Black Stars and Olympique Marseille midfielder Andre Dede Ayew has expressed confidence in the current set of players available for selection against Uganda, in their impending African Nations Cup qualifier.
The team will be without skipper Asamoah Gyan who is still recuperating from a thigh injury sustained while playing for his club side Al Ain while Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah is also missing through injury.
“We are very disappointed not to have Kwadwo and our captain around since they are key players for us.
To not have them is a loss but I have a lot of faith in our team and my teammates and I know that we can go to Uganda and do a great job there.
A victory will see us through to the Nations Cup and that’s what is important so we are going to train hard and try to come back home with a victory,”he told some reporters.
The Black Stars will be hoping to improve on the uninspiring display put up during the first leg when the Cranes held them to a draw at the Baba Yara stadium to the disgust of expectant home fans.
The team has since improved on that performance and currently top Group E with 8 points from 4 games closely followed by neighbors Togo who are 2 points shy off the summit.
Andre Ayew who saved the team’s blushes has been called upon once again to step in as interim captain in the absence of Gyan.
According to him he feels duty bound to lead this younger generation of Black Stars players to achieve something for the nation.
“Being the oldest player in the team in the absence of our captain what is important is that I prepare myself to lead the team to put out a strong performance to ensure victory for us,”he answered when asked about his preparedness for his new role.
The Black Stars will have to dig deep to emerge from the fixture with the desired result against a team they have struggled against in recent times after failing to beat them in the last two attempts.
The game will take place at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala at 15:00 GMT.
Benjamin Nketsia/Citifmonline.com/Ghana