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16th Jun 2014 | World Cup

Ghana v USA Tip: Both teams to score

The gallant dark horses of the last World Cup take on a USA team who won 12 times in a row in 2013.

It’s hard to predict a winner with confidence in this one when you consider the lack of crossover form. These are two teams who have enjoyed some success over the past couple of years but in very different parts of the world.

One thing they do have in common is that they are both pitted in a fiendish group alongside Germany and Portugal. Both coaches will have earmarked this opener as ‘must-win’ if they are to have any chance of progression. This ought to lead to an open and attacking encounter.

Ghana were agonisingly close to a World Cup semi-final four years ago when they were only denied by Luis Suarez’s hand, and they remain a threat. The Black Stars found the net 25 times in qualifying, which was the most in the whole African section.

The USA have been revitalised under Jurgen Klinsmann and wracked up a pretty astonishing 16 victories in 2013. Most teams don’t even play that many fixtures! The Yanks look likely to give anyone a game after recording away victories in Mexico and Italy not so long ago.

With two sides craving the three points, I’m surprised we’re offered odds as good as 10/11 (Sportingbet) on both teams scoring on Monday night. That looks highly likely even if the outcome is more uncertain.

Odds correct at time of publishing: 07:15 16th Jun, 2014 but subject to change

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