Ghana Defender Sarpei Confident of Semis Slot Ghana defender Hans Adu Sarpei has reiterated the team’s desire to advance to the semi-final stage insisting they need to focus to beat Uruguay on Friday. The Black Stars-Africa’s remaining hope at the tournament-needed an extra-time goal to go one better than the last 16 berth secured four years ago in Germany. The left-back claims making to the last four of competition is big on the minds of the players and the technical team. “We’re dreaming to go to the semi-finals and even the finals. But Uruguay is next so we have to focus on them. We know we are making Ghanaians very happy but we don’t know the level of celebration back home in Ghana,” Sarpei said on Monday. “I think if we beat Uruguay, the whole country [Ghana] will break down and we want to do that. We are confident of making the semi finals.” Sarpei, who turns 34 today (Monday), has started in all of Ghana’s four games at the tournament.

Mensah fit for Uruguay World Cup game despite training absence Ghana captain John Mensah says he will be ready to play for his country in the World Cup quarter final even though he has not trained with the entire team. Mensah’s absence from training over the past two days has heightened fears over his fitness for Friday’s World Cup quarter-final with Uruguay. He watched from the sidelines as coach Milovan Rajevac took his squad through another lengthy training session in preparation for the match at Soccer City. Persistent back problems mean defender Mensah is restricted in his ability to train as the rest of the players. But his performance on the pitch for the Black Stars has been excellent as he has guided his country to the quarter final of the World Cup. Even though he has absent from training, Mensah says he will be ready to ‘die’ for his country when they play the South Americans. “I am undergoing a different training regime from the rest of the squad because of the advice from the medical team,” Mensah told Ghanasoccernet.com “This is the way to keep my fitness and die for my country on Friday for the special place – that is the semi finals of the World Cup. “We are doing everything to defend the honour of the continent Africa and our country Ghana. It is our duty and we will stand up and live up to expectation.” Mensah is being helped by a specialist physiotherapist who has travelled from France to treat him

Ghana's Serbian Coach: we can go further Milovan Rajevac has set his sights on reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup after their thrilling extra-time 2-1victory over the USA on Saturday. Asamoah Gyan’s stunning winner in extra-time took Ghana into the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time on their second appearance and meant Africa will continue to have a representative in the first World Cup to be held on African soil. Now the Serbian wants the Black Stars to go one step further and become the first African country to make the semi-finals of the World Cup. "Ghana are now among the eight best teams in the world. This is fantastic. When we reached the final of the African Cup the boys learned how to compete. That is the most important thing and I now hope Ghana will go further,” the record breaking Ghana coach said. “The whole world is watching these games. Everybody loves good football. Ghana has the support of the whole world because it is the only African country still playing at the World Cup." Ghana is up next on Friday at Soccer City in Johannesburg against two-time world champions Uruguay who beat South Korea 2-1 to reach the quarters.

Golden Boot Is Not A Priority - Asamoah Gyan Asamoah Gyan is playing down talk of a chase for the golden boot title at the World Cup and insists shooting Ghana into the semi-finals of the World Cup remains his primary priority. The Stade Rennes striker is on three goals so far in the tournament but insists one of the most coveted individual titles at the tournament is not top of his priority list. "I am only thinking about helping my team to win. The prize is not important, remember football is a collective game," he told Reuters. Gyan's fine volley against the USA took Ghana into the quarter-finals of the World Cup and made them only the third side in African football history to reach that far. "The goal was one of my best of the tournament," he said. "I was pushed from behind and I should have fallen down but I resisted and I made it happen."

MOGWASE: Isaac Vorsah handed Ghana a major boost ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Uruguay by returning to training on Tuesday. The experienced centreback has not played since Ghana's opening match, a 1-0 win over Serbia, because of a knee injury, but is back on track to face the South Americans at Soccer City, Johannesburg on Friday. Vorsah's return will come as a major boost to coach Milovan Rajevac, who will be without teenage defender Jonathan Mensah, who has stood in for Vorsah, because of suspension. Rajevac is sweating on the fitness of leading striker Asamoah Gyan, who was restricted to light jogging on the sidelines of Tuesday's training session because of an ankle injury. Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, who aggravated a hamstring problem in the 2-1 extra-time win over the United States in the second round, also sat out training and remains a major doubt for Friday's match. Skipper John Mensah was also rested but the Sunderland defender regularly skips training because of a chronic back condition and is expected to be ready for Friday.

