bounced back to winning ways once again. In their last match against a well disciplined Denmark side, the English rallied from a goal down to win the match with a 2 goals to 1 margin, thanks to goals from Darren Bent and Ashley Young.

The win against Denmark understandably lessens the burden on the shoulders of the English National Team and in particular that of their coach, Italian Fabio Capello after their lukewarm performance in South Africa. The vociferous English fans have started singing the praises of the team once again. But can the seemly rejuvenated English team hold their own against the respected Black Stars of Ghana and Africa?

The Black Stars, after their breathtaking performance in South Africa where they were just a penalty away from qualifying for the last four, has not looked back since. In three matches that the Black Stars have played after the World Cup, they have won two and drawn one and scoring 7 goals in the process while conceding only one.

With a new coach at the helm of affairs and a cluster of young players hungry to perform against England before the lenses of the English press, the Black Stars seem the most motivated team of the two going into this match.

Capello and his charges would be hoping for a very good result against the Black Stars to maintain the faith of the fans going into the next Euro qualifying match against the Welsh next month. A win will signal to all and sundry that the Three Lions have put the disappointment of South Africa 2010 behind them and are ready to qualify for Euro 2012 and make a good account of themselves. A loss to the Black Stars would on the other hand dampen the trust of the supporters in the team.

But the Black Stars won’t come easy. They are not under the same measure of expected pressure as their counterparts. Their last match against Togo in Antwerp was very successful. With inspiring performances, they disposed the Hawks with a four goals to one margin. The new coach has managed to court the trust of the fans of the team and the hard-hitting Ghanaian Sports media. That aside, many people will not complain in an event the Black Stars lose to the Three Lions on any given day.

What would be motivating the Black Stars would be more than the results. Almost each player that will get the privilege of representing Ghana in its first ever football match at the senior level against its former colonial masters would be hoping to showcase a performance that could catch the eyes of the numerous teams in the United Kingdom and in particular, England.
Coach Goran Stevanovic at 44 would love to be the very first coach to have led an African team to have won against the English national team in their own backyard. And that record could do his curriculum vitae a whole lot of good. Fortunately for the coach, he would be having for the very first time the full complement of the team that represented Ghana at the World Cup. Kelvin Prince Boateng and Andre Dede Ayew have recovered from their injuries and given the opportunity, they will do the honours for their fatherland.

History beckons the Black Stars of Ghana. The connoisseurs of the game have penciled down a very close game. Can the Black Stars rise to the occasion and make Africa proud once again? What are your expectations? Who do you think will win this all important encounter?

As for me one thing I look out for, not another dance from Asamoah Gyan though, but the sound of our national anthem filling the whole of the Wembley Stadium. I can’t just wait!

God bless our homeland Ghana.

Nii Ayi Anteh
Teshie Tsui Bleoo
Teshie, Accra.
gentlepope@yahoo.co.uk