FIFA World Cup 2010: Ghana News

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

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.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

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.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

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.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

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."

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

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.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

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

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

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.

[Khayr]

Are you hyped about this match up or what?

 

I took the day off just for this and I need to reserve my table at the local spot.

 

Africaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!