‘I trust Stars to do it’

Caretaker coach of the Black Stars, Maxwell Konadu, says he has strong faith in the ability of his boys to deliver victory against Uganda tomorrow in spite of the absence of the team’s substantive captain and other key players.

The Stars play as guests to the Cranes, who are third in Group E and need a victory to rescue their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations chances, but a win for Ghana will guarantee Konadu’s team automatic ticket for the continental party.

In the absence of the substantive captain, Kwadwo Asamoah, and suspended Jordan Ayew, the caretaker coach is counting on Andre Ayew to lead his teammates to a famous win at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.

Coach Konadu, who supervised his team’s workout in Accra since Monday until their departure for Kampala last night, said his team had depth in strength and equally good replacements for the absent trio.

“Their absence will be missed, but I have equally good replacements who are motivated to get the right results. I believe in their ability to deliver against Uganda,” Konadu told the Graphic Sports on the sidelines of last Wednesday’s media soiree to commemorate the team’s partnership with uniBank, who presented $400,000 as part of a three-year sponsorship package. 

The Cranes sounded a warning with a 3-0 win over Ethiopia in an international friendly, but their coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic, who guided his side to a shocking 1-1 draw with the Stars in Kumasi in September, reckoned tomorrow’s penultimate qualifier would be a difficult game in spite of the high expectations of Ugandans.

“Ghana is not the team you can threaten. In recent years, travelling across Africa, they (Ghana) have only lost once by accident to Zambia. We are playing a great team, one of the greatest African teams ,but we will give our best,” the Serbian coach told the local media. 

Coach Konadu will be counting on his trusted players, who claimed four points out of six in back-to-back matches with Guinea, as well as Saudi Arabia-based striker, Emmanuel Osei Banahene, who could be handed his first appearance for Ghana in a competitive match.

It is unlikely Ghana’s coach will make major changes to the team, but the return of defender John Boye could bring more stability and experience to the  team’s rear, while players such as Fatau Dauda, Harrison Afful, Baba Rahman, Jonathan Mensah, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Rabiu Mohammed, Atsu Christian and Abdul-Majeed Waris are all in line for a place in Ghana’s starting line-up.