Now is the hour to fulfil the pledge of Ghana's Black Stars and open another chapter in the history of African football. That hour has already been defined by defender John Paintsil when, after equalling the achievements of Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) in reaching the quarter-finals of football's World Cup last Saturday, he summed up the present mood in 12 words: "We are here to compete and. not ready to go home now." That declaration was made on behalf of a squad that was fully aware that Uruguay, two-time world champions, could pose a challenge so formidable against the African ambition. And the inevitable comes on the heels of activities yesterday marking Ghana's attainment of Republican status to precede the Black Stars' attainment of World Cup elite status. Believe it or not, the Black Stars are just 90 or 120 minutes away from becoming the first African team ever to reach the semi-finals at the FIFA World Cup. The prospect is a feeling of great excitement among the players, officials and, indeed, all South Africans and other African nationals attending the World Cup who have turned to Ghana as the only fountain of hope in this first ever tournament on African soil. This is all emotional event and, therefore, it does not matter much who the opponents-ate. It does not also mean that there is no respect for the Uruguayan opponents against whom the Ghanaians will do battle tonight. Ghana's goal-scoring ace, Asamoah Gyan, put the issue in proper perspective last Wednesday when he said, "Uruguay are a difficult side but we don't care who we are going to play against. We are ready to play against anybody." That is the spirit and it showed among the players in camp as they arrived in Johannesburg yesterday already psyched up for the match of their lives. "Forget about the quarter-finals. It's history and the joy is over. It's time to think big, so let's create a new happiness by reaching the semi¬finals," Skipper Stephen Appiah said. The mood of the team's coach, Milovan Rajevac, was no different: "We want to use this opportunity to do our best and to make history." But this historic mission and the attendant burden of carrying the hopes of an entire continent are what Uruguay, a pint-size footballing nation of only three million people who won the first ever World Cup that took place in 1930, will be up against. They also have their sights set on history to become the first to lift the first ever World Cup on African soil and repeat the 1930 and 1950 cup-winning feats of their predecessors. But, unlike the Black Stars, La Celeste may be lacking an entire continental weight behind them, as that support appears fragmented among three other South American teams in the quarter¬finals, namely, Brazil and Argentina,' both former champions, and Paraguay. However, La Celeste, who play fast and straight football, have what it takes to go all the way to the final, being the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals after their unbeaten run in a group that included the hosts, South Africa, whom they mercilessly trounced 3-0. And in Diego Farlan and Luis Suarez, they have a daring pair of strikers whose scoring rates can be compared to none in the Stars' squad except Asamoah Gyan. Suarez and Gyan share seven goals between them so far, with Suarez on four and Gyan on three, which stake them in pole position to contest the Argentine striker, Gonzalo Higuain, on four goals, for the tournament's top scorer award. But the striking phenomenon of Forlan and Suarez and Uruguay's rich World Cup history aside, their reaching the quarter-finals this year, the first time in 40 years, has an explanation that only their coach, Oscar Tabarez, can provide. Be believes there is unity among his players and that is what is working magic for them. "I don't want to sound cocky, but this solidarity and unity among the players is a very good weapon to have against any team," he said. Earlier, there would have been reason to fear for the Stars for arguably lacking the same level of unity following Sulley Ali Muntari's alleged tantrums in camp which nearly occasioned his sack. But the Stars have since moved on in style and victory and appear more focused than ever before to achieve something greater for themselves, Ghana and continental Africa. Reports that prominent African figures, such as the veritable world renowned statesman and South Africa's first post-apartheid President, the Madiba Nelson Mandela, are ready to throw a reception for the team after tonight's game eloquently speak of the hearts that the Stars have won. When the Stars become the first team to reach the semi-finals at South Africa 2010 tonight, the mammoth celebrations that will greet the feat across the world will be better seen than imagined. Stars probable. line-up: Richard Kingson, John Paintsil, Hans Adu-Sarpei, Isaac Vorsah, John Mensah, Anthony Annan, Samuel Inkoom, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Asamoah Gyan, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Ali Muntari. Match Referee: Benquerenca (portugal) Asst. Referee 1: Jose Cardinal (portugal) Asst. Referee 2: Bertino Miranda (Portugal)