Black Stars Upbeat Over Korea Clash

Ghana�s Black Stars are confident they will be third time lucky over South Korea as the two sides clash in an international friendly in Seoul on Tuesday. Kick-off is at 11am Ghana time. Players Asamoah Gyan, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Richard Olele Kingson, Isaac Vorsah, Coach Goran "Plavi" Stevanović and GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi all told Asempa Sports� Patrick Osei Agyemang �Songo� that they were confident of a positive outcome. Asamoah Gyan who returns to lead the Black Stars attack after sitting out on suspension in the Nations Cup qualifier against Congo last Friday, admitted the Asians want to prove a point and are seeking revenge in their two losses in as many encounters with the Black Stars. The Stars, he said, are also prepared for the game. He would not predict a personal goal but was hopeful if things work out well, the Stars should hold sway over their hosts. Players John Mensah, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Michael Essien, Prince Tagoe, Andre Ayew, Samuel Inkoom and goalkeeper Sammy Adjei are either nursing injuries or are out of the Korea campaign on official excuse, leaving Richard Kingson, John Paintsil, Daniel Opare, Isaac Vorsah, Jonathan Mensah, Lee Addy, Anthony Annan, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Opoku Agyemang, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari, Dominic Adiyiah, Derek Boateng, David Addy, Emmanuel Clottey to train Monday for the Tuesday game. Substitute goalkeeper Ernest Sowah of Bechem FC has been reported sick with malaria but officials are hopeful he will recover in good time for the game. Udinese player Emmanuel Agyemang Badu would want to put the Black Stars 3:1 victory over Congo, particularly his personal blinding shot that sealed victory, behind him. He said he was focused on the game on hand and was sure the Black Stars (for which he arrogated Asante Kotoko�s motto; Kum apem a, apem beba has a depth rich enough to yield quality replacement for any key player unavailable at any point in time and does not expect the team to suffer much as a result of the absence of the aforementioned players. According to Agyemang Badu, there was absolute unity in camp while every player was giving of his best at training and hopes the team wins. He expects a tough game however. A cautious Isaac Vorsah said he would approach the game as any other, friendly or not and called for the support and prayers of Ghanaians. Goalkeeper Richard Olele Kingson said the Black Stars were determined to keep their stranglehold on the Koreans and promised his best. He also apologized to the nation for the lone goal the Stars conceded against Congo, accepting responsibility for that let down. According to Kingson, he had desired a clean sheet in the game but has learnt a great lesson from that mistake and hopes never to repeat it. He has put that mishap behind him and looks forward to Tuesday�s game. Coach Plavi himself, satisfied with the outcome of the Congo game said he was getting ready for Tuesday�s encounter whose results he said would not be too crucial. He hinted at likely tiredness of his players � from the game on Friday and jetlag - short of which he said the team was 100 percent ready for the friendly. Aware of the many regulars who will miss the Korea game, he expressed hope that options he would be trying including Opoku Agyemang, Emmanuel Clottey and David Addy, will take the opportunity and prove themselves. �I don�t want to speak about who we will miss but it is important that everybody has the chance to play tomorrow and I think that they will use the chance.� �It�s important to play your key players but tomorrow is a new game, a different game, it�s a friendly game but I want to see other players,� he said. FA President Kwasi Nyantakyi, said the game was a normal game and the team was approaching it appropriately, explaining that all was well and that the team was ready to play. He said usually friendly games have two objectives: to give the coach the chance to try new players and then also to improve the nation�s position on the FIFA rankings and called for prayers for the team to win. Kwasi Nyantakyi spoke fondly of reception by the hosts, saying the Stars� two previous encounters with the Koreans, both of which ended 3:1 for the Black Stars, would motivate the Asians to seek a win. He however was hopeful that whoever played for the Black Stars would live up to expectation.