Preview – Ghana vs Sudan – World Cup Qualification

We may have digested what we saw in the 2013 African Cup Of Nations, which was held in South Africa,when unfancied and unfashionable Nigerian team led by Joseph Yobo foils Burkina Faso in the grand-finale to become the champions of the continent again.
But now that the AFCON 2013 is a distant memory, so let’s get stuck into yet another sensational and thrilling qualifiers of the 2014 World Cup to be staged in Brazil,which will be in full swing across the length and breadth pf the continent this weekend. This is a time of great trepidation for supporters of all the various nations who will be in actions this weekend But the match I will be focusing is between The Black Stars of Ghana and The Nile Crocodiles Of Sudan.
Ghana,who came fourth at the recent Nations Cup plays the Nile Crocodiles of Sudan [ as some call them ] in front of a vociferous supporters at the Baba Yara Stadium,who most of the people are staunch foootball fans,which on a good soccer day the whole town would awashed with red,yellow and green colours, an indication of their support and love for the national team. One thing that is certain about this Sudanese team is that they are a compact side that are very familiar with each other ; which almost all their players are assembled from the top two clubs in the Sudanese league,that is Al Merreikl and Al Hilal.

 GHANA vs SUDAN

Nickname : Black Star vs Nile Crocodiles
    Venue    : Baba Yara Stadium ,Kumasi

Date : 24th  March,2013

Time      : 1600GMT { 4pm Local time }
    Referee  : Raphael Anthony Ramsy , Malawi

Coming Into This Game
The stakes will be high at the Baba Yara Stadium with the outcome of the game possibly going on a long way to decide the destiny of both teams. Ghana are second on the Group D table in this qualifying campaign and knows that a win on home soil would see their point tally increase to six points and take them to the top of the log [only if Lesotho beat Zambia in the other group fixture] Sudan,on the other hand,sit third on the table with just one point,after forfeiting a 2-0 win over Zambia for fielding an ineligible player,which resulted in awarding the Chipolopolo’s with 3 points plus 3 goals.
Matches Both Countries Have Played In 2013
Ghana have played a total of eight games in the year 2013,including two international friendlies games with Egypt and Tunisia respectively,with the rest of the remaining matches honor at the African Cup Of Nations.But of all the eight matches played so far,Ghana has lost two against Mali by 3 goals to 1 and the other one on penalties to Burkina Faso.Ghana has won five matches and drew one out of the eight games played.
On the contrary,the Nile Crocodiles of Sudan according to my checks indicates that they have not played a single match in 2013 and will be looking forward to usurp Ghana,to record their first win in 2013.
Matches Between Ghana and Sudan
Forget the detested -filled antics which marred Ghana’s performances at the Afcon tournament and failing to live up to their billing,but this game will be about recapitulating the winning streak Ghana has enjoyed over the Sudanese in past and recent matches.. This is one fixture that Ghana has been superior in recent meeting, where Ghana beat them on two occasion,when we were on our way to the World Cup in South Africa. But i can  say it will be a different story this time,because Sudan hold Ghana at the same venue to a goalless draw when Coach Akwasi Appiah was assign to this job some years back … Ghana’s first encounter with the Nile Crocodiles was at the 1963 African Cup Of Nations final in Accra on 1st December which saw host,Ghana beating Sudan by 3-0 after Aggrey Fynn and Edward Acquah had spell success for Ghana. The Sudanese got the utmost opportunity to revenge at the finals of 1970 Cup Of Nations,when they pipped The Stars by a lone goal to lift the ultimate trophy.. Their third meeting was an invitation by South Korean President to compete in an Annual President Cup.
That match ended 3-1 in favor of Ghana. In the round-up to the qualifiers of the 2002 World Cup ,Black Star suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sudan in Omdurman on February 25,2001 ,but Ghana won the second leg by a lone goal in Accra on July 15 2001. Both teams met again in the qualifiers to the 2010 World Cup,where the Stars were merged victorious in both legs,when Matthew Amoah’s brace in the 5th and 51st minute respectively sinks them at Omdurman on June 20,2009. The second leg which was played in Accra was filled with euphoria with Sulley Muntari’s and Michael Essien’s strike left nothing for the Sudanese to return home with.
The Man At The Center
Malawian referee Raphael Anthony Ramsy will be the center man for this crucial qualifier on Sunday. The 36-year old,who has already handled two games in this qualification series will be assisted on the lines by compatriots,James Chimeza and Clemence Kanduku,with Dennis Nguluwe been the fourth official for this crunch game..Referee Raphael was in charge when Burundi beat Lesotho 2-1 in the first preliminary round and the Ethiopia’s 2-0 win over the Central African Republic in June last year. Ramsy has been a FIFA referee since 2008.
Ghana Squad
Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset, Norway), Fatau Dauda (AshantiGold), Daniel Agyei (Liberty Professionals).
Defenders: Harrison Afful (Esperance, Tunisia), Yaw Frimpong (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Richard Kissi Boateng (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Baba Abdul Rahman (Greuther Furth, Germany), John Boye (Rennes, France), Jonathan Mensah (Evian, France), Isaac Vorsah (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Awal Mohammed (Maritzburg United, South Africa).
Midfielders: Emmanuel Frimpong (Fulham, England), Rabiu Mohammed (Evian, France), Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese, Italy), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus, Italy), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan, Italy), Christian Atsu (FC Porto, Portugal,out with injury), Wakaso Mubarak (Espanyol, Spain), Solomon Asante (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Albert Adomah (Bristol City, England).
Strikers: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain, UAE), Abdul Majeed Waris (Spartak Moscow, Russia), David Accam (Helsingborg, Sweden ), Mahatma Otoo (Hearts of Oak).
Sudan Squad
Goalkeepers: Al Moez Mahjoub (Al Hilal), Akram El Hadi (Al Merrikh), Abdalrahmane Aldeyae (Ahly Shandi)
Defenders: Saif Eldin Ali, Mowaia Ali (Al Hilal), Musaab Omer, Balla Jabir, Najm Eldin Abdallah, Ahmad Abdallah (Al Merrikh)
Midfielders: Haitham Mustafa, Ala’a Eldin Yousif, Faisal Musa, Amir Kamal (Al Merrikh), Nizar Hamid, Omer Bakheit, Muhanad Al Tahir (Al Hilal), Hamza Adam (Al Hilal Kadougli),Hamoda Basher (Ahli Shandi)
Forwards: Ragi Abdalati, Ramadan Agab (Al Merrikh), Mudathir Al Taieb, Mohamed Ahmed Bashir (Al Hilal), Mohamed Abdelmoneim (Al Khartoum).
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