The Big Match Tactical View: Burkina Faso v Ghana

 

Michael Cox forecasts a slow match in Wednesday's second quarter-final.

 

Burkina Faso v Ghana, Wednesday 6:30, ITV4 and Eurosport.

Match Odds: Burkina Faso 4.8, Ghana 2.04, The Draw 3.2.

 

This generation of Ghanaian talent first impressed at the Africa Nations Cup three years ago, when they reached the final with impressive displays of deep defending  and Asamoah Gyan-inspired counter-attacking, a strategy they replicated at the World Cup. Since then, however, they've been forced to adapt their new status as one of  the continent's biggest sides, and have often struggled to penetrate deep-lying defences in recent years.

 

This is one of those classic situations. Burkina Faso have been one of the surprise packages of the tournament, and their coach Paul Put will try to formulate an  intelligent, reactive strategy to nullify Ghana's strengths.

 

Ghana coach Akwasi Appiah has generally stuck to the formula favoured by Milovan Rajevac in Ghana's impressive 2010 showing - 4-2-3-1, with Kwadwo Asamoah motoring  forward from midfield, and Asamoah Gyan drifting into the channels, shooting as frequently as possible. Ghana have scored eight goals in their four matches, and the  fact Gyan has started upfront in each game, but scored only one of their eight goals, shows how Ghana have been forced to offer more of an all-round threat.

 

There's also a familiar situation in the wide zones - one, right-sided Albert Adamoah, sits close to the two central midfielders, while Christian Atsu, an exciting  young Porto left-winger, plays a more direct, positive game. He should be able to out-sprint Burkina Faso's right-back Mohamed Koffi, and will be a real threat on the  break.

 

At the back, Ghana have kept three clean sheets since Isaac Vorsah replaced Jerry Akaminko, and backing another at 2.3 would be good, assuming Vorsah starts alongside the brilliantly-named John Boye.

 

But what of Burkina Faso? Their line-up is highly difficult to predict, because Put has used a couple of different formations and various attackers so far, and has  also been forced to cope without the superb Alain Traore because of a thigh strain.

 

Put has generally used a 4-4-1-1 system, but switched to a much more defensive-minded 4-1-4-1 for the final group game, a 0-0 with Zambia. That formation was used in  order to play out a boring goalless draw, and there's a danger that Put will be in the same mindset for his match, which would see the return of that formation.

 

The difference between the formations on the pitch is starker than the difference between the numeric representations of them, and the 4-1-4-1 could see talented  winger Jonathan Pitroipa being used as the main striker, rather than veteran Moumouni Dagano or Aristide Bance, more natural centre-forwards. If Traore was still  available, Pitroipa upfront would have been likely, but Put might consider he doesn't have enough goal threats from midfield to play a system without a classic  centre-forward.

 

Burkina Faso will field a strong central midfield combination of two France-based players, Charles Kabore and Djakaridja Koné. Their primary objective will be to deny  Asamoah space to run into, and they're unlikely to attack readily. The identity of the wide players has varied significantly from game to game, but they'll be asked to  protect the full-backs in defensive-minded positions, before breaking forward powerfully.

 

In all, this seems set to be a counter-attacking game, with two reactive sides trying to exploit spaces on the break. With the wide midfielders set to play negative  roles, defences likely to sit deep and the possibility of two strikers (Gyan and Pitroipa) that depend upon working spaces in the channels rather than prowling the  penalty box, there could be few goals.

 

Don't be fooled by both sides' goal-heavy matches so far - backing a half-time 0-0 at 2.4 looks very promising, but the speed of Atsu and Ghana's superior squad should see them reach the final.

 

Recommended bet:

Back a half-time 0-0 at 2.4

Back a Ghana clean sheet at 2.3

 

Bet HERE

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