Sports News of Thursday, 7 September 2017

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Stop the ‘nonsense’ calculations, Ghana can’t qualify for 2018 World Cup – Songo

Patrick Osei Agyemang play videoPatrick Osei Agyemang

Vociferous sports broadcaster, Patrick Osei Agyemang popularly known as Countryman Songo, has ruled out the Black Stars’ chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

With just five points from four games, Ghana’s chance of securing a fourth successive World Cup appearance hinge on a possible capitulation for group leaders Egypt and Uganda and the ‘Fire for Fire’ host believes qualification is impossible for Ghana.

Speaking on the Starr Chat show on Wednesday, Songo said “Everyone should forget about the 5-1 victory over Congo yesterday. That result is inconsequential as far as our qualification is concerned".

"People should stop the nonsense calculations because we will not qualify. We ruined our chances with that draw against Congo last Friday.

Despite the emphatic win in Brazzaville yesterday, Ghana's hopes of making it to yet another FIFA World Cup tournament looks gloomy as they sit third on the table, four points behind leaders Egypt with two games to end the qualifiers.

Ghana will jet off to Kampala to take on Uganda on 7th October, 2017. The Black Stars should pick all the maximum points in that tie and expect a draw from the Egypt-Congo tie.

How Ghana can qualify for the 2018 World Cup

If Egypt had drawn with Uganda, Uganda would have had eight points, with the Pharaoh’s also moving on to seven points.

However, Egypt won the match and moved up to nine points as Uganda stayed at seven. That means Ghana sits just four points below Egypt, and two points below Uganda.

Now, if Ghana beats Uganda in October and Egypt draw Congo, the Black Stars will then move ahead of Uganda with eight, with Egypt moving to the top of the group on ten points.

That will mean that the race for qualification will come down to the wire.

The final group games in November will then have to decide who secures qualification to the world cup.

Ghana will take on Egypt at home, and if the Black Stars win, then they will move to the first position on 11 points.

However, if Uganda wins as well against Congo, they will also move to 11 points with Ghana, and it will now come down to head-to-head and the goals.

By these permutations, Ghana will qualify for the Mundial in Russia.