Ghana Wins, But Not Yet Qualified

...South Africa is OUT
Ghana now have a great chance of qualifying for Germany 2006 Ghana have one foot in next year's World Cup finals after defeating Uganda 2-0 in Kumasi on Sunday.

Thanks to goals from Michael Essien and Matthew Amoah, the Black Stars top Group Three with eighteen points, three clear of DR Congo and South Africa.

The Ghanaian victory means that 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa can no longer qualify for Germany.

Bafana Bafana have a worse head-to-head record than Ghana so can no longer top the table.

The only team who can catch the Black Stars are DR Congo's Simbas.

Ghana and DR Congo have a matched head-to-head record, after their two fixtures ended in draws, so should Ghana lose in Cape Verde and DR Congo win in South Africa next month, the group would be decided by goal difference.

Yet should the Black Stars avoid defeat in Cape Verde, the four-time African champions will qualify for their first World Cup finals.

South Africa's hopes of World Cup qualification were ruined when losing 3-1 to Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou on Saturday.

Starting Lineup: Sammy Adjei, John Painstill, Emmanuel Pappoe, Issah Ahmed, John Mensah, Micheal Essien (Abubaka Yahuza ), Stephen Appiah, Laryea Kingston, Daniel Edusei, Matthew Amoah, Joetex Frimpong (Isaac Boakye)