Never-say-die Ghana and US face off as knockouts arrive

Now the real drama begins with the knockouts. And Africa's big hope Ghana faces the US in a match of two teams who never say die.

Reuters

And suddenly it’s the knockout stages. How the last two weeks have sped by. There have been the well-documented shocks, the oft-recounted horrors and now the drama begins.

There are no more tomorrows. It’s about 90 minutes, extra time and penalty shootouts. 

Oh weh.

And to get the whole endgame rolling on Saturday night there’s Ghana against the United States. Two teams who never say die. Two well-bonded squads.

Who will emerge the victor? I’m hoping that football is going to be the winner.

 
On the eve of the contest, the Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom spoke about discipline and hard work and listening to the coach – Nicolas Anelka are you listening?

But then Sam is young, just 20. Maybe when he’s a bigshot and not at FC Basel, he’ll tell the coach where to get off.

For now though he is full of praise for Milovan Rajevac, who has taken the Ghana squad to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations and now the last 16 at the world cup – all within six months.

The Milovan has done well.

And the Milovan boys stand at the threshold of Ghanaian football history. A place in the last eight.

If they pull it off, it will maintain the theme of the tournament. And it's while frothing about this that I've lost my bearings. What am I doing here?

I have neglected my true role which is to report back on the bleeding obvious.

The Ghana defender John Paintsil was asked about the lack of goals from open play and he said they weren’t too worried about it.

"Attackers can score goals, defenders can score goals," he said.

 
I liked that. It’s so true.

Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan has scored both his side’s goals in the tournament from the penalty spot.

So clearly the boys weren’t just playing it square in the middle of the park.

And let’s face it how many Ghanaians will complain if they win the World Cup final from a spot kick ?