Grant targets knock-out stage at 2018 World Cup

The coach says the Black Stars are looking beyond just booking a place for the global fiesta

Ghana coach Avram Grant says the Black Stars are already eyeing an impressive showing at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia ahead of the team’s second round qualifier with Comoros on Tuesday.

The three-time World Cup participants are hoping to confirm their place in the third and final round with a win over Comoros at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. The first leg ended in a goalless draw in Moroni on Friday.

“We are taking the first step towards achieving our target which is to do well in Russia 2018,” Grant said.

“Every long journey begins with a first step. So this is our first step here in the second round of the qualifiers and we have to win the game on Tuesday if we want to do great things in Russia.

“I think Ghana deserves it. The talent is here. We will work on other things that can be improved.”

The Black Stars reached the round of 16 on their maiden World Cup appearance in Germany in 2006, before moving a step further to the quarter-finals at the South Africa 2010.

However, in Brazil 2014, the four-time African champions failed to progress past the group stage.

“We want to make Ghana the first African country to do well in Russia by going beyond the group stage.

“It is a long way from now and we need to do our first job on Tuesday. I believe that we can achieve a lot of good things.”

The winner of Tuesday’s clash joins 19 other teams for the final qualifying round.