Ghana (National Football)

When the Africa Cup of Nations rolls around on the 19th of January, the international audience will begin searching for a standout star of the tournament, for Africa’s prized possession, for the continent’s golden son. The next day, on the 20th, Ghana kick off in Port Elizabeth against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The people may not be looking for long.

Among the Black Stars, there is one that shines particularly brightly.

Kwadwo Asamoah is no secret, there is no guessing game here, there is little speculation anymore. Here is a player who is approaching his prime, is settling in comfortably at one of Europe’s elite squads and is poised and prepared to take the continent by storm.

Ghana’s legendary captain Stephan Appiah, who preceded Asamoah at Juventus, argued in the summer that he was already one of Serie A’s finest midfielders, and Afcon 2013 will provide the former Udinese man with the perfect opportunity to cement his place as one of Africa’s greatest as well.

Recently named in CAF’s initial shortlist of 34 candidates for the African Player of the Year award, Asamoah’s talents are already acknowledged in Africa, and spectators will be keen to see the player unleashed upon Ghana’s Afcon opposition.

Combining sharp technical proficiency with energy and dynamism, Asamoah is somewhere close to the complete, all-around modern midfielder. Perhaps slightly on the short side at 5’8", the Accra-born star compensates for this by competently contributing both in attack and defence, permitting his team—be it Juventus or Ghana—to transition the play quickly and subtly between different phases of play.

His rise to the top has been forecast ever since emerging as a wunderkind at Liberty Professionals, the midfielder’s first club, in Dansoman, and it now appears that Asamoah has finally arrived in the sport’s upper echelons.

A summer signing from Udinese, in Italy’s industrial northeast, Asamoah is an ideal illustration of Zebrette’s guiding method, that of using their broad scouting network to pluck potential stars from the world’s far corners, trusting them in Serie A, blooding them domestically and then eventually selling them on to larger clubs for a handsome profit, allowing the cycle to continue again.

While his fellow Ghanaian and close friend Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu continues his tutelage in Udine, Asamoah has already arrived at the terminal stage of the conveyor belt, having been bought by Turin superclub Juventus this summer.

Asamoah’s early-season form has been impressive at the Old Lady. His first appearance in Serie A saw him set up a goal for full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, and he hasn’t looked back since.

I initially imagined that Asamoah would contribute to Juventus’ multi-talented midfield, adding vim and vigour to complement technicians such as Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal. In fact, it hasn’t always worked out that way, and Asamoah has often been deployed in a left wing-back role, or even as a utility winger, marauding down the flank and adding an extra dimension to Juventus’ play—certainly as a valued alternative to the more static players beside him.

Juve supporters can be confident that, regardless of his future role in the side, in ‘Asa’ they have a one of the game’s finest prospects. The midfield man is primed to step up to the dual challenges of the Champions League—where Juve qualified from a group containing Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk—and the defence of Serie A—which the Turin side currently lead by four points.

The Afcon in South Africa may seem like a walk in the park after becoming habituated to fortnightly outings in front of more than 40,000 at the Juventus Stadium.

Ghana will be hoping to improve on last term’s disappointing semifinal exit, and with Michael Essien ruling himself out of contention for the squad, StepApp’s Ghana career a distant memory and Sulley Muntari contending with a long, drawn-out rehabilitation program, the time is now for Asamoah to step up and claim his rightful place as the Black Stars’ navigator, heartbeat and talisman.

If the Juventus man flourishes, Ghana could well find themselves sitting at the head of the continent’s high table.

Remember the 2010 World Cup tie between Uruguay and Ghana?

If you've forgotten, let us refresh your memory a bit. After being level on goals, Ghana and Uruguay were to proceed to the penalties.

However, on the 120th minute, Luis Suarez blocked a ball clearly going goal side with his hand, getting himself sent off and breaking African hearts.

Had Suarez not resorted to such tactics, Ghana would have gone on to the semifinals of the World Cup, the first African Nation to have done so. 

Nevertheless, all hope had not been lost. Ghana were presented a golden opportunity to etch their mark on the annals of football history, as they were provided with a spot kick. 

Enter Asamoah Gyan. 

Under immense pressure, Asamoah Gyan took to the spot. And we all know what ensued. Gyan took the penalty and rattled the cross bar, thereby taking the game to penalties. 

Sadly, Ghana lost. 

Gyan did face some criticism from people for failing to convert the penalty kick, and perhaps the biggest criticism leveled against him was his own. 

Fast-forward to 2012. 

In the recently concluded African Cup of Nations, Ghana lost to eventual winners Zambia in the semifinals. It was perhaps one of the biggest upsets in sports, as Ghana were deemed as the favorites for the tournament.

News has surfaced that Asamoah Gyan has quit international football. 

With Ghana facing key upcoming international matches, especially the World Cup qualifiers, this decision shows a complete lack of responsibility. 

