Five games played already but just one becomes crucial for the Black Stars in their quest to secure a ticket to another Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Ghana will host the Central African Republic (CAR) on matchday six of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers needing just a point to book their place in Ivory Coast.
The game is of much importance to both teams as CAR are also chasing for a win which would sway things in their favour and hand them a place at the tournament.
For Ghana, two things are at stake — the AFCON spot and keeping intact the unbeaten record at the Baba Yara Stadium. The Black Stars have never lost in Kumasi since the defeat to South Africa during the 2000 AFCON when they lost in the knockout stage of the competition which was co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria.
In relation to the latter, Chris Hughton has hinted that the players will do everything to ensure the record still stands.
“We will do everything that we can to get the result that we want to get. Preparation has been good. We are missing some players through injuries but it is also an opportunity for others,” he said on Wednesday.
“We are playing at home. We have a good record here and it is a record that we want to continue.”
Doing that also means qualification for Ghana, something Raoul Savoy, head coach of the Wild Beasts, is looking to crash.
Savoy believes his side is capable of upsetting the Black Stars as they did to Nigeria some months ago when they beat them in Lagos.
“Nigeria never expected us to beat them at home but we did,” he told the media during Wednesday’s press conference ahead of the game.
“You never know [what we can do]. I have respect for Ghana because they are far better than us as a football nation but football is the most lovely game in the world because every time, every day you have surprises.”
With a bit of banter and a clear intention not to speak closely, these coaches are definitely prepping themselves for what is expected to be an intriguing encounter.
The Baba Yara Stadium is poised to see a large crowd and for whatever importance that draws people to the venue, this game is no different.
16:00 GMT, the kickoff time but be sure that the atmosphere will be more than charged even before the first blast of the referee’s whistle.-myjoyonline
