Today's Talking Points
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1Ghana came within a single penalty kick of the World Cup semi-final in 2010 — an Asamoah Gyan penalty that hit the post in the last minute of extra time against Uruguay. Ghana fans have not forgotten this. Uruguay fans prefer not to be reminded of the circumstances either.
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2Mohammed Kudus of West Ham is their most dangerous player — the attacking midfielder had a brilliant Premier League season and is capable of producing something extraordinary at any moment. Worth watching even if Ghana go out early.
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3Ghana's 2022 World Cup was mixed — they beat South Korea but lost to Portugal and Uruguay, going out in the group stage. The squad has been refreshed with younger players since, which either means fresher legs or less experience depending on how you look at it.
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4Ghana are in Group L with England, Croatia and Panama. Qualifying is a stretch, but this is a team that came within a penalty of a World Cup semi-final. They're not here to make up numbers.
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5Ghana vs England is a fixture with added spice — many Ghana internationals play in the English Premier League and several were born in England. The social media discourse will be chaotic. You might want to prepare something to say about that.
🍺 Top Thing To Say Down The Pub
Mohammed Kudus had one of the best individual Premier League seasons last year. Ghana might go out early, but he'll be worth watching in every minute he plays.
🚫 Avoid Saying
"Ghana are just happy to be there" — they were one penalty away from the World Cup semi-final in 2010. They know exactly what this level looks like.