BRAZIL v GHANA - MATCH PREVIEW
Andy Morgan

Brazil - 1st, Group F

Group Statistics: W3 D0 L0 F7 A1 Pts9
Top Scorers: Ronaldo, 2 (28.6% of Brazil's goals)
Clean Sheets: 2
Failed to Score: 0
Best World Cup record: Winners 5 times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002
2002 World Cup Record: Winners
Overall World Cup statistics: World Cups 18, P90 W65 D11 L14 F198 A83
Interesting Stat: Brazil have committed less fouls than any other team in the competition with a paltry thirty-two.

Ghana - 2nd, Group E

Group Statistics: W2 D0 L1 F4 A3 Pts6
Top Scorers: Stephen Appiah, Haminu Dramani, Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari, 1 (25% of Ghana's goals each)
Clean Sheets: 1
Failed to Score: 1
Best World Cup record: 2006 campaign. This is their debut World Cup appearance.
2002 World Cup Record: Did not qualify
Overall World Cup statistics: World Cups 1, P3 W2 D0 L1 F4 A3
Interesting Stat: Ghana's goalkeeper Richard Kingston has made thirty-one saves in the World Cup so far. Only Togo's Kossi Agassa (thirty-six) and Angola's Pereira Joao Ricardo (thirty-three) have made more.

Match Preview

Ghana are looking to spring an upset in their first ever World Cup by beating the Champions Brazil. Ghana's group statistics are impressive, having beaten both the USA and the Czech Republic convincingly. They were deservedly beaten by Italy however which suggests that they don't have the quality to deal with the major world players. Brazil meanwhile have not yet been firing on all cylinders but have managed a 100% record in the competition so far.

The major injury news for Brazil is the thigh strain obtained by striker Robinho will prevent him from playing against Ghana. The Real Madrid player has only played one full game for Brazil in this campaign and that was in their final group match against Japan, where they rested a significant number of players. First choice striker Adriano is likely to replace Robinho after sitting out the tie against the Japanese. Adrinho played practically every minute of the other two games and scored one goal in the process. With twenty-four goals in thirty-four appearances he is significantly more prolific than the man he replaces, suggesting that he has earned his recall and that Brazil will be more of a threat to the Ghanian defence if he plays.

The other option that is open to Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is to push Ronaldinho up front, with Juninho taking Ronaldinho's traditional role just in front of the midfield. This would give Brazil more attacking options and would allow the World Player of the Year a greater opportunity to shoot at goal. With twenty-seven goals in sixty-six games for Brazil the Barcelona forward is certainly a threat and he will be desperate to break his duck in this World Cup as he is yet to score in Germany. Juninho must play more of a holding role here, despite his game being one more of flair. Not a prolific scorer he can provide that killer pass that would allow Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Adriano (if he plays in this system) to get a shot at goal. He is also a free-kick specialist and with Kaka and Ze Roberto also in the team then this midfield is formidable and Ghana will have to close them down quickly if they have any chance of winning this tie.

This is going to be tough for Ghana as their midfield general and talisman, Michael Essien is suspended. An all-round midfielder who can tackle, chase, hassle, pass and run with the ball, the Chelsea man is not only a major creative spark for the Ghanians but also is their main ball winner in the centre of midfield. Traditionally he plays just ahead of the defence and has a reputation for being a tough tackler. This has cost him dear in this World Cup as it is through this at his suspension derives. With twenty caps he is one of the more experienced players in the Ghana squad, at the tender age of twenty-three. Expect Ghana to go for a more defensive midfielder in his place in an effort to contain the Brazilians.

The good news for Ghana is the likely return of Razak Pimpong who injured a rib in the 2-1 win against the United States. This is the only game that he has started so far and with only seven caps to his name, on the surface there appears little reason to want to play him. He is a livewire down the right-hand side for Ghana and his pace could threaten a sluggish Brazilian defence. Both Croatia and Australia have proved that if you attack Brazil then their defence is suspect and it is only through a combination of luck, good goalkeeping and poor finishing that Brazil have kept two clean sheets out of three in this competition so far. Pimpong is therefore a genuine threat for Brazil particulary as they will know very little about him due to his inexperience. He may well start in Dortmund.

Parriera believes that although Ghana are without Essien, they still carry a significant threat, particularly through their captain Stephen Appiah. With twelve goals in forty-five appearances Appiah is a very versitile member of the Ghanian squad. He started off as a striker but grew into the role of midfielder at Italain club Udinese. This means he appreciates the importance of distribution from both the midfielder's and striker's point of view and it is this that has propelled his pin-point passing. He is also a strong tackler and with one goal in the competition so far, Brazil are right not to underestimate how dangerous he can be.

Parriera has some inside background on Ghana however as he once managed them. He therefore knows a significant amount about Ghanian tactics and mentality, particularly in a situation such as this one where Ghana have nothing to lose. Expecting a rough physical game he is also acutely aware that Ghana can shoot on sight and that his traditionally porous defence may need to be tighter to deal with their threat. He is also aware of their weakness and Ronaldo, who is trying to score the one goal that will surpass Gerd Muller's World Cup record, is more than prepared to prey on them.

Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic has one simple message for his team - compete. Stating that Brazil must suffer if they are going to win he is deliberately going to put out a strong physical side that is not short of attacking prowess. He knows however that his team must contain the Brazilians and this will be the first policy for his side. Whether Stephen Appiah's belief that Ghana are "Africa's Brazil" will still be valid at the end of ninety minutes is difficult to say but it hard to see anything but a Brazilian victory here.

Brazil are 1/4 to beat Ghana in ninety minutes with Total Bet.. A £40 bet wins you a tenner and you get £25 in free bets as well...

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