Will Bafana Bafana still win the group?
The last match in Group G of the 2022 African World Cup Qualifiers will be between Ghana and South Africa for a place in the third round. Only the group winner will reach the third phase of the World Cup qualifiers, in which a total of five tickets for the big tournament will be awarded. The South African team will start the match with a good hand, although they would be overtaken by Ghana in the event of a defeat at the New Cape Coast Stadium.
The Black Stars, who lost the first leg 1-0 in Johannesburg two months ago, are favourites for the second leg. In the run-up to the encounter between Ghana and South Africa, the odds are swinging in favour of the home side.
Ghana have only won four of their 16 international matches against South Africa. If they fail to add a fifth win in match number 17, Ghana’s dream of returning to the World Cup will be shattered. Milovan Rajevac’s men are condemned to win.
In our opinion, it is quite possible to play Ghana against South Africa with tip 1. Bafana Bafana are likely to be a defensive force, which is why it is likely to be a game of patience. Overall, however, the Ghanaians have the playing class to win the match in the end.
Ghana – Statistics & current form
The Ghanaian national football team has qualified for the finals of a World Cup three times. Between 2006 and 2014, the Black Stars were permanent guests on the world’s biggest football stage and even reached the quarter-finals in South Africa 2010.
However, after establishing themselves at the top of the African table, a position cemented by the four-time African champions reaching at least the semi-finals of six successive African Championships between 2008 and 2017, Ghana missed out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Safe in the third round with a home win
The Black Stars’ desire to be back in Qatar in 2022 is all the greater, however, for which they now have a first final. After defeat against South Africa in the first leg (0:1), Ghana are currently three points behind Bafana Bafana in Group G, in which only the group winner advances to the third qualifying round.
On the plus side for Ghana, goal difference counts in the event of a tie. Even if they win by one goal, the difference would be identical before the number of goals scored, rather than the direct comparison, would decide whether they advance or are eliminated. Ghana therefore do not need to pay attention to the away goals rule or the like, but simply have to win – regardless of whether it is 1-0 or 4-3.
In only two of their last 15 competitive matches without a goal of their own
However, betting on the latter result for Ghana against South Africa is truly ill-fated. After all, the guests from the African southeast bring a concrete defence with them. Bafana Bafana have conceded only one goal in their five qualifying matches so far.
All the more reason to rely on the many Ghanaian difference-makers such as Jordan Ayew, André Anyew and Daniel Amartey to break through the visitors’ defensive bulwark. After all, in their last 15 competitive matches, the Black Stars have only failed to score twice…
Predicted line-up of Ghana:
Wollacott – Rahman – Aidoo – Amartey – A. Yiadom – Baba – K. Yiadom – Sulemana – Kudus – A. Ayew – J. Ayew
Last matches played by Ghana:
World Cup Qualifier CAF – 2nd Round – Grp. G
11/11 2021 – Ethiopia 1 – 1 Ghana
10/12 2021 – Zimbabwe 0 – 1 Ghana
10/09 2021 – Ghana 3 – 1 Zimbabwe
09/06 2021 – South Africa 1 – 0 Ghana
09/03 2021 – Ghana 1 – 0 Ethiopia
South Africa – Statistics & current form
The South African national football team also has three World Cup appearances to its name. In 1998 and 2002, Bafana Bafana qualified for two consecutive finals before they were famously seeded as hosts in 2010.
On all three occasions, however, the men from the African southeast failed to reach the preliminary round, before most recently missing out on three successive World Cup qualifying finals.
Avoid defeat at any cost
Although the African champions of 1996 were able to reach the third qualifying round again at the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, they were defeated by Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde. The desire to do better this time around is correspondingly great, but the task now is to get through Ghana.
The starting position for the nation coached by Belgian Hugo Broos is very simple: The number 66 in the FIFA world rankings simply cannot lose in Cape Coast and would win the group with every draw and even more so with every away win.
Only conceded one goal in their last eleven competitive matches
The South Africans have been on an excellent run of late. Since a 2-0 defeat to Sudan in the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations in March 2021, Bafana Bafana have not lost a single international match. They have now gone twelve consecutive international matches without defeat (ten wins, two draws).
Particularly striking: In the last eleven games, they have conceded only one goal, which was inconsequential in the 3:1 away win in Ethiopia.
Predicted South Africa line-up:
Williams – Mashego – De Reuck – Ngcobo – Mobbie – Mokoena – Phete – Hlongwane – Tau – Dolly – Makgopa
Last matches of South Africa:
World Cup Qualifier CAF – 2nd round – Grp. G
11/11 2021 – South Africa 1 – 0 Zimbabwe
10/12 2021 – South Africa 1 – 0 Ethiopia
10/09 2021 – Ethiopia 1 – 3 South Africa
09/06 2021 – South Africa 1 – 0 Ghana
09/03 2021 – Zimbabwe 0 – 0 South Africa
Ghana – South Africa Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 4 – 6 – 6
There have been a total of 16 international matches between the two nations and with six wins, Bafana Bafana lead the head-to-head comparison. The South African side also recently won the first leg in Johannesburg 1-0.
Ghana – South Africa Tip
With Ghana against South Africa, the prediction must take into account the starting position. The Black Stars need a win at all costs and Bafana Bafana must avoid defeat at all costs. Because the draw is already enough for the visitors, the South African team should once again be able to make a good start at the back, which has been working excellently lately. Broos’ side have conceded only one goal in their last eleven competitive matches.
However, Ghana have gone without a goal of their own in just two of their last 15 competitive matches and have difference-makers of international calibre under contract to top clubs in Europe’s top leagues. Although the South Africans’ collective is coherent, Ghana’s quality should therefore ultimately hold its own.
Accordingly, it is coherent to play tip 1, for which betting odds of 2.05 are available for Ghana against South Africa.
