Soccer News of Friday, 12 October 2001

Source: .

Black Stars to play Mexico

Mexico is the latest country to be added to the list of stop-overs for the senior national soccer team, Black Stars, in their preparation for the Africa Nations Cup (CAN) 2002 tournament in Mali in January.

The friendly between the two nations is scheduled for Mexico City on December 19, which is ten clear days before their engagement against Spain in another friendly.

These revelations were made to The Ghanaian Times by sources close to the FA on Thursday.

In between the two friendlies, the Black Stars will be in Mali as guest of the Malian Football Association to play their Malian counterparts in a game to officially outdoor one of the four stadiums built for the CAN 2002 event.

From the Spain engagement, the Black Stars will trek to Egypt to take on the Pharaohs before landing in Accra to prepare for the final leg of their international friendlies against Togo on a home and away basis.

According to information, the F/A continues to receive invitations for international friendlies but had to opt out in view of the closeness of the 2002 event and the adverse effects on the players from too many trials.

The head of the technical team, Coach Fred Osam Duodu, said the real assessment of the team’s training move into top gear at the close of the domestic league.

He disclosed that, his group of foreign-based players are expected to join the team latest by December 20.