The final day of Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers for CAF sees South Africa make the trip to once the hope of Africa, Ghana. Arguably thee fixture of matchday six, Bafana Bafana hope to do the unthinkable and beat The Black Stars in two consecutive games.
Captain Andre Ayew will seek revenge after losing by a narrow 1-0 scoreline back at the FNB stadium in South Africa, and the home soil will re-energize the nation. Will Hugo Broos’ young team prevail, or will Ghana reclaim their position as the might of Africa?
2022 World Cup Qualifier
Sunday 14 November
Cape Coasts Sports Stadium
21:00
To Win
Ghana 8/10 | Draw 19/10 | South Africa 36/10
Ghana
Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup were dented after dropping points to Ethiopia in a 1-1 draw, and the pressure for The Black Stars reaches its peak. Three points short of the top spot in Group G, Ghana will have to rely on all-out attack if there is any hope of qualifying for the final round. A one-goal win will secure Ghana’s spot in the next round and the Black Stars know they are capable.
Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus seemingly breezed through the Ethiopian midfield in their last fixture, but it’s obvious he cannot do it alone. Iddrisu Baba was not able to deny Ethiopia the space in front of Leicester’s Daniel Amartey and Jospeh Aido and was found wanting on many occasions. It has yet to be confirmed, but Thomas Partey is a doubt to feature, and he would be more than capable of denying those areas just outside the 18-yard box. Kudus will have to produce a moment of brilliance through the middle of the park with Andre Ayew.
The older Ayew brother will become just the second player to get 100 caps for Ghana should he feature in Sunday’s fixture. He joins the infamous legend to the Ghanian nation, Asamoah Gyan, and the captain will surely work his socks off for a victory.
OPINION: No calculations needed, Bafana Bafana won’t lose to Ghana
South Africa
Three months in charge of South Africa, and Hugo Broos has shown that we have the capability, we just need the mental fortitude with the right tactics. Another win and another clean sheet last time out against Zimbabwe and Bafana Bafana sit atop Group G three points clear. Just one point away from qualifying to the next round and having already beaten Ghana, everything rests solely in the hands of South Africa.
An influential performance by Keagan Dolly with key passes, creating width on the right flank as well as taking on the opposition’s defense successfully, the Kaizer Chiefs midfielder has proven how essential he is to the team. A man of the match performance by Teboho Mokoena showing his quality in the engine room.
The SuperSport United midfielder put in a shift, as well as utilized and found the correct spaces and was rewarded running onto the end of Dolly’s left-footed cross to score the crucial – and only – goal of the match. While the starting XI was quality, there is still a lot of talent sitting and waiting in the wings.
Substitutes Fagrie Lakay and Ethan Brooks showed their worth in rather short spaces of time, and in particular, Lakay could be the one to get more minutes after coming close to putting Dolly on the scoresheet.
A well-balanced structure is what Bafana Bafana have shown consistently from COSAFA Cup through to these qualifiers, and with Ghana the obstacle in front of them, another disciplined performance awaits our screens.
Prediction: South Africa Win (36/10)
Ghana know what they have to do now, and they knew full and well their job against Ethiopia. The Black Stars came out all guns blazing with a highline, with consistent pressure and were rewarded a free-kick which Ayew was able to perfectly slot home against Ethiopia.
The goal they were looking for early was found, but they dropped off, sat deep more often than not and allowed the opposition time on the ball, which resulted in a 1-1 draw. South Africa, on the other hand, have showed their resilience a goal up and will not shy away from the challenge.
Hugo Broos ‘gave away’ his gameplan, saying it would be their (South Africa’s) biggest mistake to go to Ghana and try to defend, we know the discipline he has instilled knowing when to utilize the space created. Back the underdogs, Bafana Bafana, to pick up the first-ever away win over the Black Stars and make a statement to the rest of Africa.
