Did You Know That .....

Wed, 6 Feb 2013 Source: --

Burkina Faso are nicknamed the 'The Stallions'.

Until 1984, Burkina Faso were known as Upper Volta.

The two nations have played 17 times prior - the most recent encounter occurring at Angola 2010 - with Ghana earning 12 victories and just one draw.

Both teams have their first-choice goalkeepers featuring in the Ghana Premier League; Burkina's Soulama Abdoulaye plays for Asante Kotoko, while Ghana's Fatau Dauda is at Ashantigold.

Also plying his trade in Ghana is another member of the present Burkina Faso squad; defender Henri Traore, who is the Ghanaian goalkeeper's team-mate at club level.

Ghana (26) and Burkina Faso (92) are some 66 places apart on the latest Fifa national team rankings.

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Zambia's one-year reign as champions is the shortest in the history of the tournament after the competition was switched to odd years after the 2012 edition

The Black Stars of Ghana have qualified for the last two World Cups, in 2010 and 2006.

When Ghana last won the Africa Cup of Nations, none of the current crop of Stars was born.

...Asamoah Gyan is the only survivor of the Ghana Black Stars team which drew 1-1 with DR Congo in Kinshasa eight years ago?

...Richmond Boakye turned 20 on the day Ghana played their final group stage match against Niger?

... It was DR Congo Coach, Le Roy, who invited Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah and defender Isaac Vorsah to the Black Stars?

... John Paintsil has accumulated over 80 caps for Ghana during his career and now, aged 31, is comfortably the oldest player in the entire squad

... Ghana have not lost in their last five games with DR Congo.

...Derek Boateng`s club Dnipro (Ukraine) is claiming that Boateng has gone AWOL and that any transfer talks for the 29 year-old are being held without their permission?

... Earlier this season Ghana international Solomon Asante was linked with a move to the Englah Premier League side Stoke City?

... Adam Larsen Kwarasey was voted one of the 10 sexiest players at AFCON 2013?.

Ghana-Niger

The first ever game between Ghana and Niger ended 6-0 in favour of Ghana in Accra back in 1969.
The return fixture in Niamey, which Ghana won 9-1, is Niger's biggest loss at home to date.
The last time Ghana-Niger met was in 1994 in Niamey, Niger's capital. Ghana won 5-1. This is Niger’s third major CAF tournament participation in a row - 2011 Chan, 2012 and 2013 AFCON editions.
Niger are making their second appearance at the tournament after first qualifying in 2012 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.