…Angola 2010 is here! Milo`s men to prove a point

Ghana's Black Stars tall injury list some few weeks before the Orange African Cup of Nations, has thrown the entire sporting populace in a quandary state.

The sporting fraternity's qualms stems from the fact that skipper Stephen Appiah and his able lieutenants; John Mensah, John Paintsil, Laryea Kingson and Sulley Muntari, all key performers, failed to make it to the 27th edition of Africa's glamorous football event due to injuries.

But reports from the Stars camp suggest that the 23-man squad - a blend of the U-20 World Cup team and the remaining regular players are armed to the teeth to prove a point.

Already, the team has demonstrated glimpses of its potential going past three games and hitting the back of the net eight times, attest to their combat readiness.

Some have argued that the absence of the big shots is a blessing in disguise, taking into account the young players' quest to make an indelible mark.

Most definitely, the arrival of Chelsea's midfield ace Michael Essien tomorrow, and his appointment as the team's captain will serve as a big boost for Milo's men.

The Stars' Serbian Manager has reiterated the fact that he can bet his last penny on his charges, and that would be witnessed when the Stars take on the Hawks of Togo in their opening game on Monday, a day after kick-off of the competition.

They will face Cote d'Ivoire on Friday and later Burkina to wrap up the Group stage. Ghana is in Group B with Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo.

Group A has host Angola and Mali, who will set the stage for the competition this Sunday, as well as Algeria.

Nigeria, Benin and Mozambique are in Group C, while Cameroon, Gabon, Tunisia and Zambia make up for Group D.