Soccer News of Saturday, 7 February 2015

Source: dailysoccerghana.com

Herve Renard: Andre Ayew is Ghana’s best player

Ivory Coast Coach Herve Renard has described Andre Ayew as Ghana’s best player ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday.

After featuring in the past five games, the Olympique Marseille winger has scored three goals and has contributed to over two of Ghana’s 10 goals scored at the continental championship in Equatorial Guinea.

“I know them (Black Stars) very well, but they also have some new players. If you don’t know Asamoah Gyan is a good header of the ball, then you are in trouble. So, we won’t be surprised by them. But Ghana is not only Gyan. Their best player is Andre Ayew and so we have to be very careful about him,” Renard said at a pre-match press conference.

After leading the Black Stars out to face Equatorial Guinea in the semi-final clash last Thursday, deputy skipper Andre Ayew could again wear the captain’s armband against the Elephants if Asamoah Gyan does not recover in time from his hip injury.

Gyan suffered the pelvic injury during last Sunday’s 3-0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals of the tournament.

The Black Stars will be seeking to avenge the AFCON 1992 loss to Ivory Coast 11-10 on penalties in Senegal when both sides meet in Bata.