Ghana Vrs USA Archives - GhanaCelebrities.Com

Ghana’s Coach Kwesi Appiah is a Disaster | Why Leave Prince Boateng on the Bench & Play Jordan Ayew?

06/17/2014 7:56 am

by Chris-Vincent Agyapong, Founding Editor

I do not know much about football and that is why I do not personally write a lot about it. I can sit afar and tell you the colour of Yvonne Okoro’s underwear but I cannot even be sure which positions the players really play…

Even with my level of naivety, I can boldly say; Ghana’s coach-Kwesi Appiah is a disaster and showed the world that he was an inexperienced coach yesterday by not starting such an important much against the USA with his best 11.

When I used to play FIFA Playstation, I always made sure I selected the experienced players even though the level of play of anyone selected in a video game depends on the one holding the control pad. It may not be true but I always convinced myself that, the game manufactures would somehow have given the experienced and good players a tilt to win and that is why I always went in for them…

Yesterday’s match against USA was not a computer game but if I was asked to pick the damn players, there was no way I was going to leave Michael Essien and Kevin Prince Boateng out of the starting 11, and play Jordan Ayew and the others…

What was the essence of the coach’s decision to leave his most experienced and arguably best players on the bench to try Jordan Ayew—simply because he found luck and scored some goals against a side like South Korea in a friendly?

Did Jurgen Klinsmann play all his best and experienced players? Yes he did but we kept testing the game as if we were in training.

And which coach keeps playing Kwadwo Asamoah at the back? Was the coach blind to the fact that Opare and Christian Atsu were liabilities last night and didn’t have to wait till the game was almost over before changing them?

USA 2-1 Ghana: Black Stars Humbled in Group G Opening Game

06/17/2014 12:33 am

by Edith Osei Bonsu

The Black Stars lost their opening world cup group G game 2-1 to the United States as they failed to become third time lucky.

The USA took an early lead, but Ayew pulled Ghana level late in the second half, before the lead was restored by a powerful John Brooks header from a corner in the 86^th minute.

This opening group game of the ‘underdogs’ meant a win was crucial as the subsequent games were guaranteed to be much tougher than this one.

And it was the USA who earned the bragging rights, beating the Black Stars for the first time in three attempts, collecting all three points and joining Germany joint top of the group.

Skipper Clint Dempsey gave the U.S an early lead, scoring within 43 seconds of kick-off with a side-footed effort past goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.

The early goal, coming before the Stars had even had the chance to settle into the game, shook the entire team who seemed completely out of sorts within the first 15 minutes of the game.

The Black Stars however, gradually wrestled control of the game from their opponents, but a combination of lethargic front-line play and brilliant goalkeeping by Tim Howard kept the USA in the lead till half time.

Coach Kwesi Appiah maintained the bulk of his starting line-up from the Stars last friendly win against South Korea, with Christian Atsu stepping in instead of Kevin Prince Boateng and Daniel Opare slotting in at right back. This meant Kwadwo Asamoah remained at left back, with the Ayew brothers and Atsu supporting Gyan in attack.

The game had barely begun when Clint Dempsey gave the US team the lead. After winning the ball after some scrappy play, he nimbly skipped the challenge of John Boye, then slotted the ball coolly into the Ghanaian net with Kwarasey soundly beaten.

An Ode to The Black Stars | The Beauty & Joy of Football

06/16/2014 12:34 pm

by GC Staff Ob

I have never considered myself a football fan. Heck I can’t even remember the last time I sat down to watch a game of football. And no, I am not a bimbo…I just don’t like sports.

The only time you would catch me watching a football game is when Ghana is playing, and it has to be an international match. I do enjoy such games because I know the players. I know their stories. I know how they started and how far they’ve come. For most of them, it is a story of grass to grace. It resonates with me as well as a whole lot of Ghanaians.

In 2006, Ghana qualified to play in the world cup for the very first time. As a non-football fan, all I could process from that piece of information was that Ghana was going to share the stage along with other big name countries. It was a chance to for the whole world to know about this awesome tiny West African country.

We were put in a group along with Czech Republic, Germany and the USA. These countries were giants in the football world (well apart from the USA). I can never forget how Ghana’s performance at the 2006 world cup made me feel. In particular I remember the match between Ghana and the USA. That match was a make or break match for us. It was either we won, or our team would be sent back home. You see, nobody even thought Ghana would leave any mark in the games. After all, that was our very first world cup. But the Black Stars surprised everyone, including Ghanaians watching at home.

Take a Bow: ‘Local Coach’ James Kwesi Appiah to Debut on the World Stage-World Cup 2014 | ‘The Black Man is Capable Of Managing His Own Affairs’

06/16/2014 8:01 am

by GC Staff GS

When the Black Stars line up late tonight to take on the might of the United States of America, a little bit of history which is being threatened to be overshadowed by all the brouhaha of a world cup is going to take place. For the first time in the history of Ghana, the Black Stars are going to be led by a black man on the world stage, at the senior level.

Admittedly ours is a short romance with the world cup, this just being our 3^rd tournament overall, but this does not in any way diminish the significance of the occurrence. Ghana’s first president Dr Nkrumah is amongst other things, famous for his utterance that “the black man is capable of managing his own affairs”. And after trusting in the white man to take us to our first two world cups, Kwesi Appiah was given the chance and has, rather spectacularly, led the team to the world cup in a manner more flamboyant than either of his predecessors could manage.

We have a rather unfortunate tendency in this country to dismiss the value of our own products, and this pertained to our choice of a national team coach for a long time. Which is why the exploits of Kwesi Appiah should not be glossed over, as in being successful he makes a case not only for himself, but for all local coaches and for our ability to perform just as well as the foreigner given the right conditions.