Every player gets his fair share of criticism, and rightly so. 

When you under-perform or when there is so much at stake, supporters will show discontent. However, this is not when you quit—instead you try to regain their trust and show that you are willing to contribute everything to the game 

Did David Beckham quit after the shock 1998 World Cup when all of England was against him? No. He turned it around by putting in a captain's performance and taking England to the 2002 World Cup. 

When you are willing to bask in the glory, you should also be able to face any sort of criticism leveled against you. 

Ghana is flying under the radar in the Africa Cup of Nations and I’m not sure why. The Ivory Coast is the favorite, and rightfully so, but don’t forget about the Black Stars.

Their World Cup experience will help them win a major trophy for the first time in two decades.

Ghana finished seventh in the 2010 World Cup. They displayed wins over the United States in the round of 16 before losing to Uruguay in the quarterfinals.

That experience of winning in the biggest competition will do wonders for their confidence in the Africa Cup of Nations. If they can hang with the best teams in the world then they can certainly hang with the best of Africa.

Asamoah Gyan will be fit to play for Ghana, and that will be a major boost to the Black Stars. He has seen success for Sunderland in his time in the English Premier League. His crafty pace and explosive quickness will give Ghana another boost on their front line.

Andre Ayew is another player to watch out for. He is the son of Ghana great Abedi Pele; he has a ton of game. He played a major role in their 2009 World Cup under-20’s team.

Ivory Coast is the “hot” selection to win the tournament given their explosive scoring threat of Didier Drogba, Gervinho and others, but don’t sleep on Ghana. They proved in 2010 that they can hang with the best in the world. There is no reason why they couldn’t win their first major trophy in years.

Everybody remembers where they where when the Ghana national team made their way into the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

They caught the attention of the soccer world and the hearts of fans with their athletic play and big-time win over a United States team that had aspirations of winning the whole thing.

Okay, maybe everybody doesn't remember it, because let's face it—soccer still hasn't caught on here in the U.S as much as we would have liked it to.

If you don't remember, though, let me give you a refresher. The United States came into the game feeling confident and ready to go, but Ghana was equally as confident and really stood out as an athletic and young team.

The two teams fought to a 1-1 tie, but Ghana's Asamoah Gyan knocked one in three minutes into overtime to advance past the Americans in an exhilarating win for the hometown favorites.

This is that same exciting Ghana team as it was back then, but as Mark Lomas of ESPN writes, they are much more powerful:

Back in 2010, it was a Ghana team packed with youth that enjoyed such a memorable year, but those players have further matured both physically and mentally since then, and Ghana can now boast a powerful side, teeming with technique and experience of some of Europe's biggest leagues. The Black Stars were also handed a major boost a week before the tournament with the return to fitness of World Cup star Asamoah Gyan, the iconic Al Ain frontman nursed back to health by the healing hands of renowned Serbian alternative therapist Mariana Kovacevic and her horse-placenta inspired treatment.

I expect that this is going to be a team to be reckoned with at Africa Cup Of Nations 2012, and I wouldn't be surprised if they are the last team left standing when all is said and done.

They have the World Cup experience under their belt, plus a bevy of very talented players, including aforementioned Gyan.

This is a must-see team that has a bright future ahead of them. 

Schedule:

We are about to see if pressure and expectations can help a team focus, because Ghana is dealing with a tremendous amount of both ahead of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. 

The Nations Cup begins this weekend, and Ghana is supposed to win. In fact, they are destined to win, depending on who you are talking to and the loyalties they claim. 

There is hardly a more talented side going into the tournament, and the pressure extends to manager Goran Stevanovic, who is tasked with ending a three-decade drought for the national side. 

If you want to know just what is expected, consider what the president of Ghana FA, Kwesi Nyantakyi, had to say, via ESPN. 

We're ready. We're going for the ultimate. I also have that strong belief that this is our time. I'm optimistic.

The players have given the assurance that they are physically and mentally strong to live up to the expectation. Everybody is saying this is our time and it's a strong indication that we are going for it.

This side felt ultimate pain when they saw Egypt celebrate instead of them in 2010. This is the tournament where the Black Stars will once again reign supreme. At least that is what is being trumpeted throughout the world. 

A loss at any point would be disastrous for a nation that expects nothing less than ultimate glory. Past failure was accepted with the amount of youth that flooded the roster. 

Now those young men are mature stars in their own right and are front and center on clubs throughout the world. The experience is there, and the talent is immense. 

Now all they have to do is get the results. Michael Essien will be missed, but Andre Ayew has filled in nicely and only serves to show the depth of this side. 

There is no lack of pressure heaped on the shoulders of these men. If they can handle it and channel their energies, they will be no less than heroes to their nation. 

