All eyes on Black Stars B as they open WAFU Cup against Scorpions
The national local-based senior side, Black Stars B, will be aiming to redeem their image when they play host to Gambia this afternoon in the opening game of the WAFU Nations Cup tournament at the Cape Coast Stadium.
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After failing to qualify for next year's African Nations Championship (CHAN), losing 3-4 on aggregate to Burkina Faso, Black Stars B will have an opportunity to appease Ghanaians by getting off their WAFU Cup campaign on a winning note and claiming the ultimate title on September 24.
Coach Maxwell Konadu and his players face a tough test as the host team playing under a weight of expectation to win the competition and $100,000 prize money at stake.
Having been handed the coaching role of the local-based side, after briefly deputising for Coach Kwasi Appiah until last week, all eyes will be on Konadu as he organises the players to put the team's CHAN failure behind them and show class in the sub-regional tournament.
Coach Konadu, who led Ghana to the final of the 2014 CHAN in South Africa, has had enough time with the players to put them in shape for the challenge ahead as the Premier League has been put on hold to enable the league’s finest players to prepare adequately for the WAFU Cup.
A win for the Ghanaian side is essential to create a feel-good atmosphere among Ghanaians to drive fans to the Cape Coast Stadium and the Nduom Sports Stadium at Elmina.
The Gambia on the other hand, will hope to upset Ghana despite playing against a side tipped to go past this weekend’s preliminary round. And even though statistics favour Ghana, Burkina Faso’s 2-1 win over the Black Stars B in Kumasi last month provides enough warning that home advantage may not be enough to get past the Scorpions and even go far in the competition.
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Coach Konadu knows too well that the CHAN failure puts the spotlight on him and his players to live up to expectation. And he is confident the Black Stars B will deliver the desired results.
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“We know that as for Ghana even our West African counterparts respect us a lot, so we also have to live up to expectation,'' he said.
''Ghanaians are expecting a lot from us so we will also do our best to impress them”.
“I believe the boys will impress and make us proud.”