Sports News of Monday, 17 September 2018

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Kwasi Appiah under no pressure to win 2019 AFCON

Black Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah play videoBlack Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah

Head coach of the Black Stars Kwasi Appiah says he doesn’t feel pressured to win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations which will be hosted by current holders, Cameroon.

Kwasi Appiah upon his return as coach of the team was tasked by the GFA to lead the Stars to glory in 2019. The 56-year-old is carrying the hopes of a nation that has been longing for AFCON trophy since 1982. But the former Kotoko defender insists he is not under pressure to win the cup for Ghana.

“If you’ve played before and you are facing such issues in football, you normally take it easy. I have been with this national team. I have gone and come back and there are so many things that I have learnt. Things that people might think must be difficult for me, I see it as nothing. Like people thinking that okay let’s put some pressure on him and make him do that. I have grown past that’, Kwesi Appiah explained on GhanaWeb’s Sports Check programme.

Players of the Black Stars have made known their determination to win Ghana its first trophy in over 3 decades.

Inter Milan midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah who has been speaking on the topic is of the conviction that 2019 is the perfect opportunity for the Ghana to add to its 4 AFCON titles.

“Ghana is one of the countries that can win the [2019] Africa Cup of Nations title. It is one of the things I want to win with my country,” Asamoah told Joy Sports.

“I pray and hope that we work together and stay focus because everything that we intend to achieve needs hard work and focus as well as unity,” he added.

The Black Stars suffered a blip against Kenya in Nairobi but expectations are rife that the team will bounce back and win the double header against Sierra Leone in October.

Ghana, who are leading the pack in Group F with three points, have made it to the semifinals of the Afcon on six consecutive times since 2008, including two finals where they lost to Egypt and Cote d'Ivoire in 2010 and 2015 respectively.