Ghana has drawn a hard playing card this World Cup. They are in the so-called “Group of Death” along with Germany, Portugal and the U.S., which is the considered the most difficult group to play in.
Ghana’s first game will be against the U.S. on June 16. The two teams have some serious World Cup history as well — Ghana beat the U.S. in 2006 and 2010.
According to FIFA, Ghana survived one of the toughest qualifying groups in Africa by winning five of their six matches against 2012 African champions Zambia, Lesotho and Sudan. For the final play-off round they were pitting against seven-time African champions Egypt where they won 6-1.
This will be Ghana’s third World Cup performance. In 2006 they beat the Czech Republic and the U.S. — this photo was taken right after that win — before Brazil eliminated them in the second round.
5. Knockout performance in 2010
Although bookies are placing bets on the Ivory Coast to do the best of the African teams in the 2014 games, in 2010 it was all about Ghana. The team were the only from the continent to make it into the knockout rounds and when they beat the U.S. to progress to the quarter-finals it equalled the best-ever performance by an African team.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa the team came one penalty kick shy of the semi-finals — which no African team has ever made — when Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan missed a shot in a shoot-out with Uruguay during the quarter-finals. It was considered one of the most dramatic moments of the month long competition.
Perhaps the strangest World Cup story of them all has to do with Ghana. Months ago an influential Ghana witch doctor, Nana Kwaku Bonsam, vowed to put a hex on soccer Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, promising an injury before the World Cup, the New York Post reports. On Wednesday, the Portuguese football association announced that Ronaldo has tendinitis in his left knee and a muscle problem in his left thigh. The medicine man, who is known as “The Devil of Wednesday,” is taking the credit.
The national team is nicknamed the Black Stars and has represented Ghana since the 1950s. The Black Stars are administered by the Ghana Football Association, which was founded in 1920 and is the oldest of its kind in Africa.
Ghana is known for its midfield players such as veterans Michael Essien and Sully Muntari and younger players Andre Ayew (pictured here), Kwadwo Asamoah and Kevin-Prince Boateng. Up front, the athletic Asamoah Gyan, who missed the shot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-final game against Uruguay, is another vital player.
Ghana’s first match will be against the U.S. at 4 p.m. on June 16. The team will then play Germany at 1 p.m. on June 21 and Portugal at 10 a.m. on June 26.
