Ghana to play Lesotho

Ghana’s senior national football team, Black Stars, is expected on Saturday to engage their counterparts, the Crocodiles of Lesotho in what has been described here as a fierce battle in Group 5 of the 2010 joint World Cup/African Cup of Nations qualifying series scheduled for Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi, Takoradi.

The game between the two countries has generated heat among soccer fans in Ghana as pressure mounts on the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to motivate the Black Stars to win at all cost.

The match is being discussed on radio, television, university campuses and spot joints, forcing GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi to assure Ghanaians that the Stars will win the match to join the best eight to qualify for the next stage.

Soccer fans are worried about the ability of Stars Coach Milo Rajevac to deliver because he has not granted any interview to the press on the chances of his team, owing to his inability to communicate effectively in English.

The game is termed as crucial because Ghana has 9 points, trailing behind Libya which has 12 points. Ghana needs to win with more goals to qualify to the second round of the qualifying series.

Already, the Black Stars are paralysed by the absence of key players like Michael Essien of Chelsea fame and Laryea Kingston of Hearts in Scotland.

However, Stars’ inspiration captain Stephen Appiah, Sulley Ali Mutari of Inter Milan and Manuel Junior Agogo of Zamelek of Egypt have began training.

Meanwhile, Media Telecommunication Network (MTN), a giant mobile phone company operating in Ghana has promised to give US$ 250,000 to the Stars as motivation to qualify to the next round.

The Black Stars beat the Crocodiles 3-2 in the first leg played in Bloemfontein in South Africa in June.