Australia will trounce Ghana. We always do. Not sure what everyones talking up Ghana so much.

Sorry to burst your bubble:lol: but last time we played them here IIRC they didn't have a full strength squad and we had trouble beating them 1-0. Now that was here in Africa it's going to be a whole different story. We have to watch out for them.

I'm still pretty confident Australia will win decisively even if it wasn't a full strength side last time. Did Australia have a full strength side?

World Cup 2010: Ghana FA Disputes ESPN’s Provisional List Of Black Stars

The shocking Black Stars’ list was without some key players…

By K.N.S Mensah, Goal.com
Apr 30, 2010 3:15:00 PM


World Cup finalists Ghana have not released any provisional squad for South Africa 2010 yet, contrary to reports by ESPN Soccernet, FA vice-president Fred Pappoe has said.

The FA official said coach Milovan Rajevac is still monitoring and evaluating his players and there is no way a list should be out by now.

Pappoe said: “The squad being bandied about is absolutely not our squad list.

“Our coach is still looking at the players and will have to thoroughly observe all the players before we make the squad public.

“We have up until May 11, according to FIFA, to release a squad of up to 30 players. We will release the squad before that deadline.”

The Serbian trainer, who is currently touring major leagues to assess the players, is expected in Ghana next week.

Ghana are in Group D with Serbia, Australia and Germany.http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2010/04/30/1902415/world-cup-2010-ghana-fa-disputes-espns-provisional-list-of-black-

Ghana To Unveil Provisional Squad On May 11

A 30-man squad to be announced before the final 23 ahead of South Africa 2010…
By K.N.S Mensah

World Cup finalists Ghana would announce a provisional list of 30 players on May 11, according to the Ghana Football Association.

FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi said: “The coach is expected in town next week before the naming of the squad will be done. This week, there have been reports of a provisional squad on some websites but that is untrue. We want to respect every player and do the right thing.”

Coach Milovan Rajevac is expected to prune the list down to 23-man squad that would base in Paris, France from May 24 for camping ahead of the football showpiece.

The four-time African champions are scheduled to play a friendly against a French side on 27 May before two others with Holland on 1 June and Latvia on 5 June.

The Black Stars are in Group D with Germany, Serbia and Australia.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2010/05/01/1904461/world-cup-2010-ghana-to-unveil-provisional-squad-on-may-11

IIRC we did. With the way we struggle to score goals now it will be a very very tough match.

Mark Schwarzer, Michael Beauchamp, Jade North, Jacob Burns (James Holland 79), Mile Jedinak, Joel Griffiths, Harry Kewell (Mark Bridge 72), David Carney (Nikolai Topor-Stanley 79), Adam Griffiths (Danny Allsopp 64), James Troisi (Matthew Spiranovic 64), Mile Sterjovski (sent off 87)

http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Socceroo/2008A.html

I only imagine 3 or maybe 4 from that team will be going to the World Cup. That is Kewell, Schwarzer, Carney and Spiranovic, with only 2 of those starting in the first 11.

Hardly full-strength. :lol: ;)

Ghana striker Agogo to miss World Cup

ACCRA, Ghana (AP)—Ghana striker Junior Agogo will miss the World Cup after undergoing knee surgery.

Ghana’s Football Association says the 30-year-old Agogo, who plays for Apollon Limassol in Cyprus, will be out of action for six months.

Agogo missed the African Cup of Nations in Angola earlier this year because coach Milovan Rajevac said he was not fit enough. Ghana lost to Egypt in the final.

The forward, who has also played for Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids in the MLS, starred at the 2008 African Cup in Ghana, scoring the winner in the quarterfinals against Nigeria and three goals overall for the tournament as the hosts finished third.

Since then, Agogo has struggled with injuries.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-ghana-agogo

come on ghana

don't let me and Africa down

Kevin-Prince Boateng in Ghana's 30-man World Cup squad

Kevin-Prince Boateng has been given his first call-up to a Ghana squad, after being named in the Black Stars' provisional squad for the World Cup.

But the Portsmouth midfielder is still awaiting final approval from Fifa to switch national allegiances, as he has played for Germany at under-21 level.

If he is cleared he could face Germany, who are in Ghana's group along with Australia and Serbia.

Chelsea's Michael Essien is included despite struggling with injury still.

Captain Stephen Appiah has finally recovered from injury and has been included in recent squads for his Italian side Bologna after almost 2 years out of club action.

   
WORLD CUP PHOTO ALBUM
Do you have a photo with yourself and a star from Ghana? Send us your photos to be in our World Cup Photo Album!

There is also a return for Inter Milan's Sulley Muntari, who missed the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola following a falling out with coach Milovan Rajevac.

Ghana will have a training camp in France starting on 24 May and will then move to Holland for a friendly on 1 June.

Four days later they face Latvia in Milton Keynes in the UK and the following day depart for South Africa.

An injury-ravaged Ghana team finished as runners-up at the Nations Cup as Rajevac used several players who won the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009.

