An entire country will be holding its breath tonight as the hosts of the African Cup of Nations, Ghana, take on Morocco knowing that a slip could bring their campaign to an abrupt and premature halt.
The Black Stars have won their opening two matches but will crash out on head-to-head goal difference if they lose 1-0 to a strong Moroccan team and Guinea beat Namibia, as they are expected to, in the other Group A encounter.
When Sulley Muntari's pile-driver clinched a fraught 2-1 victory over Guinea eight days ago, the overwhelming feeling among locals was that Claude Leroy's team had suffered from opening-night nerves, but having survived, would only improve.
That sense of optimism has evaporated, however, in the wake of Ghana's second incoherent display against minnows Namibia on Thursday, when Junior Agogo's goal spared blushes, yet failed to appease angry fans. Several thousand supporters at the Ohene Djan stadium voiced their discontent with jeers at the final whistle, and misfiring striker Gyan Asamoah was singled out for particularly harsh criticism.
The Udinese player is Ghana's leading forward and was expected to spearhead their campaign. However, aside from scoring a penalty against Guinea, he has appeared horribly out of sorts, missing a host of chances against Namibia, including an open goal. "Asamoah should not be blamed as he did his best," Ghana coach Leroy told unhappy reporters at the post-match conference. "Strikers need to score to gain confidence."
Worryingly for Leroy and Ghana, the 22-year-old appears to have been affected by the public's reaction, (there have been reports that he and his brother Gyan Baffour had threatened to leave the tournement in protest) admitting to the Daily Monitor newspaper that he was "deeply saddened" by the boos. "I've always done my best for my country," he said. "I don't understand people who come to support the team, then turn against their own players."
The show of discontent in the stadium was replicated throughout the country. In Takoradi, a coastal town 250 kilometres west of Accra, around 5,000 watched the Namibia match on a giant screen. The Brave Warriors had been thrashed 5-1 by Morocco and everybody expected a similarly comprehensive victory for the Black Stars.
Once it became apparent that would not happen, the carnival atmosphere gradually turned sour and fans walked out of the park before the final whistle, throwing their entrance tickets disdainfully to the ground. There was certainly no repeat of the euphoric street parties that accompanied the triumph over Guinea.
Tellingly, the second loudest cheer of the evening came when the camera homed in on Stephen Appiah, Ghana's injured captain, watching from the stands. The Fenerbahce midfielder, who is out of the tournament with a knee injury, has been sorely missed. Ghana's run to the last 16 of the 2006 World Cup was inspired by fluid midfield moves involving Appiah, Muntari of Portsmouth and Chelsea's Michael Essien.
Without Appiah pulling the strings, their play has been one-paced and predictable. Leroy has switched to a conventional 4-4-2, with Quincy Owusu-Obeyie and Laryea Kingston patrolling the flanks, but neither has been effective. Essien's influence, meanwhile, has waned as he takes sole responsibility for defensive duties, and Muntari frequently lacks passing options.
One positive gleaned from the first week has been the performances of Asamoah's strike-partner Agogo, whose strong running and aerial ability have provided an important outlet.
The Nottingham Forest forward left Ghana for England aged 15 and has spent most of his career in the lower leagues, appearing for nine English clubs in 10 years, but forced his way into the starting line-up after impressing Leroy in warm-up matches. Agogo's popularity has soared since his flicked strike against Namibia, and he is relishing his new status. "I'm like a superstar here, to be fair," the 28-year-old striker laughed shortly after scoring the winner. "The fans have shown me so much love."
Despite possessing British citizenship and talking in a thick London accent, Agogo feels one 100 per cent Ghanaian and has been touched by nostalgia in the past fortnight.
"I feel massively closer to my roots," he said. "I grew up playing football here. We used to make a ball out of socks and newspapers, find somewhere to put goals up and just play. Everyone here wants to be a footballer."
