Ahead of tomorrow’s WAFU Cup final between Ghana and Senegal, fans are charging the home-based Black Stars to emulate the stupendous performance of their illustrious seniors in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, by going all out to ensure the cup remains in Ghana.
Senegal reached the final as Group B winners after defeating Liberia 2-0 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi yesterday.
Ghana were fancied before the tournament for a clean sweep, but save the opening game which they won 4-1 against Sierra Leone, Maxwell Konadu’s squad had not clicked to the estimation of many. They were so shell-shocked losing 0-1 to Benin and labouring to a slim 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso to land in the final.
The local Black Stars may not have the aura and class of their senior colleagues, who have made it to the Brazil 2014 World Cup, but they will try to win tomorrow’s game convincingly to make a case for their preparedness for the CHAN championship in South Africa next year,
And on the day, Kumasi fans will have to shed the cold reception given the tournament and turn up in their numbers to cheer the team on to victory.
Coach Maxwell Konadu has told his players to aim high and write their names in letters of gold in the 2013 WAFU Cup.
Winning the trophy would take the Ghanaians to a different level and the Ghana manager will count on his experienced players for tomorrow’s game.
Goalkeeper Foli Adade, Jackson Owusu, Kwabena Adusei, Jordan Opoku, Nuru Sule, Godfred Saka, Sulley Mohammed and Yahaya Mohammed have all been tested in the tournament and take the experience into the final positively.
The 2013 GOtv WAFU tournament has been criticised many things, two of which are the noticeably small crowds at the matches, and the below average delivery of the teams.
One major reason why the tournament, originally scheduled for Accra, was shifted to Kumasi was the fact that the Garden City is the most obsessed in terms of football in Ghana.
Expectations that the matches will be played in front of a packed house or worst still half-full stadiums, have not materialised with many blaming the organisers for failing to invest in publicity.
But how can one blame the fans when the local game on the sub-continent has lost a considerable amount of shine in many of the member countries, the reasons including inadequate investment in the game, and the exodus of players to seek greener pastures?
It is against this backdrop that the local Black Stars go into tomorrow’s final against Senegal. The skill and prowess on the ball, mental strength, good technical direction and a good crowd supporting the team should be enough to see Ghana through.
Meanwhile, Ghana football Chief Kwesi Nyantakyi will run unopposed in today’s WAFU Zone B presidential election to be held in Kumasi.
The GFA president was the only contestant at the close of nominations for the top position of the regional governing body. The election will be held during the Congress of WAFU Zone B at the Miklin Hotel.
It means Mr Nyantakyi is set to extend his reign as WAFU Zone B president to at least four years as there is a proposal to extend the tenure of office of the president from two to four years.
Having taken charge of the body two years ago, the Ghanaian is seeking to extend his reign to continue with his policy of reviving regional competitions in West Africa.
