Ghana prepared for USA backlash – Mensah

Jonathan Mensah says Ghana will be ready for a United States backlash after beating them in the previous two FIFA World Cups.

The African nation have prevailed 2-1 against the States in the previous two editions, eliminating them in the group stage in 2006 and the last 16 four years ago.

Mensah is expecting their opponents to be keen on revenge when they open their Group G campaign and is aware they must be at the top of their game if they want to start the competition in positive fashion.

“It’s going to be like a revenge (match) for the United States,” he said. “Because we beat the USA in 2006 and we beat them in 2010.

“And once again we’re playing them in the first game.

“For the first game of the competition, everybody is focused and nervous, so it’s going to make the game very, very interesting.

“Everybody will be expecting something better from Ghana and from the United States as well. So it’s going to make the game very interesting.

“It’s a difficult game, but we’ll try as much as possible to win.”

Having reached the quarter-finals in 2010, much is expected of Mensah and his team-mates, but he insists they are not getting carried away with focus solely on escaping the group.

“For now we’re taking it game by game,” he added. “One game after each other, to make sure we qualify from the group stages before we start thinking ahead.

“I think the group stages are the most important thing now.”