A determined, hungry-looking band of Black Stars players will storm the city of Cape Coast today to prepare ahead of their Group G World Cup 2022 back-to-back qualifiers against Zimbabwe.
Most of the foreign legion landed last night and are all-too determined to light up the stadium with an endearing display of football under back-to-batan Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac – after going through their paces.
The performance of the Stars has come under a landslide of attack, precipitating in the dismissal of local gaffer CK Akonnor. Anything less than an improved work-rate capped with victory, could renew a fresh round of onslaughts.
Rooted bottom of the log with a solitary point from two games, the Zimbabwe Warriors have equally sworn to make things pretty difficult for their hosts who share the second spot with Ethiopia. South Africa, a point better than Ghana, leads the group on four points.
New Zimbabwe coach Norman Mapeza has promised the local media of returning from Ghana with at least a point, and it could be the reason the Warriors sauntered into the country at the weekend to plot that mission.
Just as the Stars, the Warriors are also expected in Cape Coast today to have a first feel of the pitch under the guidance of Mapeza – a former international who succeeded sacked Zdravko Logarusic, after the team’s awful patch of form.
The Ghanaians will have a light work-out this afternoon after which they switch full gear tomorrow.
Players reported to have landed for the Saturday duel include midfield ‘monster’ Thomas Partey (Arsenal), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Kamaldeen Suleymana (Rennes), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg), Baba Abdul Rahman (Reading FC) and Daniel Amartey (Leicester City).
Hardworking Sheriff Tiraspol midfielder Edmund Addo will be staging his debut, having been handed a late call-up for the qualifiers – after replacing injured Fiorentina midfielder Alfred Duncan.
Skipper Andre Dede Ayew is also reportedly in and would be expected to lead the Stars to victory on Saturday as well as pick up at least a point from their taxing return Harare trip on Tuesday, October 12.
BY JOHN VIGAH