Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has predicted there will more surprises at this CAF Africa Cup of Nations, which is regarded by many as the most open in recent years. Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea and Zambia have already produced some unexcpected results.
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| Ghana at the 2010 World Cup |
“I predicted that there would be a lot of surprises in this competition, and already we have seen some,” said the 25-year-old, who is on loan at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates from English Premier League side Sunderland. “There will be more. That is why Ghana will not underrate any team in this tournament.”
Gyan has a made a remarkable recovery from a hamstring injury and he is fit for his team's opening Group D match against debutants Botswana later today.
Four-time champions Ghana are one of the pre-tournament favourites, even though they last won it 30 years ago.
They were beaten in the final of the 2010 edition by Egypt and two years earlier, when they hosted the competition, they finished third. The Black Stars also reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, equalling the African record of Cameroon and Senegal.
Gyan's teammates John Mensah and Andre Ayew said winning the trophy is the target. The former, who captains the side, said: “At the last tournament in Angola, we finished second. I hope we can do better here and help Ghana win the trophy again.”
Ayew, whose legendary father Abedi Pele helped Ghana win the Cup of Nations in 1982, added: “We are one of the favourites, and we will prove we are the favourites. There are a lot of expectations from the whole of Africa, and luckily we have a coach who has motivated us as he himself was a former footballer.”
Source: Fifa.com
Gyan has a made a remarkable recovery from a hamstring injury and he is fit for his team's opening Group D match against debutants Botswana later today.
Four-time champions Ghana are one of the pre-tournament favourites, even though they last won it 30 years ago.
They were beaten in the final of the 2010 edition by Egypt and two years earlier, when they hosted the competition, they finished third. The Black Stars also reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, equalling the African record of Cameroon and Senegal.
Gyan's teammates John Mensah and Andre Ayew said winning the trophy is the target. The former, who captains the side, said: “At the last tournament in Angola, we finished second. I hope we can do better here and help Ghana win the trophy again.”
Ayew, whose legendary father Abedi Pele helped Ghana win the Cup of Nations in 1982, added: “We are one of the favourites, and we will prove we are the favourites. There are a lot of expectations from the whole of Africa, and luckily we have a coach who has motivated us as he himself was a former footballer.”
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