Appiah targets South Africa

Ghana's Steven Appiah has his sights on beating South Africa Ghana captain Steven Appiah says that their 2006 World Cup qualifier in South Africa on 18 June will decide who goes to Germany from Group Two.

The Black Stars are currently level with DR Congo on 12 points, three points behind South Africa, who are top of the group.


"South Africa against Ghana is going to be the deciding match," he told BBC Sport after his side's 2-1 win over Burkina Faso on Sunday.


"We are going out there to qualify for the 2006 World Cup."


Appiah, who helped his club Juventus win the Italian title this season, also said that South Africa's 2-1 win on Saturday over Cape Verde had inspired the Black Stars.


"We watched South Africa's match on Saturday and when they won it kept the pressure on us," he said.

"But we were able to get through it with determination."


The pressure on the Black Stars increased during Sunday's match when Burkina Faso took a first-half lead.


"When we were down I told my colleagues not to give up and we kept fighting until we got the victory," Appiah explained.


"Our morale and spirit for these qualifiers has been high and by losing to Burkina Faso we would have killed that spirit."


Apart from the South Africa game on 18 June, Ghana still have to play Uganda at home and Cape Verde away later this year.