The Estadio Castelao will see out an interesting encounter this evening as Germany take on Ghana in Fortaleza. A strong-looking Germany side will line up against Ghana with star names such as Lahm, Khedira, Kroos, Ozil and Muller. Thomas Muller in particular will be one to keep an eye on, as the striker’s fine goalscoring form continues, putting away a stunning hat trick against Portugal last week. He has scored seven goals in his last four games, and eight goals in his last seven.
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Ghana fans may feel a little apprehensive about today’s meeting as Ghana have never beaten Germany in a head to head, however that’s not such a massive disappointment considering that the sides have only met twice. The concerning statistic taken from those two games though is that Germany managed to stuff seven goals on aggregate past Ghana, so ‘keeper Kwarasey may have it all to do this evening.
On the Ghanaian front line, Asamoah Gyan will hope to be either among the goals or at least assisting with them just as he did against the US last week, setting up Andre Ayew in the 82nd minute. This goal only turned out to be a consolation however, with the US running out eventual 2-1 winners. Ghana now occupy joint bottom with a shell shocked Portugal and will look to try and get at least a point from this evening’s encounter, on paper their toughest so far in this tournament. Ghana have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five World Cup games, but one positive to take from this is that they have conceded a total of just six goals.
As statistics show that all of Germany’s goals against Ghana have come after sixty minutes, it may be an ideal time to go defensive, if history repeats itself. A German back four of Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels and Howedes will prove a stubborn barrier against Gyan and co. with Germany conceding no goals so far in this group. Also, in games against African nations, history would appear to be on Germany’s side, as they have only ever lost one game to an African side at the World Cup, that loss coming against Algeria in June 1982, with the score line at the final whistle showing 2-1.
Kevin Prince Boateng of Ghana has ruffled some German feathers saying “Germany lack any real leaders in the team,” with German manager Joachim Loew replying rather ominously “We will reply to that statement on the field”, a situation which can only serve to aggravate an already strained World Cup relationship with German fans. Kevin Prince Boateng is indeed a panto villain in Germany after having aroused the wrath of Germany fans following a foul on Michael Ballack, a poster boy in the Bundesliga and English Premier Leagues respectively.
Boateng was actually left out in the opening game against the US, however he will be relishing to get at the germans tonight in this pulsating fixture, which may see Loew’s men respond to his words in truly German fashion.