Follow @gabezal

When the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Saturday, the squad from Ghana is going to be one of the most watched and scrutinized in the field because of how close it has come to breaking through in previous events, only to fall short. 

Unlike the runner-up finish at this tournament in 2010, Ghana will breakthrough and walk away with its first trophy in this event since 1982. 

This squad is as talented as any in the tournament. John Mensah will captain the ship on the field. He is supported by Sulley Muntari, Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan. That group alone would be good enough to carry Ghana to a fourth or fifth place finish at this event. 

The depth of the roster is what strikes you most about Ghana this year and it is going to be difficult for anyone else to matchup with them for an entire match. 

Ghana has emerged as a favorite in this event, but there are some mental roadblocks that the squad must overcome early before it can stand tall in this event. 

From the Associated Press: 

After losing to Egypt in the 2010 African Cup final and making the World Cup quarterfinals when the continent’s other challengers—including Ivory Coast—faded, Ghana has to claim the title this time to end doubts over its ability to convert talent into trophies.

Just making the final probably won’t be good enough, having lost in the decider twice since 1982.

But (Goran) Stevanovic, who took over last year, knows that. The coach has accepted the pressure his team will be under to finally deliver and has used it as a positive.

Ghana's draw in group play is intriguing, though it should not give them too much trouble. It starts off with Botswana, Mali and concludes with Guinea. 

This is Ghana's time. Never before has everything lined up so perfectly for it to get over any mental and physical roadblocks and capture a title. All signs point to a victory at the Cup of Nations and nothing should stand in their way. 

Follow @adamwells1985

Lithuania vs Spain

Spain will be travelling to Eastern Europe in order to protect their 100 percent record in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign so far.

Spain managed to put behind their recent disappointments in the friendlies to win convincingly against the Czech Republic on Saturday.

The match against Lithuania represents the ideal opportunity to clinch the group for Spain at an early stage itself.

Spain currently enjoy a six-point advantage over second placed Czech Republic in the Group I standings and should the results go in favour of them, it could see them finish off the competition in this early stage.

Lithuania, however, will not be too concerned about the form of Spain given that they have an excellent opportunity to close the gap on the Czech Republic.

In fact, they can overtake the Czech Republic with a victory, which will be providing great motivation for the team. However, they will also be aware of the fact that Scotland are level on points with them.

Vicente del Bosque will be able to name a full strength squad for the match, but it remains to be seen if he will include Fernando Torres from the start. David Villa is the man to watch.

England vs Ghana

England will be missing a number of stars for their friendly against Ghana, which has meant that Gareth Barry will be leading England for the first time from the start.

Fabio Capello has released stars like John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole back to their clubs.

This, along with the huge injury list that includes Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard means that 30-year-old Gareth Barry is the only suitable option for captaining the country against Ghana on Wembley.

This represents a perfect opportunity to try out some new players for Capello and it could see the likes of Andy Carroll and Phil Jagielka start for England.

Andy Carroll was not deemed to be fit enough to start against Wales, but he will be put in the limelight to show his capabilities that obviously resulted in the record £35 million move to Liverpool.

World Cup quarter-finalists, Ghana, will be having the likes of Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari to provide the attacking threat, which could trouble this new look England team.

Capello has already stated that he will be totally changing the team and it could see new coach Goran Stevanovic claim a famous victory over England.

Joe - livescoredaily.com - live scores

Asamoah Gyan helped Sunderland to a share of the points with Wigan at the weekend as he scored on his "perfect debut."

The goal made him an instant hit on Wearside with the Black Cats' vocal support. It did not do him any harm with his teammates either.

However, he had already made his way into their hearts after Darren Bent asked him to sing for the team on the eve of the match. A little known fact about the powerful Ghanaian striker is that he has also produced a number of rap songs under the pseudonym of Baby Jet.

As Ghana geared up for the World Cup, Gyan teamed up with the 50 Cent of Ghana, Castro De Destroyer, to record African Girls. A rap song infused with Afro-Caribbean style themes and Western African beats, the catchy number has gone down a bomb on YouTube since the World Cup, where interest in the striker grew to massive levels after an impressive tournament.

Gyan has been one of Ghana's best kept secrets since making his debut for the Black Stars in 2004, and has provided 22 goals in 44 games for his nation.

During the World Cup in South Africa he went on to earn all the accolades he deserved after Ghana proved to be the only African side capable of challenging the dominance of Europe and South America. He scored a late winner against Serbia in the opening game of the tournament and left the pitch to a standing ovation and thousands of journalists scratching their heads after the little known Rennes striker stole all the plaudits for many better known players.

A second goal in two games, this time against Australia, and all of a sudden Ghana was on the verge of becoming the only African nation to progress out of the groups. The Black Stars then beat the USA in the round of 16 after an epic confrontation was settled in extra time by Gyan again.

