NFL
By: Edwin Duodu
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations is steadily approaching, and the excitement continues to build for African fans worldwide. Having been postponed because of Covid restrictions, the tournament looks back in full swing, starting in January 2022. Now that all the teams are set for the group stages, each squad must find a way to generate some momentum heading into the tournament. Any progress they demonstrated before the start of the African Cup was placed on hold and now has to be regained for any team to have a chance.
One particular squad in Africa with the makings of a potential championship run this year is the Ghana Black Stars. After a series of heartbreaks and exits in their past quests, this year is another opportunity for them to seal the deal and get the job done. To do that, their big-name players need to prove themselves.
It is uncertain if the likes of Thomas Partey will take place in the upcoming matchup against Morocco. Ghana will face the Atlas Lions on June 8th in what is to be considered a friendly match. However, the Black Stars should take this match seriously by all means. It’s uncertain if manager Charles Akonnor will include Ghana’s big-name players in the starting lineup, but this needs to be a game that generates momentum regardless of what happens. One specific player that needs this game to develop confidence is Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus.
In his first season with the club, he has produced four goals and three assists. In the past, Ghana’s midfield has been a shaky part of the team, although Arsenal player Thomas Partey leads it. With the emergence of Kudus, the team could see a boost in creativity and goals from the midfield. He needs to have a good showing against Morocco, who are likely to play a strong side.
The frontline is led by the Ayew brothers, Dede and Jordan. Both are experienced Premier League players but still haven’t found a way to lead the team to its first championship win since 1982. Their closest game against Ivory Coast in 2015. Ivory Coast won the Cup in a penalty shootout. On their best day, both brothers present one of the most potent attacking lines in all of Africa. On the other hand, there have been doubts about whether each has done an adequate job replacing the goal output and production that former striker Asamoah Gyan has provided for the team.
If both are to play against Morocco, which they should, a sharp performance is needed to ease fans’ minds going into this tournament. If this doesn’t happen, the Black Stars will potentially showcase a lack of goals in the upcoming matches. This was the case in their last tournament matchup against Tunisia in 2019, where they needed a late goal to send the game to extra time and eventually lost on penalties.
We can’t forget about Ghana’s main man, Thomas Partey. If the team is to have any chance of success this time around, he needs to be a dominating presence on the field. After his first season with Arsenal, many thought he underperformed. Being on international duty may lift his spirits. Widely considered one of the best box-to-box and defensive midfielders in Europe, Partey has to lead his team by example. His physicality and calmness on the ball will be needed to control the pace of the games to come. Overall, he needs to demonstrate part of his game in this upcoming match.
Morocco will be a good test. It’s the only way to tell where this team is at the moment. Being the winners of Group C isn’t enough to put fear into the hearts of others because that should be the bare minimum. The Black Stars shouldn’t be looking to win their group and make it to the quarterfinals of the African Cup. They have the quality to win it all. Soon, this year’s Cup will put this team to the test, but the first step comes with beating Morocco on Tuesday.
