The
team’s chances of progressing to the next stage of the competition is dicey but
the enthusiasm of soccer fans in Ghana and indeed most parts of Africa is high.
Ghanaians
had backed their hopes on Portugal to beat the USA to increase the Black Stars’
qualification opportunity. But this did could not materialize, as the
Portuguese struggled for a last minute equalizer in yet another 2:2 score line with
the US.
“It was an amazing game; Portugal Vs USA. No team is safe
now. The draw gives Ghana a chance, but they have to beat Portugal by 3 goals.
Yes They Can,” Kenyan journalist, Geoffery Onditi stated on his facebook wall.
Like
Geoffery, most Ghanaians have put on their mathematical lenses to calculate the
possibility of the Black Stars coming up ahead of the USA and Portugal in the
group.
According
to the soccer mathematicians, a Ghanaian win over Portugal and a possible
German win over the USA will push the Black Stars to the next stage of the
competition. But a drawn game between German and the USA will see both teams
qualifying.
The
cautious optimism expressed by fans in Ghana ahead of the Ghana-Germany game
has now given way to a hopeful enthusiasm as the Stars go into the next game on
Thursday.
“Brazil
is getting quite exciting and this is one of the best tournaments by goals and
quality of play,” stated fanatic Kojo Amoh at one of the public viewing points
mounted in Kumasi, Ghana’s second capital city. “I just want the Black Stars to
stay on longer in Brazil so that the fun of the tournament will be complete.”
There
is high expectation for the Black Stars to repeat their last performance when
they take on Portugal and most importantly the fans want the goals to flood in.
Coach
Kwasi Appiah would be at the centre of affairs to ensure the whipped up
enthusiasm is sustained.
He
is already in history as the first Ghanaian coach to take the Black Stars to
the World Cup and would want to prove a worthy point in the last Group G match.
One Ghanaian player who knows a lot about the
Portuguese pattern of play is winger, Christian Atsu, who played for two clubs
in Portugal for three years.
According to the Chelsea player, the game is would
be challenging but he is confident of a Black Stars victory.
This level of the team’s confidence is also upheld
by skipper Asamoah Gyan who says his team mates are psychologically poised to
beat Portugal to make progress.
Unfortunately,
the team’s training session has been hindered by the players’ uneasiness on the
non-payment of allowances and appearance fees. They need to the appeased with their
financial arrangements if they are to go all out against Portugal.
The
players were promised an appearance fee of $75,000 each for qualifying for the
tournament in Brazil but according to Spokesperson for the Ghana Football Association,
Sannie Daara, the players are yet to receive any money two weeks into the
tournament.
President
John Mahama has intervened to ensure the players are paid.
These
challenges notwithstanding, the Black Stars would have Ghana and Africa
engrossed in a game of determination and prowess ingrained in mathematical
analysis.
Story by Kofi Adu
Domfeh
Originally commissioned by Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil's
largest newspaper.
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