Forlan fired-up for Uruguay's Ghana test (AFP) – 8 hours ago KIMBERLEY, South Africa — Uruguay striker Diego Forlan said Tuesday he was all fired up for his team's World Cup quarter-final against Ghana. "We are well prepared - we are having a good World Cup," said the Atletico Madrid striker ahead of Friday's test at Soccer City in Johannesburg against the sole African survivors. "We are following the instructions of (coach Oscar) Tabarez and we are confident we can reach the semi-finals to give joy to our people," said the former Manchester United striker. Luis Suarez, with his three goals in the competition to Forlan's early double against South Africa, is the man who has been in the spotlight in recent days thanks to his stellar winner against South Korea but Forlan says there is no ego contest. "We are a team and we all work together," he insists. "The truth is that Luis and I have a great relationship and I am happy he hit those decisive two goals (against the South Koreas in the round of last 16.) "That's the reason we have got to where we are." Uruguay won the World Cup in 1930 and again in 1950 but have failed to shine anywhere near as brightly since. Forlan says he hopes that the strong South American presence in the second phase will encourage FIFA to revisit their quota of finals places rather than force the fifth team in the regional qualifiers to playoff against a Central American side. Uruguay had to beat Costa Rica to reach the finals. "We have to show how strong South American football is and the strength of the qualifying programme. I hope in doing so we can have five places and not the current four-and-a-half.

Ghana spokesman says Boateng fit to face Uruguay in World Cup quarter-final By The Associated Press (CP) – 13 hours ago JOHANNESBURG — Ghana expects Kevin-Prince Boateng to be fit for its World Cup quarter-final against Uruguay after recovering from a right thigh injury. Boateng missed training Monday but team spokesman Randy Abbey said Tuesday he should be available for Friday's game. Abbey said Boateng had been "rested" but "will be fine." Abbey also said Isaac Vorsah was back in training after a week out with a right leg injury, while doubts over fellow defenders John Mensah and Samuel Inkoom had also cleared. Ghana, the last African representative at the World Cup, will be without suspended players Jonathan Mensah and Andre Ayew. Doubts also surround Asamoah Gyan, who hurt his ankle in training Monday and left the session with his foot wrapped in an ice pack. Ghana's Football Association does not expect the striker to miss Friday's match at Soccer City in Johannesburg. An African team has never reached the semifinals of the World Cup but will seldom get a better chance than Ghana's opportunity. The 16th-ranked Uruguay is listed 16 places higher than Ghana by FIFA, but is appearing in the quarter-finals for the first time in 40 years.

I can't wait for Maradona to humiliate the square heads.

Chille has completely fallen apart. 2:0

^^ATT, naga daa dee awoowe. Jeesteeynta yaree waa laga badiyey ragga. Hopefully Argentina will ruin the party for the Germans. Now, let us all wish Ghana good luck. They have a tough game against Forlan and Suarez. July 2 is a do-or-die for the young Ghanaians.

Just classic. This is what I needed to poke fun of Nuune, MMA and all the German sympathizers. The German "legend" is now calling all African players emotional wrecks. He also thinks Africa is a country. borderline racism? Watch out for these African savages huh?? lool “African teams gets very emotional and angry (when they are losing) then they begin to make fouls that could really hurt your players,” Klinsmann told the Globe and Mail. http://ourmaninamerica.com/2010/06/21/world-cup-angry-africans-can-hurt-your-players-klinsmann-warns /?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=world-cup-angry-africans-can-hurt-your-players-klinsman n-warns

Inadeer, Ilaahay ha siiyo caafimaad wanaagsn. Aamiiin.

Mystery surrounds 'horse-boy' on Google Street View Mystery surrounds a man wearing a horse's head who has been captured on Google's Street View in Aberdeen, Scotland. The man - who has become known as "horse-boy" - can be seen in the Hardgate area of the city. The sighting has become a popular attraction on Google's service, which offers a photographic map of streets. The man is wearing dark trousers, a purple shirt - and a brown and white horse's head. Dozens of BBC news website users have e-mailed from across Europe to say they know who horse boy is. Continue reading the main story 'Horse boy' Horse boy isn't a person, it's a cheap mask Gareth Remblance BBC news website user Your pictures of 'horse-boy' Others have sent in images of the mystery horse-head wearer and some have claimed to be him. Stefan Kleen from Germany said he and a friend met horse-boy at a German festival last weekend. He added: "He only spoke English so we didn't really talk a lot to him." Anders Hauge reckons he has been shopping in Haugesund in Norway; John Hammond was convinced he was playing the fairways and relaxing in the bars of Marbella and Julian Sykes said he had been sighted in Cardiff. John Ainsworth insisted he saw horse-boy in Norwich earlier in the year walking through Wensum Park. He said: "I thought I was hallucinating at first but then realised it was real." Other readers have not been impressed with the story and some have told the website that it is not newsworthy and is a prank to generate further publicity. And Gareth Remblance pointed out: "Horse boy isn't a person, it's a cheap mask - for example I saw at least three people wearing similar heads at this year's Download Festival in Donington." A number of contributors have said that horse-boy features in other parts of Google's street view service. Mark Coates said: "If you go down the road and turn back you can see him putting on the horse head and on the shot back up the road again he has white hair." The BBC news website story had more than 874,000 hits on Thursday, and more on Friday took the total through the one million barrier.

