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| Stars aims at narrowing bid for Germany 2006 tomorrow |
9/5/2005 |
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Stars aims at narrowing bid for Germany 2006 tomorrow
Posted: Sep 03 2005
Four-time African champions Ghana will qualify for their first ever World Cup finals this weekend if a number of results in Group Two go the Black Stars'' way.
The group leaders must beat Uganda in Kumasi, and hope that second-placed South Africa are defeated in Burkina Faso while DR Congo fail to win at home to Cape Verde.
Ghana will look to captain Stephen Appiah and midfielder Michael Essien, the most expensive player in African history, to lead the way against the Cranes on Saturday.
The Ugandans'' qualifying form has been so poor that they are bottom of the group, but Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic is taking nothing for granted.
The Serb knows that the Black Stars have failed to beat Uganda on four occasions since defeating them in the final of the 1978 African Cup of Nations.
"We''re trying from the beginning to win this match because it''s very important for us, especially because Ghana hasn''t beaten Uganda for a very long time," Dujkovic told BBC Sport.
"We have to change history and we need three points."
Both Ghana and Bafana Bafana have fifteen points, yet the Black Stars top the group because of a better head-to-head record in the two qualifiers contested by the sides.
Ghana will be without suspended midfielder Sulley Muntari but the return of Germany-based Isaac Boakye after a year out through injury will give their strikeforce a timely boost.
South Africa clinched a place at the 2002 World Cup finals when drawing in Burkina Faso but Stewart Baxter''s side must win in Ouagadougou on Saturday to stand a chance of qualifying for Germany.
This is key for a country that will host Africa''s first World Cup in 2010 yet Bafana Bafana will be without injured striker Delron Buckley for the clash.
South Africa, whose 2-0 home defeat by Ghana in June could scupper their World Cup dreams, need to find their form quickly after losing a friendly 4-1 in Iceland last month.
The Burkinabes, who are second-bottom in the group but can still theoretically qualify for next year''s Nations Cup, have been impressive at home, beating both Ghana and DR Congo.
Yet Bernard Simondi''s side will be without striking pair Mamadou Zongo and Wilfred Sanou, both of whom are injured.
The remaining tie in the group sees Cape Verde travelling to Kinshasa on Sunday, where victory for the small island nation would boost its hopes of reaching a first Nations Cup finals.
Cape Verde know a win will lift them one point above the third-placed Congolese yet the islanders have yet to win triumph away from home in Group Two.
The Simbas'' preparation for this weekend''s fixture was overshadowed by the disappearance of Toni Esame during a training camp in France last Friday.
DR Congo, who can still make the World Cup finals should both Ghana and South Africa dramatically stumble, are unbeaten at home in their qualifying campaign.
Source: BBC Sport
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