Ghana hopeful of sealing second round berth
Source: Agencies |
June 19, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GHANA hopes to have more than birthdays to celebrate when it seeks to clinch its passage to the World Cup second round with a decisive Group D triumph over Australia.
After goalkeeper Richard Kingson marked his 32nd birthday last Sunday with a fine display in the Black Stars' opening 1-0 win over Serbia, it was the turn on Tuesday of defender John Pantsil, who turned 29. Coach Milovan Rajevac knows Ghana has an excellent chance to be Africa's most successful side here and could at least emulate Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) in reaching the quarterfinals.
But it must first overcome an Australia team stung by a 0-4 thrashing by Germany and missing suspended attacking midfielder Tim Cahill.
A victory over tenacious Australia cannot be taken for granted, however, as Ghana has won only once against it in six previous meetings. "They are a very competitive nation and I am sure they will fight. Their performance against Germany did not show the real picture," Rajevac said.
Australia's Dutch coach Pim Verbeek may bring in Harry Kewell and may also select Mark Bresciano and Josh Kennedy.
Kewell, 31, has rejected talk of rifts and rallied the team.
"It wasn't a great effort against Germany, but there are two games to go and anything can happen in a World Cup," he said.
After goalkeeper Richard Kingson marked his 32nd birthday last Sunday with a fine display in the Black Stars' opening 1-0 win over Serbia, it was the turn on Tuesday of defender John Pantsil, who turned 29. Coach Milovan Rajevac knows Ghana has an excellent chance to be Africa's most successful side here and could at least emulate Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) in reaching the quarterfinals.
But it must first overcome an Australia team stung by a 0-4 thrashing by Germany and missing suspended attacking midfielder Tim Cahill.
A victory over tenacious Australia cannot be taken for granted, however, as Ghana has won only once against it in six previous meetings. "They are a very competitive nation and I am sure they will fight. Their performance against Germany did not show the real picture," Rajevac said.
Australia's Dutch coach Pim Verbeek may bring in Harry Kewell and may also select Mark Bresciano and Josh Kennedy.
Kewell, 31, has rejected talk of rifts and rallied the team.
"It wasn't a great effort against Germany, but there are two games to go and anything can happen in a World Cup," he said.
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