adminMakomborero Mutimukulu in MALABO, Equatorial Guinea
THE last time Ghana played the hosts in an African Cup of Nations semi-final the Black Stars went back to Accra blaming the referee despite being humbled by a South African side that went on to lift the trophy.
Nineteen years ago, at Afcon ‘96, the Black Stars, who had won all their games in the build-up to that clash, were thumped 3-0 by Bafana Bafana.
However, they argued, and still argue to this day, that the scoreline was a reflection of how bad the referee was and not how good South Africa were in that match.
There are signs that Ghana are still bitter about the 1996 events as they prepare to face Equatorial Guinea in a semi-final at Estadio de Malabo tonight. The match, whose tickets were reported to have sold out by mid-morning yesterday, kicks off at 9pm.
Pound-for-pound Ghana, even with skipper Asamoah Gyan missing, have the arsenal to put daylight between themselves and Equatorial Guinea.
However, after watching Tunisia bowing out in controversial circumstances during a charged quarter-final which Nzalang Nationale won 2-1 after extra time, Ghana are concerned.
Equatorial Guinea’s victory over Tunisia has dominated the headlines for the manner Mauritian referee Seechurn Rajindraparsad had an evening made in hell.
Privately Ghana coach Avram Grant has told his players to expect anything tonight and avoid losing their cool but publicly the Israeli has been making some positive sounds as far as refereeing is concerned.
“I want to believe that apart from one or two games the refereeing has been good at this tournament. I believe that everything will go well. I want to focus on my team,” Grant told a press conference.
Amid the match officiating furore little has been said, however, about the impressive way in which Esteban Becker’s charges made the most of their chances against Tunisia with Javier Balboa in the thick of things.
Maybe the stoppage time penalty that Equatorial Guinea were awarded was soft but converting it wasn’t easy, certainly.
Balboa, in a defining last-minute moment, in front of a packed stadium and millions of television viewers, epitomised the fighting spirit that the hosts have by coolly restoring parity before his superb free kick won it in extra time.
Equatorial Guinea have the lesser men when compared to Ghana but this small nation has shown, both on and off the pitch, that the whole is somehow greater than the sum of individuals no matter how talented they are.
Balboa appreciates the task that awaits his team as they make their debut Afcon visit to the capital amid concerns that the 15 000 capacity Estadio de Malabo is too small to host a game of such magnitude.
“It’s a massive game, the biggest in our nation’s history,” the former Real Madrid man said.
“Yes we have made history by getting to the semi-finals but we don’t want to end here, we haven’t arrived as yet. The nation, from the President to the ordinary man in the street, has been very supportive and we need to go out there and show some gratitude.
“The only way we can show gratitude is to play the game of our lives and hopefully get to the final.”
Cambridge United forward Kwesi Appiah made a scoring debut in Ghana’s 3-0 quarter final dismissal of Guinea (Conakry) but for all the rave reviews his performance is attracting the 24-year-old remains unsure of returning a starting XI place.
“We have so many good players so I just have to wait and see if I have done enough to keep my place in the team,” said the England based striker.
It’s clash between the National Thunder and the Blacks Stars.
Gaze at the sky.
Online Reporter