[ 2011-10-08 ]

Stars for broke against Sudan in Omdurman
Ghana’s Black Stars are away to the Desert Hawks
of Sudan in Omdurman on Saturday in the ultimate
qualifier for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Stars must avoid a loss against their hosts to
qualify automatically as winners of Group I.

Both Ghana and Sudan have 13 points apiece with
the former on superior goals and the Stars are
looking forward to a convincing result to confirm
their place at next year’s event slated for
Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

In the buildup to the match, both teams have
lodged training camps away from home to prepare
adequately for the decider.

Ghana were in Kenya whilst Sudan pitched camp in
neighbouring Ethiopia, where they stayed for
nine-days.

The Sudanese are in their best form in recent
times having held the Ghanaians to a barren draw
at their backyard in Kumasi last September.

The outcome of that match has led to calculations
and uncertainties surrounding the qualification as
far as the group is concerned.

Shockingly, Black Stars coach Goran Stevanovic has
left out influential midfielder Andre Dede Ayew
and dependable goalkeeper Richard Kingson from his
squad for no obvious reasons.

Whilst Ayew has scored thrice in two games since
the release of the squad the club-less Kingson
also got himself busy by training with his former
club, Wigan Athletic.

Though Ghana beat Sudan 2-0 in the match between
the two sides at the latter’s home two years
ago, the current form of the Desert Hawks is
enough to erase any form of underestimation on the
part of the Black Stars.

The entirely locally-based Sudanese team can boast
of players such as inspirational captain Haitham
Mostafa, Abdul Kadir Galag, Omar Musaab, Mudathir
Eltaib and Tahir Mohamed.

Only the group winners will qualify as well as the
two best runners-up. Prior to the final round of
matches, Cote d’Ivoire, Botswana, Burkina Faso
and Senegal have booked their places from the
qualifying series alongside co-host Gabon and
Equatorial Guinea.

Source - GNA

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