2022 FIFA World Cup Team Previews: Ghana
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is less than a month away from kicking off in Qatar. Over the next 32 days, I will be previewing each team that will be taking part in the world’s most-watched event. Check out all of the team previews that have been done so far. Up next is Ghana.
Ghana did something that they had not done for a while in 2018, and that was failing to qualify for the World Cup. The “Black Stars” are back at the 2022 World Cup and will be looking to spoil the party that is Group H.
However, 2022 has not been a very good year for Ghana. It started with a surprising group stage exit in the 2021 African Cup of Nations that saw the “Black Stars” go winless. Since then they have won just three of 10 matches. They did not win either of their World Cup Qualifying playoff matches against Nigeria but still managed to qualify due to away goals scored in a 1-1 aggregate scoreline.
Ghana is the lowest-ranked team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, currently sitting 61st in the FIFA men’s rankings.
World Cup Appearances
Ghana may seem like a regular competitor at the World Cup, but they did not qualify for their first World Cup until this century. The “Black Stars” made their World Cup debut in 2006 before making three straight World Cups. After missing out on the 2018 World Cup, Ghana will be making its fourth World Cup appearance at the 2022 World Cup.
Best Finish at a World Cup
In two of Ghana’s three World Cup appearances, they made it out of the group stage. The only time that they won a knockout stage match was in 2010. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the “Black Stars” became the third African team to make it to a World Cup quarterfinal. Ghana finished second in their group and played the United States in the Round of 16, winning 2-1 after extra time. Then in the quarterfinals, the “Black Stars” lost to Uruguay on penalties to end their best World Cup run (more on this match later).
Key players
There are only two players on Ghana who have made more than 50 caps. Those two players are brothers Jordan and André Ayew. Jordan Ayew has 89 caps for Ghana while his older brother has 110 caps which is the most by a Ghanaian player. The Ayews played in the 2014 World Cup with André having also played in the 2010 World Cup.
Besides those two the “Black Stars” will be reliant on young players looking to make a name for themselves at the 2022 World Cup. One of those players is 20-year-old midfielder Mohammed Kudus. Playing his club football for Ajax in the Netherlands, Kudus has emerged as a real talent. In 21 matches across all competitions, he has 10 goals including UEFA Champions League goals against both Liverpool and Napoli.
Ghana will face goalkeeping issues at the 2022 World Cup with first-choice keeper Jojo Wollacott suffering a finger injury just days before the Ghanain squad was announced. Wollacott’s backup Richard Ofori is also going to miss the 2022 World Cup because he is still recovering from an injury. Without Wollacott and Ofori, the “Black Stars” will have to rely on inexperience as the three goalkeepers making the trip to Qatar have a combined 17 caps and are all 25 years old or younger. The likely starter will be 23-year-old Abdul Manaf Nurudeen. He has just two caps for Ghana and has only played in three matches for his Belgian club Eupen this season.
Manager
Otto Addo had been a lifelong assistant coach throughout his coaching career until this year. He was promoted to the interim manager role ahead of Ghana’s playoff matches against Nigeria. Since then he has become the full acting manager of the “Black Stars” who he had 15 caps for as a player.
Biggest Group Game – vs. Uruguay on Dec. 2
While this match may not have much impact on the final Group H standings, there is a lot on the line for Ghana in this redemption match. To understand the importance of this match for the “Black Stars” you have to go back to the 2010 World Cup.
In the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup, Ghana played Uruguay and lost on penalties. Late in extra time, Luis Suárez made a save with his hands that denied Ghana the winner. Suarez was shown a red card, and Ghana was awarded a penalty that Asamoah Gyan skied off the crossbar.
12 years later that match still stings, and when the draw came out and Ghana was in the same group as Uruguay this match immediately drew eyes to it. This is one of the matches I am most excited for in the group stage.
Prediction
Ghana is the lowest-ranked team at the 2022 World Cup and that will be not as noticeable as on paper. The “Black Stars” are a tricky team at the World Cup that can cause some upsets, and I think they will shock one of Portugal or Uruguay by getting at least a draw. However, it will not be enough to stop Ghana from going out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the group stage.
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