Ghana will face Ethiopia in a must-win FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifier today at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg as their neck-and-neck contest against Group G leaders South Africa reach the homestretch.
As it stands, the Bafana Bafana leads the pack with 10 points with the Black Stars closely behind on nine points – Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, opponents of the Stars and Bafana respectively, are both out of the race after earning three points and one point from four outings.
With two games remaining, both sides cannot afford any slip-ups and require a win to set up their meeting on Sunday as a decider for the sole play-off ticket up for grabs.
Ghana’s gaffer Milovan Rajevac and South Africa’s Hugo Broos are spurred on by the expectations of their soccer-crazed population who want to see their nation’s return to soccer’s biggest platform after both sides missed the 2018 edition in Russia.
Substantially, Rajevac would be aiming at a comfortable win against the distraught Walia Ibex to rally Ghanaians ahead of Sunday’s fixture against Bafana at Cape Coast whiles also pursuing his mission for the Stars to chart a winning course under his tutelage.
He is aided by the rescheduling of the game to a neutral venue away from the troubled Bahir Dar grounds in Ethiopia, taking away some of the advantages of the home side.
Despite the absence of Thomas Partey, whose goals-against Zimbabwe in the double-header, kept the Stars in touching distance with their ambition, and experienced center-back Jonathan Mensah, they possess enough firepower to smite the home side.
Gataneh Kebede – Ethiopia midfielder
Captain Andre Ayew, Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey, young prodigy Kudus Mohammed, high-flying Kamaldeen Sulemana, Mubarak Wakaso, Baba Iddrisu among others are available for Coach Milo to employ.
Beitar Jerusalem marksman, Richmond Boakye Yiadom is also available to shore up the efforts of misfiring Crystal Palace striker Jordan Ayew.
The Ethiopians are wary of their poor record against the visitors, losing four and winning just one of five clashes with a win not enough to revive their qualification chances.
In spite of this, the Walia Ibex have a bigger cause to play for.
The heightened political climate in Ethiopia provides the right incentive for the likes of Captain Shimelis Bekele, Manuel Gabremichael, Gataneh Kebede, and Abubekir Nessir to lead Coach Wubetu Abate’s charges to an upset that would put a smile on distressed Ethiopian faces back home.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
