Ghanaian fans' expectations running high about match against Portugal
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E-mail Xinhua, November 24, 2022
ACCRA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian fans' expectations are running high ahead of the Black Stars opening match against Portugal in FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Thursday night.
None of the teams representing Africa in the World Cup has won a match, which put mounting pressure on Cameroon and Ghana.
Senegal, who began Africa's World Cup campaign, lost 2-0 to the Netherlands, Tunisia drew 0-0 with Denmark and Morocco also drew goalless with Croatia.
In Ghana's capital Accra and the port city of Tema, owners of pubs and game centers are busy making preparations for Thursday's game to attract more customers.
46-year-old Foster Bampoe, an operator of a game center, told Xinhua in an interview he has to undertake some renovations to attract more people to watch live matches of the World Cup.
"I have to spend some money doing some minor repair works, painting, and providing more seats to cater for the people who will be coming to watch some of the World Cup matches live," he said.
Bampoe expressed confidence that the Black Stars of Ghana will perform well enough to stay in the competition long enough for him to profit.
"That will motivate people to come here and watch other matches," he added.
Ahmed Abukari, a football fan, observed Ghana is also blessed with stars playing in football leagues around the world.
"We are playing against Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and others from Portugal. I must say that we also have Thomas Partey of Arsenal, Mohammed Kudus of Ajax, Daniel Amartey of Leicester City, and several other good players," Abukari said.
Meanwhile, Black Stars defender Dennis Odoi said the team is ready for Thursday's tough duel against Portugal.
"We are here to play our game; we want to win as a team to make our fans proud," Odoi told journalists at the team's camp base in Qatar.
Communications Director for the Ghana Football Association Henry Asante Twum said the focus of the team is to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.
"Our focus now is to qualify from the group stage, and we are taking one match at a time," he said.
The Black Stars will compete in their fourth FIFA World Cup, having previously taken part in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in Germany, South Africa, and Brazil, respectively.
The team's best previous performance was reaching the quarterfinals in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Enditem
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