admin3-0 last Monday to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition in South Africa.
Sections of the Ghanaian media have reported that Ghana attempted to bribe Ghana-born Niger defender Kofi Dankwa to play below par so that the Black Stars could win easily.
It reported that Ghana skipper and striker Asamoah Gyan met Dankwa.
However, the national football association has dismissed the report as “false, mischievous and reckless”.
“The GFA wants to state emphatically that there is no iota of truth in the report and it is the reckless imagination of the authors,” said a statement by the association.
“The GFA is extremely disturbed that at a time the country is solidly behind the Black Stars to bring home the Africa Cup, a tiny minority of journalists would engage in such nation-wrecking activity.
“We want to assure the people of Ghana that the team is focused on the campaign of the Africa Cup of Nations.” Four-time champions Ghana face Cape Verde in this Indian Ocean city Saturday for a semi-finals place.
Meanwhile, four-time champions Ghana have hit form at the right time and should end the fairy tale run of Cape Verde when the teams clash today in an African Cup of Nations soccer quarter-final.
The match kicks-off at 5pm.
After struggling in their drawn opening group game against the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Black Stars were a different class when easing past Niger 3-0 in one of their best displays in a long time.
However, coach Kwesi Appiah fired a warning shot to title rivals when he said his team are still far from their best.
“We stepped up against Niger but, with 11 debutants at this competition, we can do much better,” said the former international defender.
“There were a few details I was not happy about in our last game, a few cases of tactical indiscipline, but we are about 70% toward our capability now.” Since 2004, both teams have clashed three times with Ghana posting a perfect record against the Blue Sharks.
Last November, Ghana beat Cape Verde 1-0 in Portugal in a friendly, but Appiah said he would not read too much into that result.
“It won’t be an easy game against a physical, tactically disciplined side like Cape Verde, who have nothing to lose at this stage of the competition,” said the handler.
Ghana will be a full-strength after three injury-hit stars — Mubarak Wakaso, Anthony Annan and Richmond Boakye-Yiadom — returned to training. Wakaso was the match-winner against Mali and also scored the only goal against Cape Verde in Lisbon last year.
He missed the Niger match because of a ban, and would have been sidelined anyway by a sore knee. In his absence, Porto youngster Christian Atsu shone, and Appiah said he could line up both players against Cape Verde because they can operate in various positions.
Solidarity and the motivational skills of coach Lucio Antunes have combined to write one of the biggest success stories at this tournament.— AFP.
Online Reporter