'Special thank you' to Ghanaians for support

The Ghana Football Association and the Black Stars are convinced that the support by the State and the entire nation helped them reach the final round of World Cup qualifying.

Ghana clinched a play-off spot after a packed Baba Yara Stadium let their voice be heard last Friday as they cheered the Black Stars on from the start to the last kick of their 2-1 victory against Zambia in the decisive last match of the group campaign.

The win at Kumasi meant the Black Stars edge a third consecutive World Cup appearance with the President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, also patting the team for a job well done.

"It's very refreshing to look back and be happy with the performance of the team. I was very happy because football is about goals and earning the points at stake," Kwesi Nyantakyi said.

"It's not boxing where you get points for every punch. Though much possession was done by the Zambians, we did what mattered most by scoring and getting the maximum points."

"I would like to congratulate the technical team, the management team and the playing body for a good job done in-spite of all the difficulties that confronted us, in-spite of the provocation from the Zambians, in-spite of all the setbacks in terms of injury to some of our key players, we still surmounted the task ahead.

"Let me also thank Ghanaians for the wonderful support extended the team. We were impressed by the turnout. The support, during and after the game. I would also like to thank the monarch of Ashanti, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for the inspirational visit he gave the team. The media also supported the team. We really recognize and appreciate that very much. The sponsors also did very well.

"Let me also extend a special thank you, a special gratitude to the government of Ghana, Minister for Youth and Sports Minister, the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, and other high ranking Government officials, and the Government of Ghana as a corporate entity, for providing all the needs and logistics, the financial support that was needed to motivate the team."

Only the ten group winners advanced to the third round of the preliminaries, and the draw for the final round of home-and-away matches will be made in Cairo on 16 September.