Both Ghana and Egypt will be looking to draw first blood when they meet in their first leg 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifier playoff match at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Tuesday night.
The match will be broadcast on SS3HD, SS3 and also will be available on via live streaming.
Ghana will be looking to make their third straight World Cup finals when they host seven-time African champions Egypt. The Black Stars got to the second round at Germany 2006 and also reached the quarterfinals at South Africa 2010.
On the other hand, Egypt are bidding to reach their first World Cup since Italy 1990. During the last 23 years since their last appearance at the World Cup the Pharaohs have won four African Cup of Nations titles.
The Bob Bradley-coached side have played all of their home fixtures behind closed doors because of security concerns in the country, but that has not stopped the players from maintaining a perfect record in the World Cup qualifying group stage phase as they won six out six matches, the only side to have achieved such a feat in the current Africa Zone qualifiers.
The Egyptians have not lost a competitive match since a 3-2 defeat to the Central African Republic in African Cup of Nations qualifying in June 2012. Bradley is mindful that the going might get tough for his side against Ghana away from home - unlike in the previous qualifiers which his side breezed through.
"We studied Ghana well," said the American coach. "We respect them, but at the same time we are a good team.
"We must be smart in Kumasi. We need to play with the right mentality; intellectually but with confidence."
The Black Stars are without four key players - John Boye, Jonathan Mensah, Mohammed Rabiu and Kevin-Prince Boateng - due to injuries. To add to those absentees is reliable left-back Harrison Afful who will sit out the first leg due to suspension.
Ghana will be confident of building a lead in the home leg of the play-offs, given their superb record in front of their own fans. They have not lost on home soil since February 2012, when they were defeated by Mali, with an 11-match unbeaten run on their own turf following that result.
Their coach Kwesi Appiah says his troops will give nothing but their best against Egypt as they hope to put one leg in Brazil after this first leg encounter.
“At the moment, we have been able to put our best players together and preparation is equally going well,” the ex-Ghana captain told Ghanafa.org
“With the team together and willing to give more than 100 per cent knowing what is at stake, we can be confident of a fine result.”
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