Black Stars in celebration mood
And so the Black Stars of Ghana convincingly beat Sudan 4-0 at the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday, March 24, 2013 to send Ghana within one point of group leaders, Zambia who could only play 1-1 with Lesotho in the Southern African country.
Buoyed by the ever vociferous Kumasi football fanatics in the stands, the Black Stars exhibited tenacity and power to wrap all three points without conceding a single goal.
The last time the team played at the same venue, Ghana ran away 7-0 winners against Lesotho.
The captaincy
The Black Stars captain strangely gave the captaincy armband to AC Milan midfielder, Sulley Muntari against Sudan. Commentators had tried to downplay the significance of this act, choosing rather to give Asamoah Gyan thumbs up for being ‘humble’ to give his more senior colleague the chance to lead the Black Stars.
The team eventually won 4-0 with Asamoah Gyan being on the score line and Sulley being decent with his general output. This however does not downplay the gesture that was exhibited; another player being made the captain when the substantive was also on the turf.
I might be asking for too much but in my most honest of thoughts, Asamoah Gyan had to maintain his role unless he is not comfortable with the responsibility of captaining the Black Stars and wants to relinquish his role.
If the coach had taken the decision, it would have received a lot of negative reviews. His endorsement of the act might however bring similar criticisms in some quarters though.
Gyan after the game told reporters he thought it wise to give the band to his senior colleague though he is the captain of the team though for some, it was a laughable reason. Will Gyan act same way anytime more senior colleagues like Sulley Muntari and John Mensah play with the Black Stars? This is a rhetoric the near future will indicate to us all.
The Scoreline
The Black Stars managed to find the back of the net four times with four different players against Sudan.
Gyan tapped in from close range, Wakaso scored from afar before Russia based Majeed Warris scored with a header in the second half.
Midfielder, Agyemang Badu who once played on the turf with Kumasi based Asante Kotoko got the fourth goal for the Black Stars connecting a pass from the right through the nimble foot of Warris.
The goals could have been more than four but do you ask for more in such circumstance? The Stars somewhat seemingly run out of steam in the latter part of the second half allowing Sudan to come up against the Stars’ defence. The North Africans could at least get a consolation but failed to capitalize on the lackluster approach of the Stars.
These Players
Emmanuel Frimpong and Adomah in the dressing room
Emmanuel Frimpong made his debut in Black Stars jersey coming into the game on the 68th minute in the number 6 jersey. Emmanuel Frimpong speaking to reporters after the game indicated that he will forever cherish the moment; getting his first cap for Ghana on March 24, 2013 at the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Then Abdul Majeed Warris also found the back of the net in the second half. He had struggled to impress days before the AFCON squad was released in a friendly against Cape Verde and was therefore sidelined from the AFCON tourney. He was obviously in Kumasi to prove a point and he did that expertly with his header to put Ghana 3-0 up.
Sulley Muntari was playing for the Stars for the first time in a very long while after injury sidelined him from participating at AFCON 2013. Like Warris, he had come to prove a point and indicate that a starting role was his portion. He duly got the starting role and was privileged to have captained the team when Gyan gave him the armband.
Mubarak Wakaso has suddenly become a gem in the Black Stars team. Aside his undeniably successful crosses into the danger area of opposing teams, Wakaso seems to have always wanted to find the back of the net in a game for team. After scoring on Sunday, he took his tally to 7 in 10 games for the Black Stars.
Black Stars in 2013
A total of nine games (competitive and friendly) have been played by the Black Stars in 2013 with some impressive record though annexing the AFCON 2013 trophy became a mirage the somewhat disappointing performance in South Africa.
Out of the nine game in 2013, the Black Stars have won six games against Egypt, Tunisia, Mali, Niger, Cape Verde and Sudan.
The team has lost twice all at the 29th AFCON tourney against Burkina Faso (on penalties) and Mali.
The only drawn game coming in this impressive record is the 2-2 draw against DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Within this period, the team has in the process scored 21 goals in open play while conceding 8.
The future
The dream is to get to Brazil 2014 undoutedly and though the journey seems topsy turvy, the team with a united purpose can and will surely get to the promised land.
Newer players will get the chance to play in the team depending on their form and so will the current players stick around to cement their places in the team.
The following are the games the Black Stars will have to deal with before they get the chance to play another team in Africa for the chance to go to Brazil.
Ghana 7-0 Lesotho [ June 1, 2012 ]
Zambia 1-0 Ghana [ June 9, 2012 ]
Ghana 4-0 Sudan [ March 24, 2013
Sudan – Ghana [ June 7, 2013 ]
Lesotho – Ghana [ June 14, 2013 ]
Ghana – Zambia [ September 6, 2013 ]
For the games that are left, Ghana soccer fans will hope the team play with same enthusiasm and better conversion rate so they get the chance to play in the final play off for qualification to Brazil 2014.
Leave a comment behind. Tell me what you think about the Black Stars performance so far in the space below.
Ghana Football Affairs, GhFA 