Ghana (GHA)
Ghana was the last African team to qualify for the African
preliminary qualifying rounds for the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006™,
when they beat Somalia 7-0 on aggregate in a two-legged tie in which
both games were played in the West African country after Somalia
relinquished the right to play at home due to the politically unstable
situation in their country.
Even though the Black Stars
had the advantage of playing both matches at home, few doubted that
they would have advanced to the group stages against Somalia
irrespective of where the games were played. Ghana have at their
disposal a whole array of top-class international stars playing for
some of the best clubs in Europe. There has, in the past, been some
problems in ensuring that those called-up for national duty turn up for
international matches, but as long as the side is challenging for a
place in Germany '06, that should not be a hindrance this time around.
Remarkably,
for one of the best teams in Africa - they are four time continental
champions - Ghana have never really come close to qualifying for the
finals of the FIFA World Cup. This is even more surprising as the
country first participated in the qualifying competition for the 1962
edition.
Ghana's last two forays into the FIFA World Cup
competition ended in disappointment when they failed to stay in the
running in their groups. Ahead of France '98, Ghana finished third
behind Morocco and Sierra Leone, winning only a home game against
Gabon. Four years later they finished behind Nigeria, Liberia and Sudan.
Having once again quite easily progressed beyond the first round, the
Black Stars'
supporters are now hoping that their side will stay in the running for
one of the five African places at the showpiece of international
football a bit longer than at their previous attempts
