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Ghana vs USA – Team News, Stats, Possible Lineups, Preview & Prediction

Ghana vs USA:  Group Of Death Promises Action

Group G will see 2 equally poised matches of different standards as the mighty Germany take on Portugal while Ghana meet USA at the Estádio das Dunas in Natal. Both the ‘Black Stars’ and ‘Stars and Stripes’ will look to start the tournament in winning fashion and up their chances of progressing further which might actually allow them to take home all the glory Brazil has to offer.

Ghana possesses a very decent team this time around, and which might very well be the best Arfrican team in this competition. With the likes of Asamoah, Boateng, Muntari, Essien, and Gyan in the squad, experience is the first thing that strikes the mind. Going back in time, the last World Cup saw Ghana dazzle the fans and experts with stellar performances to reach the quarter finals. They weren’t demolished by Germnay in the group stages, losing to the mighty giants by a lone goal while they swept USA in extra time to only crash out in the next round against Uruguay in penalties. The team is fresh with incredible youngsters in the squad in the form of Jordan Ayew and Agyemang-Badu. French born Ayew has had a good run with Marseille and Sochaux, plus a recent friendly against Korea Republic saw this talented prospect score a hattrick which surely will boost his confidence ahead of the WC.

The defensive back 4 seems lacklustre, but given recent performances, losing to lone goals on one or two occasions is nothing compared to the high number of clean sheets they’ve achieved. Ghana will look to bring back defender Jonathan Mensah and midfielder Andre Ayew to the starting XI to create the formidable lineup they require on the big stage.

“It’s a team full of individual talent with players, certain players that can hurt you in a split second if you’re not alert, if you’re not awake,” – Klinsmann, USA coach, on the Black Stars.

USA have just 4 players from the 2010 World Cup who have carried over to the fresh squad which can do equally good damage if they’re on top of their game. Howard, Bradley, Altidore and Dempsey will need to push their fellow teammates to the cliff if they are to have any chance of making up for the mistakes of the previous meeting with Ghana that showed them the exit 4 years ago.

It is said that the first match in a World Cup sets the tone for the remaining games. A draw would not be ideal for either team, considering Germany and Portugal would blaze through them.

The recent run of games has seen the Stars and Stripes fall back on their toes as one goal doesn’t seem to do them any good. Clean sheets is just not on their radar at the moment. Counter attacking and putting the ball on the wings for crosses into the box is how they manage to score more than once in a match. Clearly, previous friendlies and qualifiers were considerably easier, as they cruised through with just 1 loss in their last 6 matches.

Ghana vs USA Match Facts:

  • Ghana have met USA in each of their two previous participations in World Cups, winning 2-1 on both occasions (2006 group, 2010 second round).
  • Four of Ghana’s previous nine World Cup goals have come against USA.
  •  The USA have only kept two clean sheets in their last 23 games at the World Cup.
  • Ghana scored more goals than any other team in the 2014 African World Cup qualifiers (25).
  • USA boss Jürgen Klinsmann played 17 games and scored 11 goals at the World Cup with Germany. This is his second World Cup as head-coach having led his home nation to third place in 2006.
  • Landon Donovan has been left out of the USA Squad for the 2014 World Cup. He is USA’s top scorer at World Cups with five goals; he has scored three of their last four at the competition.
  • Sit back, enojoy the Monday night with back to back games of high quality and promised action.

Facts Compiled from uk.eurosport.yahoo.com

Ghana vs USA Posibble starting lineps:

Ghana: Dauda; Afful, Mensah, Boye, Asamoah; Rabiu, Muntari; Atsu, Boateng, Ayew; Gyan.

USA: Howard; Johnson, Cameron, Besler, Beasley; Zusi, Jones, Bradley, Davis; Dempsey; Altidore.

Ghana vs USA Prediction:

Ghana 2 – 2 USA