Will the Black Stars work their way to a showdown?
Maybe the African World Cup qualifier is currently the toughest qualifying round in the world. There are certainly at least ten to twelve hot contenders for the five final round tickets. Already in the current group stage, some promising teams will have to give up the sails. These include either Ghana or South Africa, as both teams play in a group from which only the group winner qualifies for the final playoffs.
At the moment, the Black Stars of Ghana are under pressure as South Africa are at the top of the standings with ten points after four match days. Ghana are right behind with nine points. Ethiopia and Zimbabwe already have no chance of progressing to the next round. Ghana will play Ethiopia away on Thursday.
Due to the Corona pandemic, however, the match has been moved to the South African metropolis of Johannesburg. Our first assessment between Ethiopia and Ghana is also a prediction of success for the visitors. A win must be a must, because on the same evening South Africa awaits the team from Zimbabwe, also in Johannesburg. There, a three-goal win for the Bafana Bafana should be expected.
If both teams win their matches, the showdown between Ghana and South Africa will take place next weekend in Cape Coast, Ghana. Milovan Rajevac’s team cannot afford to slip up and will be under enormous pressure in the next two international matches. First of all, however, we assume that you are right to bet on the Black Stars in the clash between Ethiopia and Ghana.
Ethiopia – Statistics & current form
Ethiopia is a team that is hard to keep on your radar as a neutral observer. The Ethiopian league is not exactly part of the preferred betting market in Central Europe. However, all of the Walias’ national players are under contract in the national league. Therefore, none of them has been able to make a big name for themselves yet.
Africa Cup as a goal
The big stage for the Ethiopians at the moment is not the World Cup qualifiers, but the Africa Cup in Cameroon at the beginning of the year. Wubetu Abate’s team will be competing there for the second time in the last 37 years. At the continental tournament, the Ethiopians want to put themselves in the shop window and catch the eye of international scouts. In the qualifier between Ethiopia and Ghana, we would also tend to neglect the odds on an Ethiopian victory for this reason.
In general, the Walias are not doing so badly. Although they have lost three of their last six international matches, these were all against Ghana or South Africa. They can obviously only keep up with the strongest teams on the continent to a limited extent, even if two of these defeats ended with a 0:1 – as was the case most recently in South Africa in October.
The Ethiopians will not be defeated in passing on Thursday. Coach Wubetu Abate is expected to field almost the same side as he did against Bafana Bafana. Right-back Suleman Hamid, however, will have to miss the match due to injury. He will most likely be replaced by Asrat Tonjo.
Predicted line-up of Ethiopia:
F. Gebremichael – Yesuf, Baye, Tamene, Tonjo – Yohanis – Dagnachew, Mohammed, Nasir, A. Gebremichael – Coach: Abate
Last matches played by Ethiopia:
World Cup Qualifiers CAF – 2nd Round – Grp. G
10/12 2021 – South Africa 1 – 0 Ethiopia
10/09 2021 – Ethiopia 1 – 3 South Africa
09/07 2021 – Ethiopia 1 – 0 Zimbabwe
09/03 2021 – Ghana 1 – 0 Ethiopia
Friendly
08/29 2021 – Ethiopia 2 – 1 Uganda
Ghana – Statistics & current form
After making their first World Cup appearance in 2006 and confirming qualification with appearances in 2010 and 2014, the Black Stars now face the threat of another World Cup qualifying exit after 2018. On the positive side, however, Milovan Rajevac’s team has everything in its own hands. With two wins on Thursday and Sunday, the Ghanaians can at least make it to the crucial play-offs in Africa for the time being.
The form is positive
The Ethiopians must not be a stumbling block on the way there, even if the first leg in Ghana only brought a narrow 1-0 victory. The senses should be sharpened in any case. In the last five international matches, the Black Stars have conceded only one defeat. Therefore, one must certainly predict an away win in the duel between Ethiopia and Ghana.
Ghana took an important step towards winning the group in October when they won both matches against Zimbabwe. Firstly, the Black Stars won 3-1 at home in Cape Coast, while in the return match in Zimbabwe, coach Rajevac’s side had a much tougher time and struggled to a 1-0 win after a goal from captain Thomas Partey.
Thomas Partey, who plays for Arsenal, will not be available on Thursday due to injury. With Gideon Mensah from Girondins Bordeaux, another important player is missing. Perhaps Pauli professional Daniel Kyereh can use the chance to recommend himself for a regular place. However, it is possible that he will sit on the bench for the time being.
Predicted line-up of Ghana:
Wollacott – A. Baba, Amartey, Djiku, J. Mensah – Wakaso, I. Baba – A. Ayew, Kudus, J. Ayew – Tetteh – Coach: Rajevac
Last matches played by Ghana:
World Cup Qualifier CAF – 2nd Round – Grp. G
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
Friendly
06/12 2021 – Ghana 0 – 0 Côte d’Ivoire
Ethiopia – Ghana Direct comparison / H2H record
Only six times have the paths of the Ethiopia and Ghana selection teams crossed. In the direct comparison, the Black Stars have so far turned out to be much more successful. Apart from one victory for the Walias, the Ghanaian team has five victories to its name. Ethiopia’s only success came 25 years ago when they narrowly prevailed in a Test match.
The Black Stars have won each of the last four matches. The Ethiopians failed to score even once in those matches. The last match was in Cape Coast in September this year. Mubarak Wakaso’s goal gave the Ghanaians a narrow but deserved 1-0 win – which again could be an indication of how Thursday’s match will go.
Ethiopia – Ghana Tip
There is nothing left at stake for Ethiopia. Participation in the World Cup is out of reach for the Walias. However, for the Ethiopian players it is already about securing a place in the squad for the Africa Cup, which will start in just over two months. Ghana, on the other hand, cannot afford to lose points if they want to go to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Black Stars have lost only one of their last five international matches, and that was in the all-important away game in South Africa. The match against Ethiopia will also take place in the country that hosted the 2010 World Cup. However, betting on a Black Stars victory in the match between Ethiopia and Ghana is probably the better choice.
The odds on an away win are relatively tight. However, we have found odds that are interesting even without a bonus, as the Black Stars have last won four in a row without conceding a goal against the Walias. Therefore, between Ethiopia and Ghana, we play the betting odds on a win to nil for the visitors.
