Yaw Buaben Asamoa, the communications director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is optimistic that the Black Stars will qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
According to him, the “irrepressible Ghanaian spirit” shown at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium during the World Cup playoffs between Ghana and Nigeria on [25 March] shows that the country [Ghana] has what it takes to be at the next World Cup.”
He said: “I am sticking my neck out to say that we’ll qualify for the World Cup. The reason I’m saying that we’ll qualify is that when you see what was on display, I felt the irrepressible Ghanaian spirit. Literally, everything and everybody was in the transition towards something more interesting and it was on display [on Friday].”
Quality of facility and support
“First, I was surprised by the quality of the pitch, the facilities I saw on TV. What I saw amazed me that we had managed to keep that facility and maintain to that standard. And then, the second thing that amazed me was the crowd. We haven’t had this [electrifying crowd] for a very long time. AFCON, the despondency, the feeling that the Black Stars were going nowhere… don’t forget, the Black Stars is the single unifying factor in this country,” Asamoa said.
A team in transition
Speaking on Asaase Radio’s Saturday morning news analysis and current affairs show – The Forum – on 26 March, Asamoa further added that “if you look at the team itself, this is a team in transition and I say it is a very wonderful transition.
“And it is so sharp, almost the same manpower; about 60% the same from the AFCON but with a bit of tweaking, it seems to have jumped onto a new pedestal. And in terms of the performance, I don’t think we should drag them down. It is a new team; we couldn’t have expected too much coherence but the intentions and moves were right.”
Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
Ghana held Nigeria to a goalless draw in the first leg of the 2022 Fifa World Cup final qualifying fixture on Friday at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
As expected in a fully-packed stadium, the Black Stars made an aggressive start to the encounter but the Super Eagles were solid to resist the hosts’ attacking threats.
In the absence of suspended Andre Ayew, Roma youngster Felix Ohene-Gyan led Ghana’s attack while Lorient’s Innocent Bonke joined Joe Aribo in Nigeria’s midfield and Leon Balogun formed a partnership with William Troost-Ekong at the centre of the defence.
With the hosts dominant in the opening minutes, the game was briefly stopped on the half hour-mark for medical personnel to treat Osimhen following a challenge from Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus.
Two minutes later, the Black Stars had the clearest chance in the first half with Abdul Fatawu Issahaku’s shot from outside the penalty area but it was parried for a corner-kick by Uzoho.
The first 45 minutes ended with the Black Stars recording more shots and set-pieces but they lacked the cutting edge to go ahead.
The draw leaves Nigeria and Ghana with all to play for the return fixture that is billed for the Moshood Abiola Stadium on March 29.
Nicholas Brown
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