The newly looked Black Stars will test their firing power against five-time world champions, Brazil in an international friendly tonight at the Oceane Stadium in Le Harve in France.
The game form part of preparations for both sides that have booked their place in the 22nd edition of the Mundial scheduled to be hosted in Qatar later this year from November 20 to December 18.
The last time Brazil played Ghana at the senior level, in 2011, the social media age had not exploded as it has presently. But it was vibrant enough that the pre-match hype was considerable, as it is on the streets of Ghana today.
Some 11 years on, things are not the same, with the Black Stars facing Brazil at a time when the West Africans are in search of an identity once more.
The Black Stars, who are yet to record a win over the South American powerhouse, seem stronger this time around following the inclusion of Inaki Williams, Stephen Ambrosius, Patrick Pffier, Tariq Lamptey, and Mohammed Salisu into the squad for the much-anticipated game.
With the experienced players still at the camp of the team, Otto Addo, who is the head coach of the side together with his technical team will be hoping to hold the Brazilians and possibly record a win for the first time.
Otto Addo will be hoping Mohammed Kudus who has started the Dutch Eredivisie season on a superlative note will come alive tonight having scored six goals.
The playing body has had a solid camp in Paris ahead of the game with multiple reports suggesting that the players look sharp and have already created an understanding on the pitch of play.
However, the Samba Boys have also been training behind closed doors since Monday under Tite.
The Selecão have a great squad in-depth, a star-studded one undoubtedly led by Neymar and other exciting players like Raphinha, Casemiro, Antony, Thiago Silva, Maquinhos, Real Madrid trio of Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo Goes, Eder Militao and more.
Indeed, the five-time world champions are vulnerable and are looking to reboot after defeats to France, Argentina, and Germany. They need to beat Ghana to start a slow, painful rebuild in time for the 2022 World Cup, which home fans expected them to win.
After playing Brazil, the Black Stars are scheduled to face Nicaragua on Tuesday in Spain and later on Switzerland in November.
The Black Stars will then head to Qatar where they will rub shoulders with Portugal, North Korea, and Uruguay in Group H.
- TEAM NEWS
No injury concerns raised in the Black Stars camp so far after four straight days of training with all players looking fit and available for selection.
Coach Otto Addo, skipper Andre Ayew, Bristol City forward Antoine Semenyo, and Gideon Mensah have all admitted it is a good and tough test but added they are ever ready to take up the challenge
With Brazil, there was a scare for the manager, Adenor Leonardo Bacchi famously known as Tite, after Neymar sustained a knock during their training session on Tuesday, after a collision with Liverpool midfielder Fabinho but he was pictured walking off the pitch on his own and is likely to feature tonight.
Astonishingly, Arsenal are doing so well in the English Premier League and are currently sitting at the summit of the log but their Brazilian trio of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, and Gabriel Martinelli were all excluded from the squad.
- HEAD TO HEAD
Brazil – Ghana meetings have happened on four occasions, three friendlies and one competitive fixture which happened at the 2006 World Cup Round of 16 in Germany, with the five-time world champions emerging victors in all.
- Games: 4
- Draw: 0
- Ghana wins: 0
- Goals: 2
- Brazil wins: 4
- Goals: 13
PROBABLE XI (GHANA) (4-3-3):
Jojo Wollacott – Denis Odoi, Daniel Amartey, Alexander Djiku, Gideon Mensah – Tariq Lamptey, Baba Iddrisu, Thomas Partey – Kudus Mohammed – Iñaki Williams, Jordan Ayew.
PROBABLE XI (BRAZIL) (3-2-4-1):
Alisson – Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Éder Militão – Alex Telles, Casemiro – Lucas Paquetá, Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Raphinha – Richarliso.
- KICKOFF
18:30GMT (6:30pm)