Paintsil: Ex-Fulham and West Ham United defender assesses Ghana’s World Cup qualification chances

Former Ghana defender John Paintsil is backing the Black Stars to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar next year.

The West Africans have set their sights on securing a place at the global gathering, having missed out on the 2018 edition in Russia.

Ghana will battle it out with South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe in the second round of the qualifiers for a ticket to the third and final phase of the series.

"For me, we have good players and a higher chance of qualifying for the World Cup if we do well," former Fulham and West Ham United right-back Paintsil, who played a key role as Ghana qualified for their first World Cup tournament in 2006, told Citi TV. He also featured at the final tournament.

“We have good players and I think we are going to have a good tournament.

“It all depends on the players and the management, we need to come together and work as a team and go out there to deliver."

Ghana, who are also targeting the Africa Cup of Nations title in Cameroon next year, will commence the qualification series with a home clash with Ethiopia in September, few days before travelling away to face South Africa.

For their last match of the first round, the Black Stars will host Zimbabwe. 

“The target is to bring the cup home by winning the Afcon 2022. We must go a step further than our second-placed finishes in 1992, 2010 and 2015 and end the 40-year drought for a title,” Ghana president Akufo-Addo said in April.

"We must also reach at least the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. Our exploits in 2010, where we reached the quarter-finals in South Africa, tell us that once prepared, we have the quality and the talent to match any of the best teams in the world.

“The task might seem daunting, but it is exactly not insurmountable."

At Brazil 2014, the Black Stars made their last appearance at the World Cup.