Serial overachievers Uruguay are on the cusp of a rare major tournament disappointment after enduring a poor start to this World Cup.
La Celeste picked up just one point from their first two games and so even a win over Ghana in their final Group H outing is no guarantee that they will progress.
But their job is simple in that they know that only three points will do, while the same goes for their opponents given a precarious goal-difference situation in relation to South Korea.
Below are the projected lineups for both teams based on the latest news leading up to the match.
Ghana vs Uruguay lineups
Diego Alonso is confident he has come up with a tactical plan to beat Ghana and secure passage to the knockout stages of the World Cup.
The Uruguay boss has used two different formations across the first two games — a dour 0-0 draw with South Korea and 2-0 defeat to Portugal.
But, whatever shape they line up in, he expects his team to be fully prepared to exploit Ghana’s weaknesses on Friday.
He said: “We know where we have to aim and what we have to do. We are going to give everything in the next game to qualify.”
Ghana predicted starting 11
(4-2-3-1, right to left): 1-Ati-Zigi (GK) — 2-Lamptey, 18-Amartey, 4-Salisu, 14-Mensah — 5-Partey, 21-Abdul Samed — 20-Kudus, 10-A. Ayew, 9-J. Ayew — 19-Williams
- Injured: none
- Suspended: none
After his side kept their hopes of progression alive with a 3-2 win over South Korea last time out, Otto Addo could be tempted to stick with the same 11.
That would mean Gideon Mensah, Tariq Lamptey and Jordan Ayew all retaining their places after missing out on the defeat to Portugal that kicked off Ghana’s tournament.
Uruguay predicted starting 11
(3-5-2, right to left): 23-Rochet (GK) — 2-Gimenez, 3-Godin, 19-Coates —13-Varela, 15-Valverde, 6-Bentancur, 5-Vecino, 16-Olivera — 11-Nunez, 9-Suarez.
- Injured: Araujo
- Suspended: none
Although a switch to a 3-5-2 didn’t quite pay dividends against Portugal, Alonso may stick with the same shape and try partnering Luis Suarez with Darwin Nunez this time around hoping for different results.
That would leave Edinson Cavani as an option from the bench late on.
Ghana vs Uruguay World Cup squads
Here are the names on Ghana and Uruguay’s World Cup squad lists in Qatar (caps correct as of start of Qatar 2022):
Ghana World Cup squad
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 16 | Abdul Manaf Nurudeen | Eupen (BEL) | 23 | 2 |
| GK | 12 | Ibrahim Danlad | Asante Kotoko (GHA) | 19 | 0 |
| GK | 1 | Lawrence Ati-Zigi | St Gallen (SUI) | 25 | 2 |
| DEF | 3 | Denis Odoi | Club Brugge (BEL) | 34 | 4 |
| DEF | 2 | Tariq Lamptey | Brighton (ENG) | 22 | 1 |
| DEF | 26 | Alidu Seidu | Clermont (FRA) | 22 | 1 |
| DEF | 18 | Daniel Amartey | Leicester City (ENG) | 27 | 45 |
| DEF | 15 | Joseph Aidoo | Celta Vigo (SPA) | 27 | 10 |
| DEF | 23 | Alexander Djiku | Strasbourg (FRA) | 28 | 18 |
| DEF | 4 | Mohammed Salisu | Southampton (ENG) | 23 | 2 |
| DEF | 17 | Baba Rahman | Reading (ENG) | 28 | 44 |
| DEF | 14 | Gideon Mensah | Auxerre (FRA) | 24 | 4 |
| MID | 10 | Andre Ayew | Al Sadd (QAT) | 32 | 109 |
| MID | 5 | Thomas Partey | Arsenal (ENG) | 29 | 40 |
| MID | 6 | Elisha Owusu | Gent (BEL) | 25 | 1 |
| MID | 21 | Salis Abdul Samed | Lens (FRA) | 22 | 0 |
| MID | 20 | Mohammed Kudus | Ajax (NED) | 22 | 18 |
| MID | 8 | Daniel-Kofi Kyereh | Freiburg (GER) | 26 | 3 |
| FWD | 13 | Daniel Afriyie Barnieh | Hearts of Oak (GHA) | 21 | 5 |
| FWD | 24 | Kamal Sowah | Club Brugge (BEL) | 22 | 0 |
| FWD | 7 | Abdul Fatawu Issahaku | Sporting CP (POR) | 18 | 8 |
| FWD | 11 | Osman Bukari | Red Star (SER) | 23 | 6 |
| FWD | 19 | Inaki Williams | Athletic Bilbao (SPA) | 28 | 2 |
| FWD | 25 | Antoine Semenyo | Bristol City (ENG) | 22 | 1 |
| FWD | 9 | Jordan Ayew | Crystal Palace (ENG) | 31 | 83 |
| FWD | 22 | Kamaldeen Sulemana | Rennes (FRA) | 20 | 11 |
Uruguay World Cup squad
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 1 | Fernando Muslera | Galatasaray (TUR) | 36 | 133 |
| GK | 23 | Sergio Rochet | Nacional (URU) | 29 | 8 |
| GK | 12 | Sebastian Sosa | Independiente (ARG) | 36 | 1 |
| DEF | 4 | Ronald Araujo | Barcelona (ESP) | 23 | 12 |
| DEF | 22 | Martin Caceres | LA Galaxy (USA) | 35 | 115 |
| DEF | 19 | Sebastian Coates | Sporting CP (POR) | 32 | 47 |
| DEF | 2 | Jose Maria Gimenez | Atletico Madrid (ESP) | 27 | 78 |
| DEF | 3 | Diego Godin | Velez Sarsfield (ARG) | 36 | 159 |
| DEF | 16 | Mathias Olivera | Napoli (ITA) | 24 | 8 |
| DEF | 26 | Jose Luis Rodriguez | Nacional (URU) | 25 | 9 |
| DEF | 13 | Guillermo Varela | Flamengo (BRA) | 29 | 9 |
| DEF | 17 | Matias Vina | AS Roma (ITA) | 24 | 26 |
| MID | 6 | Rodrigo Bentancur | Tottenham (ENG) | 25 | 51 |
| MID | 7 | Nicolas De La Cruz | River Plate (ARG) | 25 | 17 |
| MID | 8 | Facundo Pellistri | Manchester United (ENG) | 20 | 7 |
| MID | 14 | Lucas Torreira | Galatasaray (TUR) | 26 | 40 |
| MID | 25 | Manuel Ugarte | Sporting (POR) | 21 | 6 |
| MID | 15 | Federico Valverde | Real Madrid (ESP) | 24 | 44 |
| MID | 5 | Matias Vecino | Lazio (ITA) | 31 | 62 |
| FWD | 24 | Agustin Canobbio | Athletico Paranaense (BRA) | 24 | 3 |
| FWD | 21 | Edinson Cavani | Valencia (ESP) | 35 | 133 |
| FWD | 10 | Giorgian De Arrascaeta | Flamengo (BRA) | 28 | 40 |
| FWD | 18 | Maxi Gomez | Trabzonspor (TUR) | 26 | 27 |
| FWD | 11 | Darwin Nunez | Liverpool (ENG) | 23 | 13 |
| FWD | 9 | Luis Suarez | Nacional (URU) | 35 | 134 |
| FWD | 20 | Facundo Torres | Orlando City (USA) | 22 | 10 |
