Tornado fears USA revenge
Former Black Stars captain, Stephen ‘Tornado’ Appiah, believes the United States will be out seeking revenge when they face Ghana at the World Cup in Brazil and, therefore, cautioned Kwasi Appiah’s charges to avoid complacency because of Ghana’s previous dominance over the Americans.
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Appiah scored the winning goal when Ghana beat USA 2-1 in a group encounter at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and was a second half substitute when the Stars beat the Americans by a similar scoreline in the second round at South Africa 2010.
The Stars’ onetime inspirational leader maintains that the third successive clash between the two sides on June 16 clash in Natal will not be a stroll in the park.
“It is going to be difficult because beating them on two occasions it is never going to be easy,” Appiah said in a recent interview.
“But here is the case they are playing us first and that will be difficult and definitely they are coming for revenge.”
In fact, USA coach Klinsmann sees his clash with Ghana as crucial to the team’s success in Brazil, as the other group opponents Germany and Portugal have World Cup pedigree and start as favourites against the Americans.
It is the realisation that USA have an even bigger hurdle to climb in Brazil that has compelled Klinsmann to revamp his technical bench by engaging his old mucker Berti Vogts as the team's “special advisor” until the end of the World Cup.
The much revered Vogts was Klinsmann’s coach when he led Germany to win the 1996 European Championships but has since not had a stellar coaching career with Kuwait, Scotland, Nigeria and Azerbaijan.
Beating the Stars in the group opener remains a priority for Klinsmann.
The German, in a recent chat with American fans, admitted he was putting a lot of focus on Ghana.
"We basically start with a World Cup final against Ghana," he said.
"We need badly these three points. If we get three points against Ghana, I think then that the confidence will rise, the guys will be pumped up, and they will be ready for Portugal and give them a real fight.
"It’s almost like a six-pointer game [with] Ghana, and that’s what we’re preparing for," he said.