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| Nothing Gonna Stop us |
9/4/2005 |
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Nothing Gonna Stop us
The temperatures of soccer fans are nearing fever pitch with Ghana closer to world cup qualification than she has ever been.
Expectation has reached an all time high across the nation, and Kumasi in particular. A full house, as well as unflinching support, is anticipated at the Baba Yara Stadium for victory over Uganda and when victory is achieved there will definitely be a carnival atmosphere across the nation.
Saturday’s Burkina win over South Africa greatly improved Ghana''s chances of qualification. However, the four-time African champions will only secure the spot today, if she can beat Uganda and Congo does not win against Cape Verde.
Stars’ captain, Stephen Appiah, fired a salvo that Uganda’s Cranes will not stand in the way of Ghana’s march towards a first-ever appearance at next year’s FIFA World Cup in Germany. The Fenerbahce midfielder said today''s penultimate qualifier is a “do or die affair”, a must-win task they vow to accomplish at all cost.
Appiah has been pivotal in the Stars’ impressive run in the World Cup qualifiers in which he has scored four goals in seven games, and together with Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien (two goals in seven games), will be expected to put up a vintage show and carry the team on their shoulders just as they did against South Africa last June.
As the Appiah-led Stars are confident of winning today’s game, the Cranes are upbeat about their intentions to break Ghanaian hearts on their home soil.
Bottom-of-the-table Uganda are out of contention for even a place in next January’s African Nations Cup, but they have thrown down the gauntlet as a credible threat to Ghana’s ambitions.
The Ugandans who arrived in Ghana last Wednesday without the influential David Obua, but with an upset for Ghana on their minds, still insist they have enough firepower to give the Black Stars a hard run for their money.
It remains unclear the reason for the exclusion of Obua, who scored for the Ugandans in their 1-1 draw with Ghana in the first round qualifier in July last year, but the Cranes were boosted by the late arrival of striker Hassan Mubiru of Rwandan side APR.
Ironically, Asamoah Gyan who scored an injury time equaliser for the Stars has no place in coach Ratomir Dujkovic’s squad,which includes six players who featured in the Kampala match.
The Cranes had a jerky build-up to today''s encounter, and according to the Ugandan media, it was only last week that the team received their winning bonus for their 1-0 home win over Cape Verde.
The payment of the bonus is seen as an effort to motivate the Cranes to plot their intended upset for Ghana. Tough-talking coach Muhammad Abass threw down the gauntlet.
“We are going to fight seriously and get a point at worst." Whether it is an empty bluff or a credible threat to Ghana’s hopes, the Stars are not being complacent and are showing their opponents some respect given their past record against Ghana.
The East Africans have a better head-to-head record against Ghana having won two and drawn two of five matches played between them. Ghana’s only win against Uganda dates back to the final of the 1978 African Nations Cup in Accra when two great strikes by Opoku Afriyie (now welfare officer of the Stars)clinched Ghana’s third African Cup.
And on their last visit to Kumasi on September 7, 2003, a late Charles Amoah strike earned Ghana a deserved equaliser in a Nations Cup qualifier.
Despite losing all their away games in the qualifiers,the Ugandans remain a formidable side and one that must not be taken lightly. At least, skipper Appiah remembers vividly how they stretched the Stars in the first round clash in Luanda last year.
As coach of Rwanda two years ago,Dujkovic’s side played Uganda twice and defeated the Cranes 1-0 in a Nations Cup qualifier and the Serbian coach definitely has good knowledge of his opponents and the strategy to beat them.
Under his reign the Stars have grown from strength to strength and having put their best foot forward there is no way the Stars will stumble on the most important hurdle on home soil.
Determination and focus was high in the Stars’ camp this past week, as the officials and players adopted an all-hands-on-deck approach to accomplish the mission.
Coach Dujkovic is keeping his cards close to his chest but is expected to make a few changes,if any, to the team that defeated South Africa in Johannesburg last June.
With the notable absence of suspended Sulley Muntari, RTU’s Hamza Mohammed or Egaleo’s Dan Edusei could start on the left side of attack with the proven partnership of Joetex Frimpong and Matthew Amoah spearheading the Stars attack.
With the exception of their scoreless draw against DR Congo,the Stars have averaged two goals per match in Kumasi,and having moved into overdrive there is no way they will stutter on home soil.
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