Soccer News of 2012-07-08

GFA Boss Says Ghana Will Qualify

;;;;;Kwesi Nyantakyi ,Ghanas F.A boss says the recent draw that paired Ghana black stars between the Flames of Malawi puts the black stars at a comfortable position but made mention of the fact that the national team will take all matches very serious and also have advance preparations towards the match against Malawi in other to qualify for AFCON 2013. Nyantakyi was speaking to news men at the emperors palace where the draw was held and stated that Ghana is on course to qualify for AFCON 2013. The Confederation of African Football staged the 29th Edition of the Africa Cup of Nations Preliminary Draw at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, South Africa for the 30 teams to play the final qualification rounds of The Orange AFCON to be hosted in a South Africa from 19th January to 10 th February 2013. The draw got off to a good start with all keen to see how the pairings would come out from the seeded teams and unseeded sides as fifteen nations battle it out for a spot in the final 16. There was a big show up from the sporting fraternity with more than half of the participating member associations in attendance. The teams will now play a two-legged knockout system of home and away games played between 7 - 9 September and 12 - 14 October. The draw for 30 teams promises some mouth-watering matches as the race to join hosts South Africa and make a total of 16 teams reaches the end. Once the 15 winners from this draw emerge the final draw for the tournament itself will take place on 26 October. Defending champions Zambia and beaten finalist in the last tournament, Ivory Coast leads the seeded teams expected to make the 15 wining sides from the draw. The event was attended by the Hon. Minister of Sports and Recreation, Mr. Fikile Mbalula, the 1st Vice President of CAF, Suketu Patel; Secretary General of CAF, Hicham El Amrani, Sporting Fraternity, the Chairperson of the Board Of the Local Organizing Committee, Adv. Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana and the CEO Mvuzo Mbebe Addressing the audience , the 1st Vice President, Mr. S. Patel said "the global importance of African Football is now a reality as we enter into an era of greater professionalism in all aspects of our wonderful game" an interest shown by sponsors, fans, and media. Mr. Patel further stated that football does not exist outside the social conditions faces by African people and it is important that CAF should find areas of social responsibility where football can play a greater role together with other other organizations in addressing the social ills faces by the continent. The Chairperson of the Local Organisation Committee, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana stated that the "opportunity and responsibility to once again host the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa is an honour that the LOC embraces with enthusiasm and determination". He promised that South Africa will deliver a seamless high quality Orange Africa Cup of Nation South Africa 2013 that will meet if not exceed the expectations of the Confederation of African Football as well as the sporting fraternity at large, including the fans and stakeholders. South Africas Minister of Sports and Recreation, Mr. Fikile Mbalula urged the African countries to use this tournament to address the challenges facing the continent and to work towards the reconstruction and development of the African countries. Conducted by the Secretary General of CAF and assisted by former Bafana Bafana captain, Neil Tovey, as well as by former Nigerian footballer Daniel Owefin Amukachi, the teams have been drawn as per the following: Mali vs Botswana Zimbabwe vs Angola Ghana vs Malawi Liberia vs Nigeria Zambia vs Uganda Cape Verde vs Cameroon Mozambique vs Morroco Sierra Leone vs Tunisia Guinea vs Niger Sudan vs Ethiopia Libya vs Algeria Cote d'Ivoire vs Senegal DRC vs Equatorial Guinea Gabon vs Togo Burkina Faso vs Central African Republic (the teams on the left have the first games at home) FROM FRANK OWUSU OBIMPEH Emperors palace johannesburg South Africa