Arguably, the defining moment associated with the Ghanaian national football team is the handball save by Luis Suarez in the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Asamoah Gyan couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, failing to convert the penalty, and subsequently, his team lost in the penalty shootout.
Today, Ghana doesn't appear to be a team on the same level as the top 8 in the world, but it holds certain hopes for a successful performance in the African Cup of Nations. In this piece, we will delve into this team and its prospects in the tournament. You can place bets on matches involving the Ghanaian national team, as well as all other African Cup of Nations participants, on the Mostbet website. The platform also offers the option to play in the casino mostbet.
Team Outlook for the Tournament
The recent years have presented challenges for the Ghanaian national football team. The team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup has faced several difficulties in recent African Cups, and more recently, suffered a surprising defeat to the Comoros Islands. This fact is perhaps the best characterization of the current state of affairs within the team.
Ghana has won the African Cup four times, but the last triumph dates back 42 years. The new generation of players acknowledges the need for new achievements rather than just recalling past glories. In the last 6 continental tournaments, Ghana reached the semi-finals three times but failed to secure any medals. On all three occasions, the team lost in the semi-finals and then in the third-place playoff.
The latest tournament, currently considered the worst in Ghana's history, saw the team earn only one point in the group stage, finishing last in their group behind Gabon and the Comoros Islands. On a positive note in recent years, Ghana qualified for the 2022 World Cup, securing a victory against South Korea but facing difficulties in matches against Uruguay and Portugal.
Squad and Coaching Staff
Since spring 2023, the head coach is Chris Hughton, former manager of Brighton. With significant experience in football and assistant coaching with the Republic of Ireland national team, Hughton's task is to guide Ghana back to a successful path.
In addition to well-known players like Jordan and Andrew Ayew, attention should be paid to Kudus, who plays for Hamburg, and the powerful Mohammed Kudus from West Ham. The latter has had a very successful season, raising expectations of a breakthrough in continental competitions. Inaki Williams from Athletic Bilbao consistently performs at a high level.
However, the absence of experienced defender Abdul Rahman Baba may affect the reliability of the defense. The full-back chose not to participate in the tournament, prioritizing club football and the pursuit of the Greek championship title.
Ghana was fortunate with the group draw, facing relatively modest opponents in Cape Verde and Mozambique alongside Egypt. Under these conditions, the team is obligated to perform better than in the previous tournament and, at a minimum, advance to the playoffs. Moreover, there is an option to advance even from the third-place position. The subsequent outcome will depend on the tournament bracket.
Prediction: Advance from the group stage and elimination in the Round of 16. The best possible result would be reaching the quarterfinals.