Soccer News of Monday, 13 June 2005

Source: --

South Africa Spying On Ghana

South African Football Association (Safa's) Director of International Affairs, Barney Kujane, somewhere in Kenya spying on Ghana, Sunday revealed details of the Black Stars' meticulous "master plan" which according to him were aimed to repeat the 3-0 mauling of Bafana in an earlier World Cup qualifying game last June and disclosed the Ghana squad would only be arriving in South Africa from their camping base in Kenya late on Thursday night.

He told team officials from his hide out in Kenya that the Black Stars might not be camping on the peaks of Mt Kilimanjaro, but have simulated altitude conditions in Kenya not unlike those which will confront them at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium for the crunch World Cup qualifying game against Bafana Bafana on Saturday. He said the Ghanaians are well aware their hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup in Germany are dependant on a favourable result against Bafana," said Kujane, "and they have planned their strategy to the minutest detail.

"They believe it would not be advantagous to be in South Africa for too long before Saturday's game," added Kujane, "but they feel it essential for their training camp to be held in similar conditions to those on the Highveld -- and the site they have chosen in Kenya is ideally-suited for this purpose."

He reports that a varied 25-man Ghana squad under the leadership of Stephen Appiah has consequently been assembled in Kenya for eight days, with the Juventus-based captain and FC Lyon's formidable Michael Essien rated the chief dangers to Bafana.

It would be recalled that Appiah who scored twice in Ghana's stunning 3-0 success against South Africa has expressed confidence in the Black Stars repeating the result at FNB Stadium in an interview with BBC Sports.

The Ghana squad comprises: Sanni Mohammed, Sammy Adjei, Dan Coleman, Yusif Chibsa, Issa Ahmed, Hamza Mohammed, Dramani Aminu, Azziz Ansah, Eric Gawu, Kwadwo Poku, Baffour Gyan, Asamoah Gyan, Kofi Amponsa, John Mensah, John Paintsil, Laryea Kingston, Baba Amando, Adamu Frimbong, Sulay Muntari, Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, Matthew Amoah, Yakubu Abubakar, Dan Adusei and Goodwin Atram