Ghana expects to qualify, looks to game against England

NAIROBI/ACCRA - Ghanian football officials and fans are quietly confident they can emerge from their World Cup group to face England, favourites in Group C, in the next round.

The Black Stars are up against Germany, Serbia and Australia in Group D and are looking to secure second place.

“Germany are a quality team, Serbia too, but I’m convinced we can match them,” Ghana’s Serbian coach Milovan Rajevic told the FIFA website after the draw. “I’m confident we can make it into the second round.”

Ghana made the second round in 2006 when they faced an arguably tougher group comprising Italy, the Czech Republic and the United States.

They lost to Brazil in that tournament, but Ghana fans see England - who are expected to win their group with Algeria, Slovenia and the United States - as a much easier mark.

“We will be second in our group and play England in the knock-out stage if they win their group,” one supporter wrote in a comment on popular Ghanian website My Joy Online. “English media make too much noise about their team, but they are not good.”