Get behind Ghana (File)

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Comment: Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer

Cape Town – If South Africans seek an immediate tonic for the disappointment of Bafana’s courageous exit from the World Cup, they could do a lot worse than unite speedily behind Ghana on Wednesday night.

The continent’s challenge at the tournament is waning at a rate of knots, but even a draw against Germany in Johannesburg will ensure the Black Stars a place in the round of 16 out of Group D.

Ghana, who also reached this phase in 2006, represent easily Africa’s most realistic hope of progress – Algeria still have a faint chance and the Ivory Coast would need an even more freak-show occurrence to make the cut.

The stakes are high, especially as long-time global power Germany will be eliminated if they lose, the first time in their World Cup history they would go home this early.

Ghana’s committed and noticeably extrovert supporters have embraced the South African-staged jamboree with more lustre than most, and when they beat Serbia in their opening match at Loftus, Pretoria (much more used to being bathed in a sea of blue when rugby’s Bulls are on song) seemed more like the Ghanaian capital of Accra for partying spirit and dazzling multi-colours.

Their fans have also been quick and keen to adopt the vuvuzela as their stadium instrument of choice, sometimes blowing it with surprisingly harmonious and inventive aplomb.

It was also apparent that many South African fans in the near-full house that day were enthusiastically backing Ghana: the need is even greater now as Africa seeks to salvage some respect at the 2010 World Cup.

There are strong synergies between the two countries, with a large Ghanaian expatriate community on the Highveld and increasing economic ties – Ghana is our country’s second-largest trading partner in West Africa behind Nigeria.

The Germans, who will go in as favourites despite their more parlous position in qualification terms, have played five World Cup finals matches against African opponents, losing just once, to Algeria back in the 1982 event.

They are also bolstered by the knowledge that they are ranked sixth in the world at present, with their Soccer City opponents a fair way below them at 32nd.

The teams have met only once before, a friendly in Bochum in 1993, when Ghana still had the legendary Abedi Pele in their midst but they crashed to a 6-1 drubbing, with two goals apiece for Jurgen Klinsmann and Stefan Effenberg.

A minor quirky aspect is that Ghana are expected to field a German-born player in midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, who hails from Berlin and started his professional career with local club Hertha BSC.

Both sides have five players precariously placed in yellow-card terms, one game from suspension, although that is unlikely to lead to any tiptoeing around in so crucial an outing …