Akyem Oda, Oct. 9, GNA - Hundreds of football fans at Akyem-Oda poured onto the streets to celebrate the Black Stars qualification to the World Cup on Saturday soon after the end of the match. As soon as the match ended with the convincing 4-nil victory over the Cape Verde counterparts, soccer fans on motorbikes, bicycles and vehicles swarmed the streets of the town to celebrate the sweet victory. Some supporters also decided to celebrate the victory by rushing into drinking spots and bars to cool themselves with drinks amidst singing and dancing.

Some of the fans that the GNA Sports spoke to expressed satisfaction at the performance of the team so far that has ensured the qualification of the nation to the World Cup and called for more support to motivate the team to lift the flag of Ghana high in Germany next year.

Tamale

Football fans in Tamale Metropolis defied the total blackout to deny themselves sleep as they went into jubilant mood deep into the night to express their joy after the Black Stars had qualified for the World Cup in Germany 2006.

Despite a general blackout in Metropolis, the fans poured into the streets and chanted victory songs, when they realised that Ghana had finally qualified for the World Cup.

While some of the fans were in the streets jubilating others invaded the drinking bars in a frenzy mood on a drinking spree. The day coincided with the Ga-Adangbe edition of the Homowo Festival in Tamale and when the news got to celebrants that the Stars had qualified, the area was electrified with jubilation amidst dancing and singing to gospel music.

Nii Dodoo Henry, Chief of the Ga-Adangbe residents in the Northern Region told the GNA Sports that "this is what I have prayed for all in my life and at long last God has answered my prayers. This time round, Ghana's flag will be hoisted among football nations in the world but not only at the United Nations Peace keeping operations as has always been the case".

He urged the boys not be complacent about their achievement, adding that the, "The spirit of football is to win, win and continue winning." He called for non-interference with the work of the Stars Coach and his technical bench since according to him such tendencies had in the past denied the nation's qualification for the World Cup. Mr. Dan Adane, Daily Graphic's Regional Photographer said the task ahead for the players and technical handlers of the Stars was huge and called for moral and financial support to enable them to undertake serious training to put the name of Ghana in a better position on the football map.

Mrs Joyce Kunadu, a businesswoman at the Tamale Central Market said she was proud of the performance of the boys and urged them to put in their best as Ghanaians with a common goal to achieve results without counting on the costs.

She appealed to Ghanaians to offer prayers for the team and continue to pray for them to win the ultimate cup for Ghana. Mrs Victoria Osei a worker at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture advised the players not to listen to gossips, saying that, "they have to realise that the more than 20 million Ghanaians are behind them urging them to move forward and so if they fall, they will be falling on the 20 million Ghanaians who are solidly behind them."

She urged the players to obey the laws governing the game. Mr Kyei Yemoah, Manager of the Bonzali Rural Bank in Tamale said the qualification of the Stars was not the end of the mission but going to Germany to justify " your presence is important".

He urged Ghanaians not to politicise the qualification of the Stars but to complement government's efforts by committing resources to help in the training of the Stars to win the cup for the country. MORE AMG 09 Oct 05