Welcome to yet another World Cup in which just a solitary African team advances to the knockout phase. Ghana will be flying their black-starred flag not just for their 22 million odd people but also on behalf of the roughly 12 percent of the world’s population that calls the continent of Africa home. In spite of the achievement, the tea leaves woukld seem not to indicate much more to cheer in Ghana’s immediate future. Ghana will require a special
performance from captain Appiah
The West Africans will have to overcome defending champions Brazil in their second round match. Although Brazil’s status as pre-tournament favourites was somewhat tarnished by uninspired performances in their first two group matches, a team largely made up of second-stringers found an impressive rhythm against Japan in the final group game. Even the comedy value of watching Ronaldo waddling ponderously around the Japanese half was overshadowed, briefly, by his two goals, and the fact that he looked lively enough to have scored two more. Ronaldo is said to be a man who will take one goal-scoring opportunity out of two, and on this evidence it would seem that while his pace may have deserted him for good, his eye for goal is returning just in time to propel Brazil into the quarter finals.
The loss of Essien to suspension has proved a cruel blow
But what of Ghana? They have a strong midfield which will surely miss the industry, pace and power of Michael Essien, unfortunate to miss the match after picking up a second yellow card of the tournament against the Americans. Ghana have ability across the pitch, though their goalkeeper Richard Kingson, for all his alertness in one on one situations, has looked very ordinary when having to deal with crosses. Fortunately Brazil are a team that tend to keep the ball on the floor, and given the form of Adriano, Brazil’s only starting aerial threat, Kingson should have relatively little to worry in that department. Stephen Appiah in particular will have to shoulder the responsibility to drive his team forward; whilst Appiah has been captain it is the Chelsea midfielder who has been the heartbeat of the team. It will be time for Appiah to show the world why he deserves the armband. Ghana’s strikers will also have to learn where the back of the net is. Asamoah Gyan has been woefully wasteful, and such profligacy will ultimately be punished, even if apparent valium addict Adriano is playing. Where Ghana can cause problems is with the aggression of their play, and the pace with which they execute their gameplan. Brazil are used to being to a man the quickest side on the field, but they may have met their match in the quickness stakes. Ghana’s pace and strength is likely to ensure that Brazil don’t have the time they so love on the ball. It also means that the South American’s roving defenders will have to be alert to the space they leave behind when they make their forward runs. If central defender Juan gets as far forward against Ghana as he did against Japan to make the pass for Ronaldo’s second goal, he had best hope the result is the same, because if Ghana reclaim possession they have the pace and the passers to punish any gaps that open up in the Brazilian defence. This advantage will become more pronounced if Brazil coach Perreira insists on playing his geriatric fullbacks Cafu (36) and Roberto Carlos (33). Ironically of the two it is the older Cafu who has looked the most capable of offering pace and balance out wide. Although still fast, Roberto Carlos seems to have lost the energy that saw him motoring up and down the left hand side of the pitch for the duration of the game. Both players prefer now to saunter back into position, trusting that their team-mates will maintain possession long enough for the two elder statesmen to return some semblance of shape to their very fluid side.
But are Brazil fluid? They were against Japan. But then they fielded a much hungrier team, with the relative youth of Cicinho (26 today) and Gilberto (30) in the full back positions, and Robinho in for the static Adriano. Juninho Pernambucano and Gilberto Silva gave better shape to the midfield with old man E
merson (clearly vying with Mr Cambiasso for the ‘worst hair of the tournament’ award) and attacking midfilder cum holding player Ze Roberto asked to sit on the bench. If all the rested players return then Ghana will be in with a chance, especially if Dida, arguably the most mediocre in a long line of mediocre Brazilian goalkeepers, is between the post. If Ghana could only find someone who could hit the target….
Cicinho, 26 today, but
still too young for his coach?
Africa doesn’t so much expect as it hopes.
Viva Ghana!
