Ghana to prevail at all odds

Brazil meets Ghana in the next leg: Ghana to prevail at all odds

At last Ghana finally advances to the next stage of the FIFA World Cup™ tournament in Germany in 2006 having proved her methyl as the undisputed best soccer team in Africa today.

Ghana has had a number of celebrated footballers in the continent of Africa. The nation’s most celebrated footballers include Baba Yara, Ibrahim Sunday (African Player of the Year in 1977), Abdul Razak (African Player of the Year in 1978, now coach of Asante Kotoko), and Abedi Ayew Pelé (African Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992, now a member of the FIFA Football Committee). Other famous names are Osei Kofi, Malik, Mohamed Polo,Tony Yeboah (played in England and Germany), Samuel Osei Kuffour (defender with Bayern Munich in Germany) and Marcel Desailly (dual French-Ghanaian citizen who has had a long and successful career in the French national team).

Although Ghana has had a successful career as the most talented African soccer team with more than three championship titles in African soccer her dream to qualify for the FIFA World Cup™ has always alluded her for several reasons. As we all know Ghana has chalked very remarkable feat in African soccer but has never been able to make it to the FIFA World Cup™. Finally here they come FIFA World Cup™ 2006 in Germany having been ranked 49th to upset the number 2 and number 5 FIFA ranked teams of Czechoslovakia and the USA in 2006. Not only does Ghana Black Stars qualify to leg 16 as the only African team left in the tournament but also the Black Stars have now hit top form to face the All time World soccer lord’s, Brazil on Tuesday June 27 after putting up some remarkable performances over big names in the FIFA World Cup™ in Germany.

WORLD CUP FINALS

Brazil and Germany (formerly West Germany) have played in the most Cup finals with seven but faced each other for the first time in a final in 2002. Brazil wins the World Cup Finals for the first time with Pelé in June 29, 1958 (Brazil 5, Sweden 2) at Stockholm. Brazil wins again for the second time in June 17 1962 (Brazil 3, Czechoslovakia 1) at Santiago, Chile.

Brazil makes a come back to win for the third time with an overwhelming victory over Italy in June 21, 1970 (Brazil 4, Italy 1) at Mexico City. Brazil held Italy to a goalless draw and finally triumphed with penalty kick at shootout on July 17, 994 (*Brazil wins shootout, 3-2.) at Pasadena, Calif. Brazil showed up at the finals again in 1998 but France won decisively over Brazil on July 12, 1998 at Paris (France 3, Brazil 0). France never lost a game to earn the cherished trophy with seven victories. Brazil also won all her matches losing only to France at the finals. Brazil again over Germany in the World Cup Finals on June 30, 2002 (Brazil 2, Germany 0) at Yokohama, Japan. Brazil never lost a match and ended with Brazil (7-0) Germany (5-2).

At every point Ghana remains the underdog as her first appearance in a world cup competition. However Ghana’s classic defeat of Czechoslovakia and USA, the 2ND and 5th FIFA ranked teams in the tournament makes Ghana a force to reckon with. Ghana can beat Brazil. Ghana may not have appeared before in a world cup competition but she has had some taste of international and world class soccer having played many such friendly matches. HOW HAS GHANA FARED IN INTERNATIONAL MATCHES OUTSIDE AFRICA?

Matches Database: GHA

14-Sep-1996

DURBAN (South Africa)

Australia vs. Ghana 2:0 (1:0) Friendly 1996

24-Jun-1995

PERTH (Australia)

Australia vs. Ghana 0:1 (0:1) Friendly 1995

21-Jun-1995

ADELAIDE (Australia)

Australia vs. Ghana 1:0 (1:0) Friendly 1995

18-Jun-1995

SYDNEY (Australia)

Australia vs. Ghana 2:1 (2:0) Friendly 1995

10-Dec-1987

TBA (UNKNOWN)

Cuba vs. Ghana 1:1 Friendly 1987

17-Jun-2006

COLOGNE (Germany)

Czech Republic vs. Ghana 0:2 (0:1) 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany (TM)

2-Jun-1996

COPENHAGEN (Denmark)

Denmark vs. Ghana 1:0 (1:0) Friendly 1996

14-Apr-1993

BOCHUM (Germany)

Germany vs. Ghana 6:1 (0:1) Friendly 1993

6-Feb-1993

KUALA LUMPUR (Malaysia)

Ghana vs. Indonesia 2:0 (0:0) Merdeka Tournament 1993

12-Jun-2006

HANOVER (Germany)

Italy vs. Ghana 2:0 (1:0) 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany (TM)

29-May-2006

LEICESTER (England)

Jamaica vs. Ghana 1:4 (0:2) Friendly 2006

7-Aug-1999

ACCRA (Ghana)

Ghana vs. Jamaica 2:1 Friendly 1999

14-Jul-1994

KOBE (Japan)

Japan vs. Ghana 2:1 (1:0) Friendly 1994

8-Jul-1994

NAGOYA (Japan)

Japan vs. Ghana 3:2 (2:2) Friendly 1994

4-Jun-2006

EDINBURGH (Scotland)

Ghana vs. Korea Republic 3:1 (1:0) Friendly 2006

14-Jun-1997

SUWON (Korea Republic)

Korea Republic vs. Ghana 3:0 (1:0) Korea Cup 1997

10-Feb-1993

KUALA LUMPUR (Malaysia)

Ghana vs. Korea Republic 1:3 (0:0) Merdeka Tournament 1993

30-Jul-1985

TBA (UNKNOWN)

Malaysia vs. Ghana 1:0 Friendly 1985

13-Oct-1998

ARNHEM (Netherlands)

Netherlands vs. Ghana 0:0 Friendly 1998

25-May-1995

OSLO (Norway)

Norway vs. Ghana 3:2 (1:1) Friendly 1995

14-Nov-2005

JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia vs. Ghana 1:3 (1:2) Friendly 2005

5-Jan-1996

JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia vs. Ghana 1:1 (0:1) Friendly 1996

26-May-2006

BOCHUM (Germany)

Turkey vs. Ghana 1:1 (1:0) Friendly 2006

22-Jun-2006

NUREMBERG (Germany)

Ghana vs. USA 2:1 (2:1) 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany (TM)

Brazil has played Ghana once in a friendly match decades ago where Brail beat Ghana but this does not mean that Brazil will beat Ghana again. Who wins in 2006? So far Brazil has not lost a game and they are on top form. However Ghana’s speed and ascendancy remains strong to put her on top this Tuesday to advance to be the first African team ever to get beyond to the final stages of the world cup competition. Can and will Ghana upset Brazil? We will find out on Tuesday June 27.

May God bless Ghana Ghana Black Stars.