Ghana is on the precipe and only victory over Burkina Faso tomorrow would salvage the host and win dream in the GOtv WAFU Cup.
Maxwell Konadu received the flak from home fans for his selection after the local Black Stars fumbled and tumbled 1-0 before Benin in a second group game last Saturday night.
The defeat saw Ghana drop from the top of the log to third place on three points with Benin and Burkina Faso as joint leaders on four points apiece, leaving the host nation to search for victory tomorrow or get the exit.
Fans questioned the wisdom in benching tried and tested players such as New Edubiase’s Asiedu Atobra, and Hearts of Oak pair of Nuru Sule and Moro Abubakar when some players picked by the coach for the Benin game were simply not up to the task.
As some accuse Konadu of favouritism in his choice of players, he perhaps will have a good opportunity to correct himself and put the team back in contention for the ultimate when they confront the powerful Burkinabe team tomorrow.
There may be flaws in the criticisms and accusation against the coach, and even preposterous as the criticisms may be, the coach who doubles as assistant to Kwasi Appiah for the original Black Stars, has a duty to prove himself as one cut for the job.
A strong side with virtually no sign of flagging, Burkina Faso present a huge mountain for Ghana to climb and only a tactically superior game staged by a committed, well-motivated team will overcome them.
For Burkina Faso, it will be an outstanding achievement if they account for Ghana or even draw to advance.
That is why Ghana must put their acts together and craft the winning strategy.
Burkina Faso will come fielding a team with the likes of Oumarou Nibie, who scored the lone goal against Sierra Leone last Saturday, and Issa Gouo to torment Ghana.
From the first match where they showed potency, the Ghanaian attack looked sufficiently clumsy against Benin and coming face-to-face with a Burkinabe defence that showed power, Latif Mohammed and Sulley Mohammed, supported by the Yahaya Mohammed, will have to double up to find a way through the back.
The middle and defensive departments have been sloppy a bit and Konadu may do some shuffling to get going.
But I still have the greatest conviction that the Ghana team will rise to the occasion and secure a passage to the next phase.
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