All of a sudden, Ghana was in the Quarterfinals, where Uruguay was waiting.

The game proved to be the biggest draw of the Quarter Finals as 84,000 packed into Soccer City to see one of the most intriguing matches of the tournament. A 1-1 draw after 90 minutes forced the game into extra-time, where the Ghanaians' fitness seemed to give them an edge.

As the clock counted down to the final whistle Ghana won a penalty after Luis Suarez handled a certain goal on the line. The Black Stars hero of the tournament, Gyan, stepped up to take the most pressurised spot-kick in African football history and missed, sending the game into the lottery of penalties.

Credit where it's due, Gyan took his country's first penalty when it would have been easy to say no and scored with aplomb. Unfortunately, Uruguay won 4-2 and progressed to the semifinals.

From a personal point of view, the penalty miss cut very deeply for Gyan, but his strength of character and phenomenal form during the tournament caught the eye of scouts all over Europe and on deadline day Steve Bruce parted with £13 million to that the Black Star striker to the Black Cats.

It was a real coup for Sunderland. Gyan was linked with Manchester United, AC Milan, and Arsenal back in 2007, and his style of play seems perfectly suited to both the Black Cats and the Premier League in general.

Gyan's training routine with his new club was interrupted by the international window, and he only managed to train with his new team twice in 15 days since signing.

It didn't curb his confidence though, and he gave the Black Cats crowd exactly what they came to see after he latched onto Jordan Henderson's superb cross to score a goal reminiscent of Johan Cryuff in his heyday.

Although tired, he still managed a trademark dance for his new fans.

“I did a couple of dances," Gyan said, "but I was really tired, so I didn’t want to continue. I didn’t sing though. Not this time. I did sing for them before the match, Darren Bent asked me to. It was a song by Buju Banton, a Jamaican reggae singer. If you’re a new player in the team you have to sing to everybody. I was good. Of course they thought I was good; they were happy with it. They’ve seen my musical videos, so they know I can do it.”

If Gyan can live up to his growing reputation, everyone will know he can do it.

This article was previously featured on Tiger Beer Football, where Willie Gannon is the featured Blogger, over 18s only.

As England found out, losing your captain can be damaging. Although Steven Gerrard did a good job captaining quite a faltering team, The Three Lions could have really done with the services of Rio Ferdinand. In fact, give any team a situation where they’d lose their skipper to injury, it wouldn’t be one any fan is likely to want to envisage. However, two nations exceeded expectations without their influential, star-player captains.

Ghana were Africa’s sole representatives in the knockout phase of this World Cup, and became the third ever African side to reach the Quarter Finals. An achievement made even more remarkable by the fact their star man, and only world superstar, Michael Essien, missed the tournament through injury. Quite how the Ghanaians managed to lead a continent’s dream (and nearly made history if not for a certain Mr L. Suarez), without the Chelsea midfielder, really deserves some plaudits.

Ballack’s injury, (ironically caused by German-born Ghana representative Kevin-Prince Boateng) looked to be a firm nail in Germany’s World Cup coffin, with many at home writing them off before they had even flown out to South Africa. As it turned out, the Germans’ young side excelled without an ultra ego dominating their squad. Probably playing the best football throughout this tournament, they really were unlucky to only make the Semi Finals.

Of course, this is not a message telling teams they’re better off without their captains. For some nations, such as England, Spain and the Netherlands, you need an experienced player to lead a team full of big egos. However, Germany and Ghana had sides built up of young players who were not mentioned in the same breath as their injured captains before the tournament began. The loss of such a superstar allowed these teams to rely less on their star man, and more on teamwork and good football.

Another advantage of these injuries is that new stars have been born. Bastian Schweinstieger took on Ballack’s responsibility, and was undoubtedly brilliant. Ballack’s replacement in the side, Mesut Ozil, has used this World Cup to burst onto the world scene. A tricky midfielder, he has been one of the stars of these finals, managers all over Europe will surely be sending enquiries to his club Werder Bremen. Sami Khedira has also showed his potential with superb displays throughout the competition.

Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng may have been filled with agony after his FA Cup final penalty miss in May, but he too rose from the flames left by Essien’s injury, becoming a star of this World Cup with his impressive displays for Ghana. In truth, the Ghanaians had several replacements for Essien’s position, so tactically this was not a major problem. However, it is always handy to have someone with his ability in your team.

Of course, the injuries are of no advantage to the subjected players. Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien would have undoubtedly wanted to lead Ghana, and Africa, towards trying to make history in these finals, and Ballack (recently released by Chelsea) would surely have longed for one last opportunity to get his hands on the World Cup. Despite their personal heartache, I’m sure both players will be able to look back at this tournament and celebrate their teammates’ success, even if it came at the expensive of an injury to themselves, their nations’ captains and star men.