GO BLACK STARS, GO (MARCH 28, 2009)

TOMORROW, the Black Stars, the senior national football team, begin another journey towards the 2010 World Cup with a home tie against Benin at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Paired in Group D alongside Mali and Sudan, the Black Stars, based on current performance and to some extent previous record, are considered the favourites to pick the sole ticket to the 2010 World fiesta.
While the bookmakers tip Ghana ahead of the other three, the Stars must be guided by events of the past so as not to be complacent.
In previous qualifiers, the Stars were always rated above the other teams, but it was the so-called minnows in Africa football that prevented Ghana from qualifying for the fiesta in 2002. We should learn from history.
The Stars know the task ahead and it is heart-warming that they are not underrating any side or taking anything for granted.
The legacy of Ghana’s maiden appearance at the 2006 World Cup cannot be overemphasised. Apart from greatly enhancing the image of the country at the international level, it impacted positively on the careers of the individual players.
It is for this reason that the DAILY GRAPHIC urges the Stars to start the journey to South Africa 2010 on a right note, beginning with not just a win but a convincing one against Benin tomorrow, irrespective of the challenge they pose.
When the opportunity provides itself, they must score as many goals as they can so that the qualification will not be contingent on any permutations, assuming the other teams also come up with similar good performances.
The unflinching support from the government, the entire nation and all the sponsors is enough to motivate the Stars to deliver good results.
Coach Milovan Rajevac admits the importance of the entire qualifiers and particularly this first match and has promised that he will do everything possible to get it right.
We call on the players to eschew complacency, unnecessary distractions, as well as losing focus, as these things have always worked against the team.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the return of such key players as Michael Essien of Chelsea and Matthew Amoah of NAC Breda couldn’t have been more timely as all hands would be needed on deck to make the 2010 dream a reality.
It is painful to recall that for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers the Stars lost their first game away to Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou but subsequently won the remaining matches. They do not have to take such a risk this time around because of the high expectation of Ghanaians.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is aware that the journey to South Africa 2010 will not be a straight route as there will be obstacles. We are, however, optimistic that the Stars will be among the five teams that will represent Africa at the continent’s own party in South Africa.
But in tune with the old adage that says, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step”, for the Stars and Ghana, the journey to South Africa certainly must start with a win against Benin tomorrow.
Go Black Stars, go!