Ghana Defeats Switzerland In Final Pre-World Cup Warm-Up Game.

Ghana defeats Switzerland 2-0 in their final World Cup warm-up game in Abu Dhabi on Thursday afternoon.

Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu and Bristol forward Antoine Semenyo were on target for the Black Stars of Ghana.

It was a first international goals for both players.

Ghana started the game with the following XI; Ati-Zigi, Lamptey, Amartey, Salisu, Rahman, Abdul Samed, Owusu, Afriyie Barnieh, A Ayew, J Ayew, Williams.

While Switzerland stared with: Sommer, Akanji, Schar, Comert, Xhaka, Widmer, Freuler, Zakaria, Vargas, Shaqiri, Embolo.

But after a goalless first-half with wasted chances, the Black Stars coach Otto Addo made some changes bringing on Sulemana (for Williams 62), Sowah (for Afriyie Barnieh 62), Semenyo (J. Ayew 62), Kyereh (for Owusu 62), Aidoo (for Salisu 77), Seidu (for Lamptey 80).

It was Salisu that opened the scoring with a lofting header from a poorly defended corner in the 70th minute, before Semenyo fired home from close range four minutes later after a storming run on the left from Stade Rennais attacker Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Ghana would begin their World Cup campaign next week Thursday with their opener against Portugal in a tough Group H on November 24.

The Black Stars would play South Korea four days later, before facing Uruguay in their final group game on 2 December.

Despite being the lowest-ranked side going into the tournament, the coach Otto Addo believes the Black Stars will do well. 

It is possible they could still meet Switzerland, who are in Group G alongside Brazil, Serbia and Cameroon, in the last 16.

 

This will be Ghana's fourth appearance at the World Cup. The West African side, made their debut in 2006, when they reached the round of 16. 

They reached the quarter-finals in South Africa 2010, when beaten by Uruguay on penalties in a controversial tie, and suffered an early exit in Brazil 2014 prior to missing out altogether for the 2018 finals in Russia.