DEPUTY GHANA Coach Maxwell Konadu says history will not matter when Ghana and Egypt lock horns in their next two games.
The two powerhouses on the continent would battle in a two-leg affair on October 15 and November 19 to determine who goes to the World Cup in 2014.
Egypt has won the Africa Cup of Nations seven times with the Black Stars managing four triumphs; but Coach Konadu said that would not matter in their impeding clash. He said the team that would prepare better than the other would pick the solitary slot.
In this regard, the Ghana Coach said the Black Stars would train well in order to beat the North Africans.
Coach Konadu said Ghana would be preparing adequately to counter any tactics that the Egyptians would adopt for the Kumasi game.
He noted that the old tricks that North Africans used to apply against West African teams like the watering of the field would not work against Ghana in the second leg in Egypt.
Coach Konadu said Ghana were currently parading professional and experienced players who would not be overwhelmed by any ‘dirty’ tricks Egypt would adopt.
Meanwhile, Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi does not expect the Black Stars to be intimidated by the 30 June Air Defence Stadium for the World Cup return leg play-off against Egypt on 19 November.
Egypt’s Minister of Sports Taher Abu Zeid confirmed the venue on Wednesday and announced fans will be present for the crucial assignment.
The Air Defence Stadium is a 30,000-seater capacity.
This will be the first time Egypt will be playing in Cairo since October 2011, following the Port Said tragedy and civil unrest in the country.
But Nyantakyi believes the current Black Stars players have the requisite experience to play at any venue.
“Twenty years ago the sequence of the game whether you were playing first home or away second was an issue in Africa, but at the moment, it is no longer an issue,” he told Joy FM.
“All the games are on television and the hanky panky deals that use to go on are no longer there. There is more fairness, fair play, a level playing ground some of the things that used to happen with bad organisation and officiating are no longer there.
“Playing in Egypt first or second will not make any difference if you don’t prepare well. Almost all our players have played at the highest level so playing before a hundred thousand capacity stadium will not intimidate them.
“We have won some crucial away games recently so the fact that the decider will be played away for me is not a problem at all.”
Source: I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
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