2022 World Cup: How Ghana qualified, impact at mundial and meetings with first opponent Portugal

Ghana, the four-time African champions will be making their fourth appearance at the Mundial after participating in 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions.

Before the play-off, Ghana had to emerge as winners of Group I to secure qualification to the final round of the qualifiers.

The Black Stars group opponents were South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe with Ghana progressing to the play-off with 13 points ahead of the Bafana Bafana.

The four-time African Champions had to qualify ahead of South Africa on goal difference.

In the play-off, the Black Stars held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw which secured them a spot at the Mundial in Qatar this years after qualifying with a 1-1 aggregate.

Arsenal star Thomas Partey opened the scoring of the decisive game after 10 minutes at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong converted a penalty to draw the Super Eagles level after a VAR decision in the 22nd minute.

Partey was the Black Stars top scorer in the qualifiers with three goals.

World Cup appearances and performance:

Until qualification to Qatar, Ghana had secured three consecutive appearances at the Mundial (2006, 2010 and 2014).

In 2006, in Germany, the Black Stars fell in the round of 16 against Brazil.

Ghana was denied a semifinal berth at the World Cup courtesy of a Luis Suarez handball incident in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward prevent a goal-bound header from Ghana's Dominic Adiyiah in the final minute of extra time at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

Suarez essentially produced a save on the line worthy of a goalkeeper and he was shown a straight red card as a result.

Ghana was also awarded a penalty, but Asamoah Gyan’s attempt from 12 yards crashed into the crossbar, which resulted in Suarez going mental on the touchline and sent the game to a shootout.

Uruguay won the penalty shoot-out to progress to the semifinals with Luis Suarez celebrated for his demonic act.

One-on-one with Portugal:

The two teams have met once at the soccer Mundial. On June 26, 2014, at Estádio Mané Garrincha, which witnessed the farewell of both teams at the World Cup in Brazil.

Portugal won 2-1 courtesy goals from John Boye (own goal) and Cristiano Ronaldo. but the result was short to correct the impact of the 4-0 defeat to Germany in the opening of the group stage.

Portugal finished Group G behind Mannschaft (7 points) and the same points (4) as the United States, with whom it had drawn 2, but behind the North Americans, who had a better difference between goals scored and conceded and went on to the next phase.

Ghana is paired in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in the World Cup.

The Black Stars will tackle Portugal in the opening game of the Group before facing Asian and South American giants South Korea and Uruguay respectively.