The One Goal Project

Andrew Ayew and John Pantsil celebrate as Ghana qualify for the last 16. Photo © Cleva Media/Insidefoto

The United States has enjoyed good relations with Ghana at a unofficial, personal level since Ghana’s independence. Thousands of Ghanaians have been educated in the United States. Close relations are maintained between educational and scientific institutions and cultural links particularly between Ghanaians and African-Americans are strong. 

The United States is among Ghana’s principal trading partners. Political stability, good governance, overall sound economic management, a low crime rate, competitive wages and an educated, English-speaking workforce have increased Ghana’s potential to serve as a West African hub for American businesses. 

Bearing this in mind, in the 2006 World Cup, Ghana beat USA 2-1 in the Group stages and I doubt the Americans have ever forgiven Ghana for that. Come Saturday Ghana’s Black Stars are ready to spoil the US show once again.

However, is ‘The One Goal Project’ enough to propel Ghana into the last 8, to face Uruguay or South Korea? Ghana is a side that has not scored twice in a game since a World Cup qualifier against Mali last November and yet they somehow managed to reach the final of the Cup of Nations. Four of their last seven competitive games were won 1-0. The theory principally works on getting the ball to Asamoah Gyan with the hope he sets the game on fire, whilst allowing the other nine players to sit behind the ball.

The Ghanaian Coach Milovan Rajevac has repeatedly in the past reiterated that he ‘cares far less about style than he does winning’, but in saying that there is a certain beauty in their defensiveness.

I strongly believe this game is not going to be an open one and more than likely it will be decided by the first goal. As fine a team Ghana is, they have in the past been rather poor at holding a lead when the onus is on them to grab the goat by the horns and go for it. In fact, last time Ghana successfully overcome a deficit was in the game against Mali last November.

Bad boy Sulley Muntari, aka Sully, just can’t help but be a painful thorn in the side of the Black Stars’ rosy campaign. He allegedly threw his dummy out of the pram again when he was left on the bench against Australia. Word in the Ghanaian Press states that he did an Anelka on Milo, to which the Ghanaian Coach threatened to send him home. If it hadn’t been for the intervention of ex Captain Stephen Appiah, the serial agitator, Sully would have hitch hiked a flight with the unsuccessful Nigerian Super Eagles back home earlier than anticipated. Muntari! Go home!

What’s with these arrogant footballers who think they know more and are better equipped to choose team tactics than their managers?

You can accuse me of stating the obvious but the game against the USA is undoubtedly the most important game for this World Cup. I make this bold statement purely and simply on the fact that there are no more African teams in the competition and as such all their respective fans will hopefully be blowing their vuvuzelas in support of their fellow Africans.  Ghana is now left with the hopes, dreams and life changing aspirations of the African continent, all to be played out  in a game of 90 minutes , possibly 120 minutes and definitely conclusive after penalties.

The Black Stars of Ghana go into this game with one simple goal – to advance to the quarter finals of the competition, an improvement on their previous showing at the World Cup when they bowed out after a 3-0 loss to Brazil.

This battle against old foes means revenge will be at the forefront of the American’s cranium as the likes of Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan still have memories of the last defeat.

Landon Donovan celebrates scoring the winning goal against Algeria. Photo © Cleva Media/Icon SMI

Due to this, there is talk of the Black Stars holding a slight psychological advantage over the Americans. I totally disagree. The fact is every game is different and the very fit Americans won’t go down without a fight. The Black Stars face a very stiff opposition, and in my opinion probably their most difficult so far. Landon Donovan is going to be a nightmare and I sincerely hope Milo gets his tactics right on the day, because the average Ghanaian fan will never forgive him.

Milo is on record as saying “We are at the knock out stages and we have to play to win at all cost because points do not count at the knock out stages anymore”. Such clever words and never a truer word spoken.
I envisage that to mean, he will reign in or loosen the chains to allow the free ebb and flow of his team to flair. Hopefully benefitting his team in dealing with its inability to convert and take advantage of the numerous chances created in games. Remember they are not dubbed the African Brazilians for nothing.

I expect Sulley Muntari to start in the midfield replacing Tagoe (started off well but deteriorated) and Kevin Prince Boateng (the new darling of African football) to shuffle on to the right side of attack.

The draw has been good to Ghana; it will be a shame to waste this opportunity to advance further against our old foes.

I believe there will be tears, and I hope there will be no hard feelings after this monumental game.  The United States has enjoyed good relations with Ghana since its independence and long may it continue.

Remember this, the star might be black, but it shines very brightly.

By Dj Kobbie