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07.06.2005 Football News

Unity Cup: Meteors Leave For London

07.06.2005 LISTEN
By Graphic

A contingent of 18 players leaves Accra tomorrow for London, England, for the four-nation Unity Cup.

Among the team to play under the guidance of Coach Francis Oti Akenten are senior players Peter Ofori Quaye, who returns to national duty for the first time in five years, and defenders Amankwah Mireku and Aziz Ansah.

The three, who all trained with the Black Stars before last Sunday's game against Burkina Faso, will play alongside mainly players of the national Under-20 team in the tournament that also features Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Nigeria.

Though originally arranged for main national sides, Ghana has been forced to adopt the current position in view of the authorities' reluctance to trade caution for a ceremonial celebration.

For the one-match tour of England, Ghana will play Nigeria in an all-West African clash, while the Carribean states face off in the other game, all at Umpton Park on Saturday. The two winners will return to the same field in September for the final.

Apart from Ghana, none of the participating nations has disclosed the strength of its team, and with all engaged in World Cup qualifiers the tournament could be a training ground for such purposes.

That notwithstanding, the Ghanaian team can counter whatever advantage their opponents possess with their own teamwork achieved from the long days of playing together.

Indeed, from their early camping days for the abortive Africa youth football championship qualifying campaign till now, the Ghana Football Association has kept the team together in a unique departure from the status quo.

Players like Prince Tagoe, Michael Helegbe, Anthony Annan, Anarfi Mohammed, Andrews Ayittey, Sherrif Danladi and goalkeeper Sannie Mohammed are expected to make the journey.

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