Stars Play For Pride

Black Stars

Optimism in the Black Stars camp has dipped as a result of their failure to make it to the final stage of this year's African Cup of Nations.

And that makes it more arduous to pick even the consolation prize of bronze, especially coming against Mali, a side they thumped 2-0 at the group stage.

Tournament history indicates that beating a side two times hardly occurs.

What makes  today's West African derby  more difficult is the Malians' quest to avoid a third successive defeat, after falling to Ghana two years ago in Bamako, and in Franceville  on January 28.

Sadly, speculations of division creeping into the team makes winning today's 'war' very daunting.

But deputy coach Kwesi Appiah, in a press conference, has said they have put the semifinal setback behind them and are plotting a strategy to avoid returning home empty-handed.

The Stars began the campaign, finishing tops in Group D with seven points- winning two games and drawing one.

Their Tunisian counterparts pushed them to the wall at the quarter final stage but the Stars prevailed with a 2-1 win. However, they failed at the semi final stage where they lost 0-1 to Zambia, incurring the wrath of Ghanaians and the many Gabonese and Equatorial Guinea fans.

The absence of skipper John Mensah and Agyeman Badu, who are nursing injuries as well as red-carded Derek Boateng and John Boye, who is serving a match ban, makes the team less potent.

Tomorrow in Libreville, Cote d'Ivoire will take on Zambia in the grand finale.

Courtesy: African Origin Travels/Royal Oasis Gh Ltd

From: Kofi Owusu Aduonum, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea