How did Ghana qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

Qatar 2022

In the 21st century, one of the steadiest presences in the FIFA World Cuprepresenting Africa has definitely been Ghana. They just qualified to this big-time tournament for the first time in Germany 2006, although they were able to make it there consistently. That participation started a run that had them playing in four out of the last five, including Qatar 2022.

The only time they didn’t appear over that period was Russia 2018, so they also have plenty of experience playing in the big stage. But they weren’t just another team in one of those, because in South Africa 2010 they were just one play away from becoming the first ever African semifinalist.  A handball by Luis Suarez of Uruguay late in the game prevented what would have been the winning goal. After a penalty missed, followed by an elimination in the shootout, their dream was over.

Though they will have another chance to make some noise at Qatar 2022. They have a tough group, but a very even one. Ghana will be competing for a spot in round of 16 with Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea. Their first game will have Cristiano Ronaldo on the other side, so they must be ready form the beginning. Stay here to know how they qualified to the FIFA World Cup.

Ghana’s road to Qatar 2022

The journey to be in the FIFA World Cup it’s never easy. In Africa it gets even a bit more complicated than in other continents because the final challenge is a head-to-head to determine which five National Teams qualify. Although before reaching that point, they had to go through some contests since they started in the 10-group round that divides the 40 remaining participants.

The margin for error there is almost non-existent, since only the leader advances. Ghana had to compete with South Africa, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. In those six games, they got four victories, one tie and just one loss. But they reached the last matchday obligated to beat the South African squad, which they barely did with a 1-0 that put both at 13 points. Ghana moved on for having scored more goals after tying at the goal differential too.

That tough road repeated itself in the last step of the qualification. The 10 group winners were separated into five head-to-head matchups to determine the African representatives in Qatar. Their rivals were Nigeria in a duel that was as close as expected. At home they had a 0-0 draw, so everything was open. Ghana followed that with a 1-1 tie that sent them to the World Cup thanks to their away goal.

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