Ghana could be ambushed at Nations cup
Jan 14, 2008
PROPHETIC powers are a must-have in the cutthroat world of soccer punditry. <br>Otherwise, one’s predictions risk oscillating between embarrassing and wide-off-mark. No wonder as the 2008 Nations Cup kicks-off this weekend, few pundits are willing to sacrifice precious reputations with reckless,
By Joseph Opio
PROPHETIC powers are a must-have in the cutthroat world of soccer punditry.
Otherwise, one’s predictions risk oscillating between embarrassing and wide-off-mark. No wonder as the 2008 Nations Cup kicks-off this weekend, few pundits are willing to sacrifice precious reputations with reckless, hasty forecasts of the opening fixture.
That opener comes courtesy of Group A — where Ghana, Guinea, Namibia and Morocco — are all hell-bent on making the knockout rounds.
Contrary to hype, it’s Group A — and not Group B [with Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria and Benin] — that’s the Group of Death!
Dark horses Guinea
Ghana, as the hosts, are expected to top the group. But that’s only if expectations and harsh reality don’t collide fatally — as they are wont to do!
The Black Stars face Guinea in their first match — and as Michael Essien and Co. should know, no team epitomizes the term ‘dark horses’ better than the Guineans.
Quarter-finalists in 2004 and 2006, Guinea are currently ranked third in Africa by FIFA and topped their qualifying group.
In the opener, Ghana will be roared on by a partisan home crowd!
The crowd will cultivate the kind of hostile climate in which opposing teams are supposed to wilt and wither. One little problem though; few teams blossom and thrive in an intimidating atmosphere better than Guinea.
In doubt?
Just ask poor Algeria who assembled 80,000 fans in their penultimate Ghana ’08 qualifier — needing only a draw against Guinea to qualify.
Atlas Lions to roar
The visitors hadn’t perused through the script. A heroic 2-0 win turned what should have been a colourful Algerian send-off to Accra into a swift national tragedy.
Ghana will be wary of a similar ambush. But that won’t stop Guinea’s Pascal Feinduono and partner-in-crime Fode Mansare from springing their latest trap.
But for all their verve, Ghana and Guinea should not conceal the mortal threat posed by Morocco.
The Atlas Lions were the first team to qualify for Ghana ’08 last June after a 1-0 win in Malawi. Such distinction though proved insufficient to guarantee coach Mohamed Fakhir’s job. He was fired and replaced by experienced Frenchman Henri Michel.
Seasoned Michel
A veteran of three continental finals, Michel possesses robust firepower at his disposal — with hitman Marouane Chamakh, Youseff Hadji and Porto’s Tarek Sektoui — who dismantled France to earn a 2-2 draw last November — manning his frontline.
Ghana, Guinea and Morocco will challenge for the two knockout berths — dictating that whoever surrenders points against punch-bags Namibia will pay the ultimate price!
No side landed in Ghana via the lottery but Namibia — who were surprise qualifiers with virtually the last kick in their qualifying campaign — come as close to that as any!
The Namibians lost seven of their last 12 fixtures — including morale-sapping defeats to Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.
Obviously in Ghana to make up the numbers, don’t expect the ill-fated Namibians to confound their patchy form-book.
PROPHETIC powers are a must-have in the cutthroat world of soccer punditry.
Otherwise, one’s predictions risk oscillating between embarrassing and wide-off-mark. No wonder as the 2008 Nations Cup kicks-off this weekend, few pundits are willing to sacrifice precious reputations with reckless, hasty forecasts of the opening fixture.
That opener comes courtesy of Group A — where Ghana, Guinea, Namibia and Morocco — are all hell-bent on making the knockout rounds.
Contrary to hype, it’s Group A — and not Group B [with Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria and Benin] — that’s the Group of Death!
Dark horses Guinea
Ghana, as the hosts, are expected to top the group. But that’s only if expectations and harsh reality don’t collide fatally — as they are wont to do!
The Black Stars face Guinea in their first match — and as Michael Essien and Co. should know, no team epitomizes the term ‘dark horses’ better than the Guineans.
Quarter-finalists in 2004 and 2006, Guinea are currently ranked third in Africa by FIFA and topped their qualifying group.
In the opener, Ghana will be roared on by a partisan home crowd!
The crowd will cultivate the kind of hostile climate in which opposing teams are supposed to wilt and wither. One little problem though; few teams blossom and thrive in an intimidating atmosphere better than Guinea.
In doubt?
Just ask poor Algeria who assembled 80,000 fans in their penultimate Ghana ’08 qualifier — needing only a draw against Guinea to qualify.
Atlas Lions to roar
The visitors hadn’t perused through the script. A heroic 2-0 win turned what should have been a colourful Algerian send-off to Accra into a swift national tragedy.
Ghana will be wary of a similar ambush. But that won’t stop Guinea’s Pascal Feinduono and partner-in-crime Fode Mansare from springing their latest trap.
But for all their verve, Ghana and Guinea should not conceal the mortal threat posed by Morocco.
The Atlas Lions were the first team to qualify for Ghana ’08 last June after a 1-0 win in Malawi. Such distinction though proved insufficient to guarantee coach Mohamed Fakhir’s job. He was fired and replaced by experienced Frenchman Henri Michel.
Seasoned Michel
A veteran of three continental finals, Michel possesses robust firepower at his disposal — with hitman Marouane Chamakh, Youseff Hadji and Porto’s Tarek Sektoui — who dismantled France to earn a 2-2 draw last November — manning his frontline.
Ghana, Guinea and Morocco will challenge for the two knockout berths — dictating that whoever surrenders points against punch-bags Namibia will pay the ultimate price!
No side landed in Ghana via the lottery but Namibia — who were surprise qualifiers with virtually the last kick in their qualifying campaign — come as close to that as any!
The Namibians lost seven of their last 12 fixtures — including morale-sapping defeats to Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.
Obviously in Ghana to make up the numbers, don’t expect the ill-fated Namibians to confound their patchy form-book.