Group D
Manager: Milovan Rajevac
Star Player : Michael Essien
Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 1
Best result: 2nd round (2006)
All-time record: 4 games played, 2 wins, 0 draws, 2 losses
Goals for: 4, Goals against: 3
Biggest victory: 2-0 vs. Czech Republic in 2006
Biggest defeat: 3-0 vs. Brazil in 2006
Top scorer: Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan, Stephen Appiah, Haminu Dramani (1 goal)
Most appearances: Several players (4 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: Never
LIVE STREAM GHANA MATCHES :
June 13, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group D
Serbia vs Ghana
at Loftus Versfeld Stadium
June 19, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group D
Ghana vs Australia
at Royal Bafokeng Stadium
June 23, 2010 @ 18:30GMT Group Stage Group D
Ghana vs Germany
at Soccer City Stadium
Short History of GHANA :
FIFA member since: 1958Team nickname: The Black Stars
All-time caps leader: Abedi "Ayew" Pele (73)
All-time leading scorer: Abedi "Ayew" Pele (33)
Notable achievements: African Nations Cup Champions (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)
Legendary Player: One of the greatest African players of all time, Abedi "Ayew" Pele is his country's scoring leader with 33 goals in a record 73 appearances. He was a key figure for Olympique Marseilles when they dominated Ligue 1, the French first division, in the early 1990s with four league titles. Voted African player of the year in 1992.
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A 30-man squad was announced on May 12 and the final squad of 23 has to be submitted to FIFA by June 1
- Daniel Adjei Goalkeeper 1.86m 81 kg November 10, 1989
- Stephen Ahorlu Goalkeeper 1.86m 78 kg September 5, 1988
- Richard Kingson Goalkeeper 1.91m 87 kg June 13, 1978
- Lee Addy Defender 1.75m 73 kg September 26, 1985
- Ibrahim Ayew Defender 1.78m 77 kg April 16, 1988
- Samuel Inkoom Defender 1.79m 75 kg August 22, 1989
- John Mensah Defender 1.79m 81 kg November 29, 1982
- Jonathan Mensah Defender 1.88m 75 kg July 13, 1990
- John Pantsil Defender 1.80m 76 kg June 15, 1981
- Hans Sarpei Defender 1.78m 70 kg June 28, 1976
- Isaac Vorsah Defender 1.96m 85 kg June 21, 1988
- Anthony Annan Midfielder 1.75m 68 kg July 21, 1986
- Kwadwo Asamoah Midfielder 1.78m 78 kg August 9, 1988
- André Ayew Midfielder 1.75m 72 kg December 17, 1989
- Derek Boateng Midfielder 1.85m 78 kg May 2, 1983
- Kevin-Prince Boateng Midfielder 1.84m 79 kg March 6, 1987
- Sulley Muntari Midfielder 1.79m 76 kg August 27, 1984
- Stephen Appiah Midfielder 1.78m 77 kg December 24, 1980
- Dominic Adiyiah Forward 1.72m 71 kg November 29, 1989
- Matthew Amoah Forward 1.77m 66 kg October 24, 1980
- Asamoah Gyan Forward 1.86m 77 kg November 22, 1985
- Owusu-Abeyie Quincy Forward 1.80m 72 kg April 15, 1986
- Prince Tagoe Forward 1.85m 83 kg November 9, 1986
Appearances at finals:
2006 - Second round
Overall record at finals: Played 4, Won 2, Drawn 0, Lost 2.
Best performance: Second round in 2006.
Most appearances at finals: Richard Kingson (2006), John Paintsil (2006) - 4.
Most goals at finals: Stephen Appiah (2006), Sulley Muntari (2006), Haminu Dramani (2006), Asamoah Gyan (2006) - 1.
World Cup high: Making the second round at the 2006 finals, having finished behind eventual winners Italy in the group stage, before losing to reigning champions Brazil in the last 16.
World Cup low: Failing to qualify for the finals prior to 2006 despite being the second most successful team in African Nations Cup history, qualifying for five successive Olympic Games and enjoying considerable success at world youth level.
World Cup legend: Michael Essien excelled in midfield at the 2006 finals but the words Ghana and 'legend' are inextricably linked to a player who never played in a World Cup. Striker Abedi Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time, scoring 33 goals in 73 appearances for the 'Black Stars' and captaining the side on numerous occasions during his 16-year international career. He could never inspire his team to the finals, however.
The story so far: It may surprise some that Ghana's second consecutive appearance at the finals is only their second ever. They are the most successful team in African Nations Cup history, along with Egypt, with four titles and have excelled at youth level.
