Advertisement

Black Stars B sure of CHAN qualification (library photo)
Black Stars B sure of CHAN qualification (library photo)

Black Stars B sure of CHAN qualification - As they host Burkina Faso

The Black Stars B hope to exploit fully their home advantage as they play host to Burkina Faso at the Baba Yara stadium on Sunday in the return encounter of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier for a place at next year’s CHAN in Kenya.

Coach Kwasi Appiah’s charges go into Sunday’s game with an advantage after battling the Burkinabes to a 2-2 drawn game in Ouagadougou last week. But they can only confirm their place at  the January 11 – February 2, 2018 tournament if the Black Stars B avoid a defeat to sail through on the away goal’s rule.

Last weekend, the Ghanaian side twice ceded their lead as the Burkinabes fought back strongly and as a result, cannot afford to be complacent at home as their opponents could be eyeing an upset.

Offensive midfielder Thomas Abbey told The Mirror this  week that the players had learnt from their mistakes and had psyched themselves up for the battle ahead in order to avoid any costly slip at home against an equally determined Burkinabe side.

After a disastrous debut campaign in the 2014 CHAN in South Africa where they finished bottom of Group B, Burkina Faso will be searching for their second participation in the competition reserved for players plying their trade on the continent.

Knowing they need either a very high scoring draw or a win to progress, Burkina Faso will be fancied to play an attacking game with their goal scorers in the first leg, Sylla Mohammed and Illiase Sawadogo are expected to be deployed to run at the Ghanaian defence.

Coach Appiah is not expected to make major changes to his side that played in Ouagadougou last week, but late invitations handed to Accra Hearts of Oak’s Vincent Atinga and Ahmed Adams of Asante Kotoko suggest the Ghana gaffer is determined to plug loopholes in his defence to keep the tabs on the Burkinabe attackers, particularly Sawadogo and Sylla.

The midfield partnership of the Hearts duo of Winful Cobbinah and Thomas Abbey can be an effective help to supply the balls to Saddick Adams on top of Ghana’s attack to bang in the goals, while Patrick Razak and Emmanuel Gyamfi offer support from the flanks.

Connect With Us : 0242202447 | 0551484843 | 0266361755 | 059 199 7513 |