For qualifying Ghana to the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, Ashanti
born James Kwesi Appiah who lead the Black Stars through the qualifiers and has
finally made a name for himself as one of the five football technicians for
Africa and from Africa.
Kwesi Appiah was given the job to take Ghana to the World Cup
after his dismal performance at the African Cup of Nations in 2013 in South
Africa.
Many sports journalists supported the GFA idea since so many
foreign coaches have come to handle Ghana and proved nothing. It was alrealised
that all of the nation’s football achievements were lead by local coaches.
So Kwesi Appiah was handed the coaching job of Ghana with the main
task of getting Ghana to Brazil 2014 and lo and behold, the Ghanaian has done
it excellently.
He lost against Zambia at the initial stages and from there never
looked back as Ghana trashed the likes of Sudan, Lesotho and Egypt to make it
to the World Cup.
The climax of the qualifiers should be in Kumasi when Ghana beat
seven times African Champions, Egypt 6-1 in a thrilling game. Ghana’s team
really jelled and won, making the second leg a mere formality.
Skipper Asamoah Gyan was the captain and in his era Ghana made it.
His name would be engraved in gold and mounted somewhere popular, but the man
who made the biggest history was German-born Ghanaian, Kevin Prince Boateng who
in history scored Ghana’s last goal in the qualifying to Brazil 2014.
Boateng came on as a sub for Majeed Warris and spoting the number
9 shirt meant for strikers, he did what was expected of him when he connected
well from an Asamoah Gyan pass. Ghana was down 2-0 and he redeemed with a lone
goal to make it 2-1.
As we have always been doing, I provide the performance sheet of
the players and the fans analyse and criticise.
How the Black Stars fared against the Pharoahs
in Cairo.
Ghana
beat Egypt 7-3 (6-1 in Kumasi and 1-2 in Cairo) on aggregate in an exciting
game.
Fatau Dauda – 8pts
Harrison Afful – 8ts
Daniel Opare – 8pts
Jerry Akaminko – 8pts
Rashid Sumaila – 7pts
Michael Essien- 7pts
Andre Dede Ayew -6pts
Kwadwo Asamoah – 6pts
Majeed Warris – 6pts
Asamoah Gyan – 7pts
Sulley Muntari – 8pts
Mubarak Wakaso – 6pts
Kevin Prince Boateng – 8pts
