[ 2012-01-28 ]

Preview: Can the Eagles soar above the Stars?
The Eagles of Mali will be looking to exorcise
that Black Stars ghost that has long haunted them
in an intriguing West African derby in the ongoing
AFCON tournament.

Both sides have never met in the Nations Cup
history but have on 11 other occasions. Only two
years ago the Stars bundled over the Eagles to
secure the only slot in the group for the 2010
World Cup.

As if that is not enough, the Eagles have only one
victory- a friendly- to show out of the 11
meetings against the Black Stars. Ghana have five
victories with the rest ending in a stalemate.

The facts and figures look good for the Black
Stars but the one thing this tournament has shown,
even before it kick-started is that
history-facts-and-figures mean very little;
ability on the day and on the pitch means
everything.

Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and Cameroon are
gnashing their teeth already by not qualifying for
the tournament; Morocco, Senegal- touted as one of
the tournament's favourites- only added to the
numbers and will be taking an early bow after
listless performances.

Thankfully, neither Ghana nor Mali will be
eliminated automatically if one loses to the other
but the maximum points for each side will be
non-negotiable.

For the Black Stars, it will be a morale booster
as they chase their fifth Nations Cup trophy in 30
years and for the Eagles they are desperate for a
historic Nations Cup glory for the first time.

The Black Stars have a lot to worry about ahead of
the clash. Their skipper John Mensah is out on
suspension. Their lead striker Asamoah Gyan limped
in and out of training ahead of the clash and
despite been declared fit for the game on Saturday
he will surely be looking behind his shoulders and
try to protect a fragile limb in a game that
surely would be physical and highly emotive.

With injury worries in attack, the Stars even have
a bigger worry in central defence. With skipper
John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah out on suspension, it
looked almost certain, Jonathan Mensah and John
Boye will be paired.

Boye was voted man of the match in the game
against Botswana but had the support and advice of
a much more experienced John Mensah. It remains to
be seen how he will combine with a relatively
inexperienced Jonathan Mensah to curtail the
rampaging runs of Modibo Maiga in attack for the
Malians. That surely will be Ghana's weakest
link.

The midfield tussle will even be more interesting.
Barcelona star and skipper of the Malian side,
Seydou Keita has a huge responsibility of keeping
an overbearing Ghanaian midfield marshaled around
Dede Ayew, Agyemang Badu and hopefully Kwodwo
Asamoah silent.

Whoever wins the midfield tussle I am convinced
will carry the day, even though the odds heavily
favours the Stars.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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