American-based Ghanaian midfielder Evans Frimpong is confident his native country will dispatch USA 2-1 during their opening 2014 World Cup group game, predicting Kevin-Prince Boateng and Asamoah Gyan will score both goals.
The Ghanaians have the upper hand over the opponent after beating them twice in their previous two World Cup appearances in 2006 and 2010.
In 2006 , Ghana defeated the United States 2-1 in the final group contest in Nuremberg, eliminating the Stars and Stripes and jumpstarting a trend that is quickly growing to proportions as mythical to Ghanaians as “Dos A Cero†has become to their American counterparts.
After qualifying again with little fuss for the 2010 competition in South Africa, Ghana exceeded even its own previous mark in the subsequent competition, edging the Americans by a 2-1 margin once more—this time in the first knockout round.
Then, with the weight of a continent on their shoulders, the Black Stars missed out on becoming the first-ever African side to secure a semifinal berth by mere inches; had Asamoah Gyan opted for placement over power in his ill-fated 120th minute penalty against Uruguay, the Ghanaians would have been lifted into last-four.
Four years after that exasperating moment, though, pressing questions for the national team have long since veered from hypotheticals, instead turning toward an optimistic tone for the upcoming World Cup.
Thus, when the Ghana and the U.S. meet in the third installment of their budding World Cup rivalry, the stakes will be high as ever. Germany and Portugal are big dogs in a strong Group G. Both Ghana and the USA are certain to be wary of a potentially crippling opening loss.
Frimpong took the risk of putting country before a peaceful locker room and predicted victory for his compatriots.
“Ghana against the U.S. is going to be a really tough one, but as you know, I’m from Ghana, so for sure I’m going to go for Ghana,†Frimpong said through a beaming grin.
“The score will be 2-1 just like the last two years. Kevin Prince-Boateng for sure, he’s getting one. And Asamoah Gyan. Gyan is always the killer player.â€
“The national team is the biggest thing over there,†Frimpong said. “If you make it to the national team, you’re pretty much like the president or something!
“You get recognized by anybody. They always try to put us on the map, put Africa on the map. Whenever they go to the World Cup, they show class and play to their ability and do well for us. They mean a great deal in Ghana.â€
Born and raised in Ghana, Evans Frimpong moved to America in 2007 to pursue a soccer career at the University of Delaware.
Then, following a standout career capped by Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year honors earned as a senior, Frimpong arrived on Florida’s Gulf Coast in 2012, joining the Rowdies via MLS side Chicago Fire.