Pray for Black Stars, RFA Chair appeals

By Eugene Daniel Ohemeng, GNA

Sunyani, June 25, GNA - Mr. Augustine Asante, the Regional Football Association (RFA) Chairman for Bono, Bono East and Ahafo has called on Ghanaians to support the Black Stars with prayers in the 2019 African Cup of Nations tournament (AFCON) underway in Egypt.

He also advised Ghanaians to believe that the players could deliver to expectation and eventually win the trophy for Ghana.

Mr. Asante was speaking to the GNA Sports an interview on the Black Stars’ chances of winning the trophy for the fifth time on Monday in Sunyani.

The Ghana Black Stars, four times winners of the trophy last won it in January 1982 in Tripoli, Libya, despite that there had been an earlier decision by the then late Dr. Hilla Limann’s People National Party (PNP) government that Ghana would not participate in that tournament.

Ghana’ participation in that 1982 Africa’s biggest soccer fiesta was through the coming into power of the ex-President Jerry John Rawlings’ Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government through the December 31, 1981 coup d’état that ousted the Dr. Limann’s government.

Against this background, he said Ghanaians were itching to see the AFCON trophy for the fifth time, more so as the nation had been in the semi-final stage in the last six tournaments of the competition between 2008 and 2017.

In addition, Mr. Asante recalled Ghana had reached the finals and lost three times since the last 27 years – Senegal 1992, Angola 2010 and Equatorial Guinea 2015.

“Those moments were still fresh in the memories of Ghanaian football enthusiasts and consequently increase the pains of not winning the trophy for the fifth time,” he added. 

Mr. Asante stated it would be “a great honour” if the Black Stars won the cup again this time, but was quick to suggest that “our expectations should not be too high because football is a game of uncertainties which does not follow logic”.

GNA

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