Satellites off to Burkina Faso

Ghana’s Black Satellites will storm Burkina Faso today with one main agenda - to qualify for the World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates in March next year.

That dream, if realised, would have ensured a three straight qualification to the world stage after their predecessors set the trail in the two previous Africa Championship.

In the 1999 edition hosted by Ghana, for instance that generation won gold to secure qualification to the world event held in Nigeria to set the stage for their successors to win the Africa silver in Ethiopia last year, while making it grander in the world Championship held in Argentina with another silver.

This is the standard the new generation of the Satellites are bent on attaining when the continental U- 20 championship opens in Ouagadougou on Saturday. Being the very first major international competition for the year 2003, the Ghanaians are committed to opening the year on a brighter note to set the tonic for a memorable year for Ghana soccer.

According to the Satellites' head coach, Anthony Kwabena Edusei, after clinching the World Cup ticket, the team can then go to any length towards annexing the ultimate trophy. According to the regulations, the first four teams qualify for the World Cup.

Any fears coach Edusei harboured prior to the championship were, to a large extent, allayed last week following the decision to include four experienced players in the team to boost their chances.

The four, Derek Boateng, Razak Ibrahim, Sulley Muntari and Patrick Villars, were key members of the flamboyant 2001 squad. Though the coach is convinced about the capabilities of these stars, the same cannot be said of his apprehension about their assimilation to enhance cohesion in the team in respect of their late arrival.

He was at least impressed with the work rate of Villars and Muntari who joined their colleagues in camp last weekend and featured in their final trial against Abedi Pele's Nania F.C. which saw the latter netting the only goal of the match.

Though coach Edusei had wanted some more foreign exposure for the team, he believes the kind of preparation his team had had will be enough to see them through in Burkina Faso. Based on that, he is not bothered about his group B opponents, Morocco, Egypt and Cote d'lvoire.

The Satellites' squad comprises other players like Ernest Papa Arko, Kwadwo Poku, Yusif Chibsah, Habib Mohmmed, William Thompson, Daniel Coleman, Saliu Muntari, Louis Agyeman, Michael Ocansey, Abubakari Yahuza, Lukeman Moro, Jonathan Quartey and goalkeepers Alex Agyepong and Isaac Amoako.

The competition opens with the game between Burkina Faso and South Africa in Ougadougou while the Satellites clash with Morocco in the group two opener in Bobo Dioulaso on Sunday.