World Cup Qualifiers: Who will be Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah against Mali today?

The video of Kwadwo Asamoah's 'trivela' assist for Asamoah Gyan against Germany in the 2014 World Cup has understandably become evidence of his footballing brilliance, particularly in the national team jersey.

The breathtaking technique of hitting the pass from the outside of his left foot to locate Asamoah Gyan for the score is viewed by many as the pinnacle of Kwadwo Asamoah's excellence with the Black Stars.

However, for those familiar with Kwadwo Asamoah's rise from Liberty Professionals to the heights he attained in football, the game against Mali in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers will always stand out as the one where he actually announced his presence to Ghanaian and African football.

The game was of paramount importance to Ghana, who had started Group D of the qualifiers with a home win against Benin and needed an away win against Mali to continue their winning run and ensure that they were in the driver's seat for qualification to South Africa.

Kwadwo Asamoah, who was just 20 years old then, took the game by the scruff of the neck and produced a performance that continues to generate feelings of exhilaration from Ghanaian football lovers, even fifteen years later.

Deployed in his favourite number 10 role, just in front of the legendary Michael Essien and Anthony Annan, Kwadwo Asamoah oozed class with his immaculate passes and touches, combining with the midfield and attack as the link between the two.

In a packed Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, the unfazed 20-year-old led the Black Stars, shooting them into the lead with a goal that became his trademark finish at both club and national team levels.

In the 66th minute, with the game still goalless, Kwadwo Asamoah showed incredible upper-body strength to receive an aerial ball before steering it with a deft touch and unleashing a thunderous low shot that rattled the Malian net.

Matthew Amoah would go on to score eleven minutes later to secure an extremely important 2-0 win for Ghana.

Fifteen years on, Ghana faces Mali again at the same stadium in the same competition, albeit under different circumstances.

Unlike the 2009 edition where Ghana went into the game as the leader of Group D, the team faces Mali now as the fifth-placed team in Group I, with a win being of utmost importance to them.

The exigency of a victory or a draw today against Mali is non-negotiable, with the overwhelming belief being that having lost one away game already, another defeat on the road could complicate things for Ghana and make qualification for the 2026 World Cup a near impossibility.

This background sets the stage perfectly for another Kwadwo Asamoah moment in the national team's history, but the question is, who will be Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah today?

Kudus' ascension to the status of star man and a clutch player for both club and country has been admirable, but the importance of today's game means that he will have to produce a performance better than any he has done in a national team jersey.

The good news, however, is that it is not beyond his reach. He has the skillset and tools to grab the game and win it for Ghana, but another question is, will Kudus seize the moment and be Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah in this fixture?

A common accusation levelled against Thomas Partey is that the commitment and dedication he shows at club level depreciate when he is in the national team, but against Nigeria in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers when the odds were stacked against Ghana, he actually did show up.

So is he the one going to be Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah today?

The likes of Nuamah, Issahaku, and Jordan Ayew have the talents to produce an incredible performance, but once again, can any of them be Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah in this crucial game?

The game is set for 19:00 GMT, and GhanaWeb will bring readers live text commentary.

EK