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In a few hours, Ghana, the West African power house’s fate will be decided, as the team hopes to book a ticket to what would be its fourth FIFA World Cup finals.
The Black Stars of Ghana and Bafana Bafana of South Africa will battle for top spot in Group G, and consequently a place in the playoff stage of the qualifiers which kicks off on Sunday, at the Cape Coast Stadium at 19:00GMT.
In the last group games on Thursday, November 11, 2021, Black Stars drew 1-1 with Ethiopia whileSouth Africa beat Zimbabwe 1-0.
Currently, South Africa has three-points advantage at the summit, having 13 points from five matches above Ghana on second spot.
Moreover, the 2010 FIFA World Cup host, also boasts with two superior goal differences and needs nothing but a win or a draw to cement their spot as group leaders for the play off.
On the other side, Coach Milovan Rajevac’s men head into their final game with any other results contrary to a win for Ghana, will shut their dream of returning to the biggest football event, a feat that will see the country missing out on two consecutive FIFA men’s World Cup after it’s absence in Russia 2018.
With the updated FIFA regulations that state that, goal differences will be the immediate permutation to separate teams on same points, any form of victory for Ghana by two or more goals, will give them the bragging rights above South Africa on goal difference.
Mathematically, South Africa cannot afford to lose, instead, a draw would see them through, while the Black Stars badly need a win.
Similarly with what both countries need, there will be a nut to crack at the Cape Coast Stadium in what could be a ‘make-or-break’. Can the ‘stars outshine the ‘boys boys’? An exclusive 90 minutes will unfold.
Head-to-Head between Ghana-South Africa
This will be the 16th meeting between the two sides and South Africa have a marginal better record with five wins to their name. Ghana on the other hand has four wins while six matches have ended in a draw.
The recent meeting between the two came in September when Bongokuhle Hlongwhane’s 83rd-minute goal helped South Africa secure a 1-0 victory on home turf.
Here is the full Fifa rules on the Head-to-Head
In the league format, the ranking in each group is determined as follows:
a) Greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) Goal difference in all group matches;
c) Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches. If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings shall be determined as follows:
d) Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
e) Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
f) Greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
g) The goals scored away from home count double between the teams concerned (if the tie is only between two teams);
h) Fair play points system in which the number of yellow and red cards in all group matches is considered according to the following deductions:
– First yellow card: minus 1 point
– Second yellow card/indirect red card: minus 3 points
– Direct red card: minus 4 points
– Yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points
i) Drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee Preliminary competition organisation.
