Stevanovic Gathers His Stars In Kenya

Ghana coach Goran Stevanovic would commence preparations for the weekend’s 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Monday when the team starts training.

With the qualifiers heading into the third round of games in Group I, the Black Stars, joint-top of the group, have set up base in Kenya ahead of fixture in Congo on Sunday, March 27.

Ghana, on four points have a better goal difference ahead of Sudan from their opening two games while Congo are just a point behind in the group.

A five-day training camp in Kenya has been arranged as the Black Stars aim to claim the three points in Brazzaville to enhance their chances of reaching the finals in the competition to be staged by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Stevanovic last week announced his 24-man squad for the Congo game and the friendly with England, two days later.

However, the qualifier is the top priority as it’s been described as crucial by Ghana Football Association Vice President Fred Pappoe.

Pappoe, who also chairs the management board of the senior side insists that the Congo fixture would impact in Ghana’s qualification hopes. “The match against Congo is a competitive match and we are treating it as such,” Pappoe said. “It is a crucial match for us and the handlers are one 100 percent concentrated. The players also know about the importance of this match. We have absolute belief that they will be totally focused,” he added.

Ghana Squad

Goalkeepers: Richard Kingson (Blackpool, England), Sammy Adjei (Hearts of Oak, Ghana) Ernest Sowah (Berekum Chelsea, Ghana)

Defenders: John Paintsil (Fulham, England) Samuel Inkoom (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine) Daniel Opare (Standard Liege, Belgium) David Addy (Academica Coimbra, Portugal) Jonathan Mensah (Granada, Spain) Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim, Germany) John Mensah (Sunderland, England) Lee Addy (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia)

Midfielders: Anthony Annan (Schalke 04, Germany), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Bernard Kumordzi (Panionios, Greece) Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese, Italy) Sulley Muntari (Sunderland, England) Derek Boateng (Getafe, Spain) Kevin-Prince Boateng (AC Milan, Italy) Andre Ayew (Marseille, France) Opoku Agyemang (Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia)

Attackers: Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland, England) Prince Tagoe (Partizan Belgrade, Serbia) Dominic Adiyiah (Partizan Belgrade, Serbia) Nathaniel Asamoah (Asante Kotoko, Ghana).