Ghana realistic about World Cup challenge

May 22, 2014 - 11:24 AM Ghana midfielder Michael Essien says the 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists are realistic enough to know that they have a much tougher challenge this time.

Ghana made the last eight and barely missed out on the semi-finals four years ago in South Africa after a penalty shootout loss to Uruguay.

A place in the final four would have made Ghana the first African team to go that far at a World Cup.

In Brazil, Ghana face Germany, Portugal and the United States in Group G. Only the top two teams advance.

Aware of the expectation on Africa's best-performing team in 2010, Essien said in an interview on the FIFA website "we are realistic enough to know we cannot aim that high from the start".

Source: AAP