For Ghana to finish top of Group C looks deceptive according to some analysts and renowned football statistics firm whoscored.com.
The Black Stars are yet to click into full gear and have labored to dominate opponents in their three Group matches.
The Black Stars started this year’s campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Senegal, a game the team played woefully and coach Avram Grant was criticized for deploying a new system in Ghana’s play.
The players came out and stated they were fine with the coach’s tactics but losing was just unfortunate.
Some football fans were peeved and for those who are still hanging unto what happened in Brazil, they wanted the team to exit the tournament.
But things changed after, with a crucial 1-0 win over Algeria which maintained the team’s hopes of reaching the next stage. Malaria stricken captain Asamoah Gyan scored the match winner on the brink of regulation time.
In terms of pass accuracy, the team was third behind eliminated South Africa and Senegal and were the third most aggressive in the Group. But Ghana’s 12.7 shots per game seem to have done the trick.
They averaged 49% of possession only behind Senegal. But the real test will come in the quarters when they face sides who are aggressive, have higher pass accuracies and shots per game.
Ghana’s next opponent could be any team from Group D where Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mali and Guinea are based.
The reality is that the Black Stars must up their game in the knockout stage. After watching the Black Stars defeat South Africa 2-1 to reach the next stage of the AFCON tournament, many are still not convinced about the team’s ability to do well in the tournament.
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