GHANA HITS EGYPT FOR SIX IN 1st LEG WORLD CUP 2014 PLAY-OFF QUALIFIER

By Frederick Quaye
In my preview yesterday, I likened Ghana’s World Cup first leg play-off qualifier with Egypt in Kumasi to the 5-1 drubbing two-time African Club Champions, Asante Kotoko, gave to Zamalek in 1987.

However, I did not think they would be able to overwhelm the Pharaohs the way they did to achieve a lopsided 6-1 record performance at the Baba Yara Stadium this evening.

Just as in 1987 during which Kotoko led Zamalek by 3-1 on the half-way mark, the Black Stars of Ghana mirrored that result with an Asamoah Gyan strike, complemented by a Wael Goma own goal, then a Mohammed Aboutrika penalty conversion before Majeed Warris restored the 2 goal cushion to Ghana.

In 1987, the second half was all Kotoko and the dominance was reflected in two goals from midfield strongman, Sarfo Gyamfi and power forward, Saraah-Mensah; however in the second half of this evening’s match, the Black Stars nailed the 7 time African Champions with three goals from Gyan, Sulley Muntari and Christian Atsu to complete the 6-1 hiding.

In my preview I implied that the injured defenders John Boye, Isaac Vorsah and Jonathan Mensah won’t be missed. Indeed their absences were not felt with the exception of a mistake by Rachid Sumaila that resulted in the penalty converted by an Aboutrika who was a mere shadow of himself.

On a personal level I think the Egyptians were defeated long before the match. Who would be able to take the festive and massive support Kumasi fans give to their beloved Black Stars?

The unrelenting chants of praise and “oje” songs will be enough to drive the fear of God into any side that plays in the BabaYara Stadium.

The early goals also did their bit to unsettle the Pharaohs and even more so the Ghana strategy of taking the fight to Egypt from the whistle,totally deflated the usual flow of their game.This defeat should not signal the end of the Pharaohs,perhaps rather it is a pointer to what they need to do away with and something they need to bring into their game and again it just could be that Ghana was too potent in their backyard to be beaten. Who knows?

   

At first glance, this unprecedented massive score line against the Pharaohs of Egypt gives the Black Stars of Ghana an almost automatic ticket to Brazil.

However, an appeal by the Ghana Football Association to FIFA to play their return leg in a neutral place due to the unstable situation in Egypt will not affect the aggregate outcome.

I daresay the ticket to Brazil has been truly booked regardless of the venue of the return leg match which is slated for next month.