Star's Saturday Match To Go Ahead In Accra Stadium

The 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Ghana and Malawi slated for the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday will go on as scheduled despite the date clashing with the final funeral rites of the late Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, an Eecutive Committee member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

There had been speculation that with the two important events clashing, the GFA was going to make a request to CAF for the rescheduling of the game to either Friday or Sunday, but acting president, Fred Crentsil, yesterday confirmed that the match will go on as scheduled as the Stars had other commitments that could be affected by a change in date.

' The Stars will travel to Liberia to play an international friendly on Tuesday so they have to rest after the qualifier and asking for change in date would not be ideal.

' Besides, both events have been planned out in such a manner that there would be good representation at the funeral of the late Hon Owusu-Ansah so it would not be affected in anyway,' Mr Crentsil explained.

The Stars have meanwhile, pitched their camp in Accra and are expected to have their first training session this morning after all the invited players had reported to camp yesterday.

Team manager, Sabahn Quaye last night confirmed that all the players invited by coach Kwasi Appiah were on time and in high spirits.

' Every player invited had confirmed to arrive on schedule and the first training session will be held this morning. Those who arrived earlier yesterday are also in good spirit and we are assured of a good training and a good game on Saturday,' Mr Quaye indicated.

The Malawians who named their 19-man squad last Saturday, arrive in the country tomorrow evening for the first leg of the two-leg encounter the winners of which would advance to the next round of the qualifiers to select teams for AFCON 2013 to be staged in South Africa.

Ghana’s squad for the game:
Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey (Stromgodset, Norway), Ernest Sowah (Berekum Chelsea), Fatau Dauda (AshantiGold)

Defenders: Daniel Opare (Standard Liege, Belgium), Harrison Afful (Esperance, Tunisia), Razak Nuhu (Stromgodset, Norway), Samuel Inkoom (Dnipro, Ukraine), John Boye (Rennes, France), Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim, Germany), Jerry Akaminko (Eskisehirspor, Turkey), Rashid Sumaila (Kotoko)

Midfielders: Anthony Annan (Osasuna, Spain), Isaac Coffie (Chievo, Italy), Derek Boateng (Dnipro, Ukraine), Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese, Italy), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus, Italy), Christian Atsu (Porto, Portugal), Solomon Asante (Berekum Chelsea), Andre Ayew (Marseille, France)

Strikers: Jordan Ayew (Marseille, France), Boakye Yiadom (Juventus, Italy), Emmanuel Clottey (Berekum Chelsea), Abdul Majeed Warris (Hacken, Sweden), Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain, UAE).