Twelve years after their sensational run to the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, can the Black Stars of Ghana create more magic when they join the best teams in the world for the Qatar 2022 Mundial?
Boasting the talents of Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah, Sully Muntari, and many more, Ghana stunned the world in South Africa, going all the way to the quarter-finals before falling just short against Uruguay.
Had Gyan converted that fateful last-minute penalty against the South Americans, Ghana would have been the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Between that 2010 run and the next challenge in Qatar, Ghana did qualify for the 2014 Mundial in Brazil, but the Stars failed to progress beyond the group phase following defeats to USA and Portugal. They did hold Germany to a creditable 2-2 draw.
Ghana missed out of the Russia 2018 World Cup.
Now the Black Stars are back, and there is a great deal of optimism surrounding their prospects in the Middle East.
Ghana had a tough qualifying campaign, needing to beat South Africa in their final match of the group phase at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium to get into the play-off rounds. They got the job done via a controversial first-half penalty from Andre Ayew, edging out South Africa on the head-to-head rule.
Then came the play-offs against fierce rivals, Nigeria. Having been forced to a goalless draw in the home leg in Kumasi, the Ghanaians were second favourites heading into the return game in Abuja.
But Otto Addo’s men produced a professional performance in the Nigerian capital to earn a 1-1 draw, moving through to the World Cup at the expense of their West African cousins on the away goals rule.
The path to Qatar was lined with plenty of danger, but the Black Stars navigated through the challenges to find themselves amongst the last 32 teams standing.
And therein lies the root of the public’s optimism.
Bookmakers aren’t giving the Black Stars much of a chance, judging by the odds on many World Cup betting sites, but Ghanaians fans believe that this team can spring surprises in Qatar.
This is not the best Ghanaian squad ever assembled- they certainly do not have the talents of the 2010 team- but they have got a fair degree of ability, along with loads of belief.
It’s a team that very much mirrors its manager, Addo, who himself was a part of Ghana’s first-ever trip to the World Cup in 2006. He has now moulded a squad with a very strong mentality, ready to take on the world again.
The Black Stars have been drawn into Group H, along with some very familiar foes.
They are reacquainted with Uruguay, 12 years after those incredible scenes in Johannesburg. The match against Uruguay will be their final group match, following encounters against Portugal and South Korea.
Ghana has a nice balance of experience and youth, with Thomas Partey, Andre Ayew and Daniel Amartey amongst the older heads in the squad. They also now have the services of Tariq Lamptey, Felix Afena-Gyan and Inaki Williams, who have all decided to retrace their Ghanaian roots and play for the Black Stars.
There is plenty of reason to believe that Ghana can cause another big stir at the Qatar World Cup.