Ghana were the only African side to make it into the second of the 2006 World Cup in Germany where they lost to Brazil.

The Ghana Squad:

Goalkeepers: Richard Kingston (Wigan, England) Daniel Adjei (Liberty Professionals), Stephen Ahorlu (Hearts of Lions) , Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars)

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Basle, Switzerland), Hans Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen, Germnay) Lee Addy (Bechem Chelsea), John Mensah (Sunderland, England), Rahim Ayew (Zamalek, Egypt), Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim, Germany), John Pantsil (Fulham, England), Jonathan Mensah (Free State Stars, South Africa) Eric Addo (Roda JC, Holland)

Midfielders: Dede Ayew (Arlese Avignon, France) Michael Essien (Chelsea, England) Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese, Italy) Agyemang Badu (Udinese, Italy) Stephen Appiah (Bologna, Italy) Anthony Annan (Rosenborg, Norway) Haminu Dramani (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan, Italy) Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (Al Sadd, Qatar), Derek Boateng (Getafe, Spain) Bernard Kumordzi (Panionios, Greece) , Laryea Kingston (Hearts, Scotland), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Portsmouth, England)

Strikers: Prince Tagoe (Hoffenheim, Germany) Asamoah Gyan (Rennes, France), Dominic Adiyiah (AC Milan, Italy), Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda, Holland)

Ghana Camp Focus - Adaptation is the key to progression

By Ben Horlock
Saturday 12 June 2010

Ghana are one of 6 teams representing Africa in the World Cup and they travel to South Africa with high expectations, albeit without tenacious midfielder Michael Essien. The Chelsea man has missed the last five months of the season after a serious knee injury and he was not able to regain full fitness to compete in this year’s competition.


However, Coach Milovan Rajevac can be confident the Black Stars will illustrate the fierce passion that saw them become the first African nation to qualify with two games to spare in Africa Group D. They pit their wits against Germany, Serbia and Australia in the finals in what can be considered a very tricky group. Rajevac, who has been at the helm since 2008, will necessitate a hard work ethic from his team and call upon more experienced players such as Inter’s Sulley Muntari, Sunderland’s John Mensah and captain Stephen Appiah to aid Ghana’s up and coming youngsters.

Ghana are playing in only their second World Cup after qualifying for Germany in 2006 where they lost to Brazil in the second round. To repeat this feat of reaching the second round would be an accolade in itself for Rajevac, who was deemed a surprise appointment when he was installed as Coach. Nevertheless the Black Stars are hungry and desperate for success in South Africa and even progressing to the quarter-finals would not raise eyebrows amongst the neutrals.

With this said, what can be deemed a realistic aim for the Africans in this year’s finals? They certainly bring a strong sense of passion and bite to whet the appetite of their fans and Rajevac can add a few more strings to his already impressive looking bow by progressing from a group that looks wide open. The majority of the Ghanaian team are playing at clubs spread all over Europe so they will certainly demonstrate their experience and expertise to adapt accordingly. They have the advantage of being used to playing at high altitude, which some of Europe’s elite will perhaps struggle with. The players are, according to some, finely tuned natural athletes and their fitness is unquestionable.

Therefore expect some spicy displays from the Ghanaians and with top scorer Asamoah Gyan once again leading the front-line we can expect plenty of flair and offensive play. Anything less than qualification from the group stage will be deemed failure amongst the Black Stars faithful.

Germany, Serbia and Australia will not treat Ghana lightly as they are fully aware of their attacking credentials. The ‘perfectly oiled’ German team will even have their efficiency strongly put to the test and it can be awkward to conjure a strategic game plan to outdo the Africans. Defensively Ghana are not as strong as they are in other areas of the team but the strong, physical presence they demonstrate will prove menacing for opposing forwards. Ghana, like many African nations are adapting to international football so rapidly many neutrals feel that is a matter of when, not if an African nation lifts the World Cup.

Victory over Coach Rajevac’s home nation Serbia in their opening fixture will definitely put the Black Stars in good stead for qualification from Group D and a possible encounter with one of the tournament favourites England could be a real prospect.

It is essential for Ghana to adapt quickly after losing box to box midfielder Essien and this provides a perfect chance for one of their younger players to step up to the mark and shine on the World stage. Maybe Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng can replicate his fine form in what was a dismal season for the FA Cup finalists and stake a claim as a suitable replacement for Essien.

Consequently the Black Stars must be considered one of the favourites to squeeze through what will be a hotly-contested group and from there anything is possible. They are expecting a strong following and many neutrals will be keeping a close eye on the progression of the Africans because after all, they are still young pups on the international scene.

It is crucial Rajevec and the Ghanaian team keep their feet firmly on the ground and do not get ahead of themselves mentally as this so often can prove a team’s downfall. Expect plenty of hustle and drama from the Africans and if they are quick in adapting to the loss of ‘Bison’ Essien, a charge towards the latter stages of the tournament is a real likelihood.

http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_3244_ghana-camp-focus-adaptation-is-the-key-to-progression.html