Ghana's qualification record does not even boast any near misses, with a fourth-place finish behind Nigeria, Libya and Sudan in qualification for the 2002 finals (which would have seen them miss out on an African Nations Cup place had they not been hosting the tournament) and third place behind Morocco and Sierra Leone for the 1998 finals. And the Black Stars were defeated by Algeria, Liberia, Libya, Guinea, Zaire and Nigeria in qualification for the 1994, 1990, 1986, 1978, 1974 and 1970 finals respectively. The failure in 1994 was the biggest surprise as the 'Black Stars' had narrowly lost the 1992 African Nations Cup final and could boast an impressive strikeforce of Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah.
But in 2006 they made a first World Cup finals appearance and impressed by emerging runners-up from a tough group and advancing to the second round at their first attempt. After an opening defeat to eventual winners Italy, the 'Black Stars' defeated Czech Republic (2-0) and USA (2-1) before reigning champions Brazil knocked them out at the last 16 stage - the 3-0 scoreline a reflection of Ghana's defensive naiveity in a match in which they had often troubled Brazil in attack.
Qualification: Aside from the hosts, Ghana were the first African team to secure their passage to the 2010 finals when they qualified after winning their first four games of the final round of qualification. But it was certainly not all plain sailing for the 'Black Stars' as they had just scraped through the first group stage, edging out Gabon and Libya for top spot on goal difference, having lost away to both sides, when all three were tied at the end of the group.
In the final round, though, Ghana began to dominate, securing consecutive victories over Mali, Benin and Sudan (twice) without conceding a goal to book their place at the 2010 finals.
Qualifying record (second round): P6, W4, D0, L2, F11, A5, Pts12.
Qualifying record (third round): P6, W4, D1, L1, F9, A3, Pts13.
Most appearances: Richard Kingson (12).
Top goalscorers: Matthew Amoah (5).
TEAM PROFILE GHANA :
The only African side to get out of the group stage at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ and the first to qualify for South Africa 2010, Ghana are anxious to prove themselves as the cream of the continent. Though this will be only their second appearance at the finals, the Black Stars have enjoyed considerable success at all levels of international football. They have won four CAF African Cup of Nations titles, though none since 1982, as well as two FIFA U-17 World Cups, and they became the first African team to lift the FIFA U-20 World Cup when they beat Brazil on penalties in October 2009. With added experience since their 2006 adventure, where they lost to Italy and Brazil but beat the Czech Republic and USA, Ghana are set to be a major threat at Africa's first FIFA World Cup.
The road to South Africa
Ghana guaranteed their place in the finals after going unbeaten through their opening four matches of the final round. They did not concede a goal in the group until a shock 1-0 defeat at Benin, but that came after they had already qualified. The key stretch for the west Africans came in June 2009 when they won 2-0 away to both Mali and Sudan, with Germany 2006 veteran Matthew Amoah scoring a goal in the first match and both in the second. Ironically, Ghana were shakier in the previous round of qualifying, only topping the group on goal difference over Gabon and Libya after losing a match to both teams.
The star players
Although Ghana lack the attacking firepower of many African sides, they rely most prominently on a world class midfield led by Michael Essien. The Chelsea man usually pairs with Sulley Muntari and captain Stephen Appiah to form a formidable engine room capable of both stifling attacks and creating them. Two of the trio Asamoah Gyan, Junior Agogo and Matthew Amoah usually operate in attack, while the England-based duo of John Mensah and John Paintsil keep the back tight in front of another Premier League player, goalkeeper Richard Kingson.
The coach
With Claude Le Roy's departure after a relatively disappointing third-place finish at the 2008 Cup of Nations on home soil, Milovan Rajevac took over leadership of the Black Stars. A former defender that played his career in Yugoslavia, the Serbian was best known for a brief coaching stint with Red Star Belgrade as well as leading perennial Serbian strugglers FK Borac to their first-ever qualification for a European tournament.
Record
* Ghana were the youngest team at Germany 2006, with an average age of just under 24 years.
* Asamoah Gyan scored the fastest goal of the 2006 FIFA World Cup after 68 seconds in their 2-1 win over Czech Republic. It was also Ghana's first-ever goal in the finals.
* Ghana lost 3-0 to Brazil in the second round of Germany 2006, but they were without the talismanic Michael Essien, who was suspended.
What they said
"This team is very hungry to play in the finals again. My players are aware of what they can achieve, and we have the quality to go far. I am very confident about the future," Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac.
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