2017 AFCON qualifiers: Stars to blow away Mambas
Ghana’s Black Stars are confident of making it three wins out of three when they host the Mambas of Mozambique in an AFCON 2017 Group H qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium.
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The Stars are in a buoyant mood, especially after they were paid a morale-boosting visit by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, when they opened camp last Monday at the Accra Stadium.
The minister entreated the team to endeavour to win tomorrow’s tie in Accra, as well as the return clash on Sunday in order to preserve Ghana’s reputation as one of Africa’s football powerhouses.
A confident Stars skipper, Asamoah Gyan, in response said his teammates were ready to reward Ghanaians with a victory and maintain the team’s winning run in the qualifiers, after earlier wins against Mauritius and Rwanda.
“It is a game we must win so we are leaving no stone unturned,” assured the striker, who plies his trade with Shanghai SIPG in the Chinese Premier League.
Stars coach, Avram Grant, recognises that anything aside from victory would represent a huge setback for his team, who after an impressive start, are coasting towards qualification following victories over Mauritius (7-1) and Rwanda (0-1).
“Any team leading the table with six points out of two games and playing at home is likely to win,” Coach Grant told the media yesterday.
Gyan, in anticipation of chalking up a career milestone of 50 international goals, is likely to wear a commemorative shirt under his jersey as he looks to add to his 48-goal tally against a Mozambican defence that have already let-in two goals in matches against Rwanda and Mauritius.
Mozambique are coached by former Liverpool defender, Abel Luís da Silva Costa Xavier, who will be looking to mastermind an unlikely giant-killing feat in Accra.
In a related development, Coach Grant has reiterated his readiness to invite any Ghanaian player who proves himself to play for the senior national team, saying it is up to the players to convince him, writes Chris Nunoo & Daniel Amankrah.
Before the team’s training yesterday ahead of this week’s double-header against the Mambas Grant told the media that he was looking for players who exhibited high quality, discipline and the desire to play for the national team.
“I am not here to convince any player to play, rather it is the players who have to convince me,” he stated, adding that: “It is my wish to push the team to keep going foward to make the people of Ghana proud.”
Inter Allies offensive midfielder Evans Mensah was the latest to catch the eye of the Israeli trainer after he was given a late call-up to the Stars camp in place of injured David Accam of MLS side Chicago Fire.
The coach acknowledged that although it was a herculean task monitoring players particularly those playing on the African continent, he would continue to do his best and give the chance to those who will prove their pedigree.
Responding to a question on the state of football pitches in the country, Grant expressed serious reservations about the situation, especially the Accra Sports Stadium, and called for its improvement.