England controlled possession early on but found themselves quickly in the red as a result of two ****** mistakes at the back. The second half should not have ended with England down a goal. England was clearly cheated with the disallowed goal. The disallowed goal put the brakes on late England surge and that was the Saviour of the day for the Germans as the English exposed themselves at the back trying to push forward. The German counterattack caught them unprepared. If England went to the break with a 2:2 game, this game would have been a different game. Other than that, Germany didn't play well today. The Germans are known to buckle under pressure. Ghana easily exploited their defense few times and Ozil's one freak shot gave Germany 1:0 win over a much more talented Ghana team.

Nuune, read MMA's comment above you on how Garmany doesn't play well "under pressure". A 2:2 would have been "a death sentence", and a game changer for the young german lads on the field. As a matter of fact, the German back four would have easily fallen apart. That is what worries all the German pundits back home. My Turkish brother Ozil did well for them today.

I don't fancy German football. They don' t play an attractive football. To the German fans here (Nuune, MMA), Awooweyaal, by now you guys should know I will never give the Germans any credit. a 2:2 would have been devastating for the inexperienced young German team. Germany has huge problems at the back which can easily be exposed by a good team. Ghana did that few times. Football is about momentum and confidence and it would have been a big blow to Germany if England closed the gap that quickly. England never recovered from the few mistakes they made early on, and I am angry they never showed the "urgency" needed to tie the game after Labmard's goal was disallowed. The disallowed goal helped the Germans tremendously no doubt. Life goes on. Germany will not reach anywhere. Let them enjoy the glory of the "disallowed" goal. PS: For the record, let me state that England played poorly.

2:2 would have given England the boost. This would have been a different game. England exposed themselves trying to close a gap that should have been closed by Lambard's disallowed goal. England was cheated. Life goes on.

Daylight robbery! It is stuff like this that kills the beautiful game.

Originally posted by NGONGE: The only good news for them is that young Ayew is not playing and Muntari will possibly take his place. Good stuff overall. Muntari is great, but I don't know if missing Ayew is a good news for Ghana. Ayew was named man of the match today because Ayew played brilliantly and surly Ghana will miss him. Hopefully Muntari will not screw things up on purpose because of his horrible relationship with the coach. Either way, Forlan will not have an easy day.

Glad to see Ghana carrying the torch forward one more game. You have made a whole continent proud. Brilliant young team!

Lool@historic JB forgot Somaliland already had elections.

Alexis Sanchez (Chile) The guy is just amazing. I am warming up to Chilean football. They really do play entertaining football. I still remember the days of Salas and Zamorano,

hehe. http://crazypeoplevideos.com/hilarious-people/franck-ribery-scares-people-at-sport-munzinger-hq

RETORIA, South Africa – Algeria soccer player Rafik Saifi slapped a female journalist across the face as the aftermath of the United States’ dramatic World Cup victory turned ugly at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday night. More USA-Algeria stories While walking through the interview zone, Saifi spotted writer Asma Halimi, who works for Algerian newspaper Competition, and struck her with his open hand in front of dozens of witnesses. Halimi responded by striking the player in the mouth. Saifi then threw a sports drink bottle at a wall in the interview area, as Halimi was ushered away by security staff. Saifi came on as substitute for the last five minutes of the USA’s 1-0 victory. “I said nothing to him and he reached over and hit me,” Halimi said to Yahoo! Sports. “So I hit him back. I said nothing to him first.” It is understood that Saifi and Halimi had previously had a difference of opinion over an article she wrote for her newspaper. “She was standing there and the guy came here and he hit her,” said Francisco Aguilar Chang, a reporter from Guatemala who witnessed the incident. “Then she hit him back and her nail caught his lip.” Saifi and Algerian football association officials refused to comment when quizzed by Yahoo! Sports. The Algerian team has come under heavy criticism in its homeland after a disappointing World Cup in which it finished at the bottom of Group C and was knocked out of the tournament. When asked if she would launch an official complaint with governing body FIFA and the Algerian F.A., Halimi replied: “Of course.” http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/news/algeria-star-slaps-female-reporter--fbintl_ro-algeri a062310.html

^^ Lool at "Americans at the final" Jacphar is a great dreamer. . War nimanku Ghana ha soo dhaafeen.