The senior national team, the Black Stars would play two friendly matches against the national team of Gabon, Azingo Stars and Kumasi Asante Kotoko on Tuesday 8 and Thursday 10 October at the Accra and Kumasi Sports Stadiums respectively.

The matches form part of the Stars' preparation towards their African Cup qualifier against Rwanda at the Accra Sports Stadium on October 13.

Emmanuel Kwesi Afranie, caretaker coach of the team told GNA Sports, that "the matches would be used to test the strength of the Stars and serve as a final brush up for the team before the match against Rwanda".

The coach said the stars were originally scheduled to play Harambee stars of Kenya but the Kenyans have travelled to England on a training tour.

According to the coach, the team's preparation is going on smoothly as all the players invited with the exception of players of Kotoko are in camp.

Asante Kotoko are preparing for their first leg semi-final match in the African Cup Winners Cup against A S Police of Congo.

Presently, 15 out of the 18 locally based players are in camp. Notable among them are Charles Taylor, Prinston Owusu Ansah, John Painstil and Issac Boakye who even though is a player of Kotoko has not been registered to participate in the CAF cup winner cup championship.

In a related development, Champion Club Accra Hearts of Oak played BRM Stars a division one team from of Cape Coast at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Sunday October 6.

Hearts used the match as a training exercise to keep the team in shape following the suspension of the National Premier League.

The league is expected to go on a three-week break to enable the Black

Stars, Black Queens, Black Satellites, the under 20 team as well as Kumasi Asante Kotoko to clear pending international assignments.