Kuffour confident of winning bet with Totti

WUERZBURG, Germany - Ghana defender Samuel Osei Kuffour is confident AS Roma team mate Francesco Totti will be paying up on a wager between the duo after Monday's World Cup match against Italy.

Kuffour will try to thwart Totti-led attacks in Hanover and he said on Saturday there was more at stake than the three points, with the two players having had a bet on the outcome.

"After the game I will take the money from him," Kuffour told a news conference at the team's hotel in central Germany.

Kuffour's hopeful tone was reflected by the coach and other players, with Ghana saying the pressure was on the triple former champions.

While the Africans are World Cup newcomers, a number of their faces will be familiar to the Italians, with Kuffour at Roma, midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari at Udinese and striker Asamoah Gyan on loan at Modena.

Ghana captain Stephen Appiah is likely to come face-to-face with his former mentor, Italy coach Marcello Lippi.

Appiah, now at Fenerbahce, spent two seasons with Lippi's old club Juventus.

"It's going to be a special game for me. We all know Italian soccer is among the best in the world," said Appiah.

"What I learned from Italy, I will have to prove. I'm happy to be able to see a coach like Marcello Lippi again."

Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic was keeping his cards close to his chest.

"All 23 are ready to play," Dujkovic said. "They (Italy) have some injuries, thankfully we have none."

Ghana also face Czech Republic and the United States in Group E.