Sarpei will be part of Ghana's prospective record breaking match against Uruguay

Ghana’s birthday boy Hans Adu-Sarpei has tipped the Black Stars to become the first African team to reach the last four of the World Cup.

Ghana equalled Africa’s best performance at the World Cup by reaching the quarter-final after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the United States of America.

Cameroon and Senegal also reached the last eight in 1990 and 2002, respectively.

The Black Stars tackle Uruguay Friday at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg and Bayer Leverkusen defender Sarpei, who celebrated his 34th birthday on Monday, said they will be gunning for a place in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup.

“We’re dreaming to go to the semi-finals and even the finals. But Uruguay is next, so we have to focus on them,” the Germany-based left back told the Ghana Football Association (GFA) official website.

Fulham defender John Paintsil has already predicted that Ghana will at least reach the semi-final of the World Cup.

The whole of Ghana and even some parts of Africa partied all night long when Ghana beat US to qualify for the quarter-final.

Football-nut President John Atta Mills was part of the crowd and led a team prayer session in the dressing room at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg as the Black Stars kept Africa’s hopes alive at South Africa 2010.

And the experienced Sarpei, who is one of nine players who made their World Cup debut four years ago in Germany, said he expects even bigger celebrations when they go through to the semis.

“We know we are making Ghanaians very happy but we don’t know the level of celebration back home in Ghana,” Sarpei said on Monday.

“I think if we beat Uruguay, the whole country will break down and we want to do that.”