Black Stars should remain focused - coach Adusei

Kumasi, Jan. 25, GNA - The Black Stars have been commended for exhibiting tactical discipline and resilience in their quarter final match against host nation, Angola, at the on-going Orange Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) tournament.

Coach Anthony Adusei, a member of the Stars' technical team that won silver at the 1992 Nations Cup competition, said the discipline helped the team to hold onto their solitary lead, despite the goal coming very early in the first half.

Speaking to the GNA Sports in Kumasi on Monday, the coach urged the technical handlers to sustain the momentum by helping the playing body to remain focused, since they have the potential to lift the trophy for the fifth time.

The Stars on Sunday stunned the Palancas Negras of Angola with a 1-0 win in their quarter final encounter to progress to the semi-final stage. The Desert Warriors of Algeria beat the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire to also make it to the next stage.

The former Stars' coach called for extra work to be done to put goalkeeper Richard Kingston in good shape ahead of the team's next match, saying, in the matches so far played "the keeper had consistently been off-balance".

He cited the lack of communication between the keeper and one of the defenders, Lee Addy in the Angolan match and said this made the defence shaky at certain stages of the match.

Coach Adusei said he was hopeful the Stars would surprise football analysts by winning the Cup.

This he noted they can do if they continued to be well-organized in defence and midfield and receive the necessary motivation from the management.