'Beat Benin For Otumfuo'

Ghana Black Stars FOUNDER AND Bankroller of Kumasi-based King Faisal, Alhaji Karim Grunsah has tasked the Black Stars to give The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, a 10th anniversary gift by recording a resounding win over Benin in the Africa/World Cup qualifier on Sunday.

The Otumfuo celebrates his 10th anniversary on the Golden Stool this year, and Alhaji Grunsah sees a Black Stars victory as a befitting gift for the Ashanti King.

 In radio chat, the experienced football administrator said Ghana's victory on the day would surely gladden the heart of the Ashanti King and for that matter every Ghanaian citizen, urging the Black Stars to go for the kill.

Pushed to the wall as to whether national coach Milovan Rajevac has performed well or not since he took over the national side, Alhaji Grunsah said, “This is not the right time to access the performance of the coach.”

Sounding patriotic, he implored all and sundry to provide maximum support to the senior national team as they battle teams like Mali and Sudan for the solitary slot of the group for the next mundial.

Meanwhile Eleven Black Stars players without Captain Stephen Appiah trained for the first time on Monday evening at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra ahead of Sunday's match against Benin in Kumasi. 

Fulham's John Paintsil was the senior-most player to partake in the exercise which lasted close to two hours.  

Mousa Narry who had played truant with the national team for the last seven months, has made a return and was part of the team that worked under Serbian trainer Milovan Rajevac last Monday.   

South African duo of Jonathan Quartey and Jonathan Mensah were also available together with Israel-based striker Sam Yeboah and left-back Nana Akwasi Asare. 

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi