Wednesday, February 29, 2012

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01.03. (Thu) 01:00 Chile - Ghana

Sulley Muntari - Ghana (Getty Images)
Getty Images

PROBABLE LINEUPS


CHILE

BravoO. Gonzalez, M. Gonzalez, L. Dominguez, J. Rojas
Diaz, Jorquera, Fuenzalida
Suazo, Sanchez, Vargas

GHANA


Kwarasey
Paintsil, Mensah, Boye, Alhassan
Acquah, Asamoah, Annan, Muntari
D. Oduro, Baffour



Chile have named a 21-man squad made up of 12 local and nine foreign-based players, including Barcelona star Alexis Sanchez. They have the upper hand in the game psychologically because the west Africans are down and raising a team for this game was fraught with visa processing difficulties.

The Black Stars are going into this match in a very low spirit. Apart from the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) disappointment, the team is imaginably divided.

Issues of indiscipline among players have emerged after the continental showpiece. Coach Goran Stevanovic himself mentioned in his technical report on the tournament that players were outdoing each other with black power resulting in divisions within the team.

Samuel Inkoom, Prince Tagoe, John Mensah, Charles Takyi, Agyemang Badu, Ernest Sowah, Mohammed Abu and Isaac Vorsah have been dropped from the Afcon squad for the friendly against Chile.

Asamoah Gyan has quit international football due to excessive criticism from fans. Reports are also emerging that the Ayew brothers named in the 18-man squad for this game may not make the trip due to injury worries.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic is unsure of his fate with the team pending a decision that will be taken this week.
  • This is the Black Stars’ first major outing after placing fourth at the 2012 Nations Cup held in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
  • Three new players have had their debut call-ups in the 18-man squad set to line up against the South Americans.
  • Chile is ranked 13th in the Fifa rankings.
  • This is the first time Chile is meeting Ghana at the senior level.
  • The nickname of the South American team is La Roja, meaning The Red One.
Prediction
The Chileans are well placed to win this encounter, and the Ghanaians will need to do something special to avoid defeat.
Editor's Prediction
Chile 3-1 Ghana