Kwesi Appiah’s initial appointment was met with incredulity and indifference by a large section of the Ghanaian public. There were those who believed a local coach was the way to go, but Kwesi Appiah himself was largely untested as a manager at the top level. Admittedly, he had been assistant coach of the Black Stars for several years prior; this did not however diminish the calls of his critics who felt he was entirely out of his depth.

Ghana Vrs USA: How Ghana Can Beat USA-World Cup 2014

06/15/2014 6:55 pm

by Guest Contributor

“When I get older… I will be stronger … They will call me freedom … just like a waving flag …and then it goes back… oh oo o ” … Four years ago, Somalia’s K’naan rose to prominence with this theme song for the World Cup in South Africa, and while Shakira’s Waka Waka had a groove about it, Waving Flag just tugged at your heart strings in a special way…

Four years ago, Nana Borro’s “Aha y3d3” became another unofficial theme song, especially after Ghana games; Four years ago, Octopus Paul was your go to guy for match predictions; Four years ago, the Cedi was 1.4 to the Dollar…. Oh how the times have changed since the last World Cup!

But those moments are back; those moments when you, including your boss, steal office hours; dash from the office to the pub or rush home, if your wife is the “house master” type, to catch the action live on TV, or simply tune in to radio commentary from your car. For one long month from June 12 – July 13, our daily routines will be rearranged because the 2014 FIFA World Cup is here; live from the home of football, Brazil! and you know what that means; a football party!

For us this side of the Atlantic, we are concerned with how our beloved Black Stars would kick start the campaign against perennial World Cup foes, United States of America (USA), on Monday June 16, 2200 GMT in Natal. In keeping with the World Cup fever, I have got a couple of tips for Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah on how to beat the USA from a purely scientific angle, nothing Kwaku Bonsam-ish. And oh, while I am at it, I will attempt an ideal line up too.

Arrest Michael Bradley

US Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, a former German international, recently stated that formations do not matter as much as tactics. In the lead up to the tournament, Klinsmann has departed from his favoured 4-2-3-1 in favour of a diamond 4-4-2 and tried several combinations with different players, although one has been ever present; Michael Bradley, son of former US and Egypt Coach Bob Bradley.

Ghana Vrs USA Match Preview: Do Or Die Battle For Group G Underdogs-The Black Stars

06/14/2014 3:54 pm

by GC Staff Ob

The Black Stars of Ghana will take on the United States coming Monday night as they kick off their third successive world cup campaign.

And for a third successive world cup, the Black Stars would have to beat the team from across the Atlantic if they are to have any realistic chance of making the next round. Paired in a so-called ‘Group of Death’ alongside European heavyweights Germany and Portugal, either side are aware of the value victory in this game would bring; as a loss would all but guarantee the elimination of the side in question.

In two previous world cup encounters, Ghana beat the United States 2-1; in the Group stage in Germany and at the second round stage in South Africa.

Bob Bradley led USA into both encounters, and his successor-Jurgen Klinsmann is not eager to suffer the same fate as the American. Klinsmann has already brought a change of style and mentality to the United States’ team, and from watching Ghana demolish South Korea 4-0 a week ago in a friendly is well aware of the threat his side would be facing.

“Obviously a great result for Ghana” Klinsmann said of the 4-0 win. “I wanted to see them myself and have an impression there, and we have that now”

Nevertheless, the German believes despite the history and pedigree of the Black Stars, his side can stand toe-to-toe with the them.

“We feel very confident going into this game against Ghana. But we also know what Ghana represents, one of the top nations in Africa, no doubt about it”

Ghana Vrs USA: Meet Ghana Black Stars’ World Cup First Match Opponents-The United States Men National Team

06/13/2014 7:10 pm

by Edith Osei Bonsu

The first game of the Black Stars would be a do-or die affair against the United States of America. Here is a profile of the Ghana’s first opponents…

In Ghana’s short world cup history, there is no team the Black Stars are more familiar with than the USA. For the third straight world cup, the two sides are scheduled to meet and after two victories for Ghana, there can be no doubt the level of motivation the United States would have going into Monday’s game to avoid a 3^rd straight defeat.

The United States Men National Team, or the USMNT as the abridged version goes; qualified for the 2014 FIFA world cup top of the North, Central America, and Carribean qualifying zone. One of the top sides in an otherwise depleted zone, the USMNT are often guaranteed a spot at the FIFA world cup. They breezed through qualification in CONCACAF, winning seven and drawing one of their last ten games.

In 2010, they went as far as the Round of 16 before losing 2-1 to the Black Stars in an epic confrontation at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenberg. On that occasion, Asamoah Gyan struck a sweet winner in extra time, and for the second consecutive world cup the USA had to stomach elimination at the hands of Ghana. Since that fateful occasion four years ago, so much has changed for the team.

The biggest change involves the man in charge of the team, Bob Bradley has since moved on and German legend Jurgen Klinsmann has taken over the reins. After an initial rocky start, a period which even included calls for the German’s dismissal; the former Bayern Munich striker has steadied the ship, leading the team to qualification and adding a certain steely resolve to their style.

This has seen the team record some impressive results; they won the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, whilst recording impressive friendly victories over Italy and former side Germany, all since Klismann took charge.

Whilst they cannot be considered a top contender at the world cup , and arguably the weakest side in the group; their form over the last two years as well as the influence of Klinsmann means Group G is going to be much closer than people reckon, and the biggest mistake the Black Stars would make is to underestimate the threat the United States pose.

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