Ghana's top striker, Kwame Ayew, is confident the Black Stars would scale over the Lone Star of Liberia when the two sides clash in a World Cup group qualifier on Sunday.
The match, slated for the Accra Stadium, will be the first meeting between the two sides since Ghana defeated the Liberians 2-0 on July 25, 1993, in a Nations Cup qualifier in Monrovia. However, Sunday's match is very significant for the Stars who are smarting under a 2-1 loss to DR Congo last week, while the visitors notched a 5-1 home victory over Congo Brazzaville.
The Liberian team is led by former world best footballer, George 'Opong' Weah, who doubles also as coach of the team. It is his presence alone that seems to have created an aura around the Lone Star, despite their rather unimpressive record against Ghana. Ayew, who scored Ghana's only goal in Kinshasa, is one of the key players in Cecil Jones Attuquayefio's squad and is confident the Stars are poised for victory on Sunday and maintain pole position in their group, which also comprises Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Sudan. "Liberia has a good team, but I believe we have a better side and victory is definitely within our reach," he told Graphic in an interview yesterday.
The Turkey-based player, who is expected to form a two-prong attack with Charles Amoah, is well aware of the threat Weah and Greece-based James 'Salinsa' Debbah could pose to the home team. The Weah-Debbah factor is of concern to many, but Ayew believes Ghana can overcome that danger. "I really don't believe in man-to-man marking; I believe in tactical play and if we maintain our tactical discipline, there is no way they can penetrate our defence."
After two outstanding home games in which the Stars produced a total of nine goals, expectation among fans is running high, especially with the full complement of the foreign-based players in camp. But Ayew believes his team-mates are well placed to deal with the situation. "Personally, there's a lot of pressure on me in any game I play, whether at home or abroad. This is partly because my brother Abedi Pele is a great player so people expect a lot from me. But this match is no different from the ones I've played.
"It's a World Cup qualifier, a very important game for us (the players) and Ghana as a whole. But we've handled situations much tougher than this and should, therefore, be able to relax and play our normal game. The pressure would be there alright, but it wouldn't have much effect on us," he assured. In spite of his optimism, he is also prepared for the worst. “I am the type who doesn’t predict the outcome of matches. I leave everything in the hands of God and will be content with whatever comes out of the game. But I will be more content with victory and that’s what we are here for.”
