The Black Stars Coach Fred Osam Doudo has warned the Nigerian Green Eagles to be ready for a tough battle of survival as the Stars were determined to prove a point that they might be down and out but still have what it takes to defeat them.
Coach Osam Duodo, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency at the Accra Sports Stadium after the Stars had beaten the Sudan National Team one nil in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, said the rivalry between Ghanaian football and that of Nigeria was still alive.
"We are going to play a good game in Nigeria," he said, adding: " Our match with Nigeria is not about the points, but about holding on to the record of never being beaten by Nigeria. We are going in just to prove ourselves."
Coach Doudo said he has arranged a series of matches for the Stars to keep them in shape for Mali and expressed the hope that the Ghana Football Association would give its approval.
Asked how he was able to convince Mohammed Gargo to rescind his decision two years ago not to play for Ghana, Coach Osam Doudo said: "Gargo is my own boy."
He said that a couple people spoke to Gargo on his behalf prior to his approaching the player.
Some of the players interviewed said they did not attach much importance to the Sudan match because it made no difference whether they won or lost because they were already out of the competition.
"When we heard that Liberia had beaten Sierra Leone, we were devastated so we found the match not to be so important, but we just decided to come and play anyway," said Charles Amoah.
"It was unfortunate that Ghana has failed to qualify for the World Cup this time around," said Amoah. "I think we should forget about it and concentrate on Mali 2002, the African Nations' Cup."
Asked why they failed to qualify, Yaw Owusu of Goldfield said: "Our preparations from the beginning were very poor and this accounts for it." Sudan's players also seemed unenthusiastic about the match.
Sudanese Coach Ahmed Babiker El Faki said he was satisfied with the results since their preparation was weak and accounted for their missing so many chances.
He added that the demoralisation the team suffered when Nigeria beat them 4-0 in Sudan also contributed to their loss.
Coach El Faki said: "Even though we have lost, we shall endeavour to beat Sierra Leone to give us a better place in the FIFA ranking."
The Black Stars Coach Fred Osam Doudo has warned the Nigerian Green Eagles to be ready for a tough battle of survival as the Stars were determined to prove a point that they might be down and out but still have what it takes to defeat them.
Coach Osam Duodo, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency at the Accra Sports Stadium after the Stars had beaten the Sudan National Team one nil in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, said the rivalry between Ghanaian football and that of Nigeria was still alive.
"We are going to play a good game in Nigeria," he said, adding: " Our match with Nigeria is not about the points, but about holding on to the record of never being beaten by Nigeria. We are going in just to prove ourselves."
Coach Doudo said he has arranged a series of matches for the Stars to keep them in shape for Mali and expressed the hope that the Ghana Football Association would give its approval.
Asked how he was able to convince Mohammed Gargo to rescind his decision two years ago not to play for Ghana, Coach Osam Doudo said: "Gargo is my own boy."
He said that a couple people spoke to Gargo on his behalf prior to his approaching the player.
Some of the players interviewed said they did not attach much importance to the Sudan match because it made no difference whether they won or lost because they were already out of the competition.
"When we heard that Liberia had beaten Sierra Leone, we were devastated so we found the match not to be so important, but we just decided to come and play anyway," said Charles Amoah.
"It was unfortunate that Ghana has failed to qualify for the World Cup this time around," said Amoah. "I think we should forget about it and concentrate on Mali 2002, the African Nations' Cup."
Asked why they failed to qualify, Yaw Owusu of Goldfield said: "Our preparations from the beginning were very poor and this accounts for it." Sudan's players also seemed unenthusiastic about the match.
Sudanese Coach Ahmed Babiker El Faki said he was satisfied with the results since their preparation was weak and accounted for their missing so many chances.
He added that the demoralisation the team suffered when Nigeria beat them 4-0 in Sudan also contributed to their loss.
Coach El Faki said: "Even though we have lost, we shall endeavour to beat Sierra Leone to give us a better place in the FIFA ranking."
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