Keshi not fooled by performance of Black Stars

Accra, April 2, GNA - Stephen Keshi, coach of the Mali National team, the Eagles says he would not be 'fooled' by the jaded performance of Ghana's Black Stars in their match against Benin last Sunday.

Ghana laboured to beat Benin 1-0 in a joint African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifier at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi last Sunday and Keshi believes the result could deceive everyone else but not him. He told GNA Sports from his Bamako base that "it is being rumoured that they played below their capacity, yet they are atop the table. "Let everyone else be fooled by the performance of the Black Stars but count me out, I won't fall for this."

Ghana, housed in Group D alongside Mali, Sudan and Benin will next play the Eagles in Bamako in June and Keshi insists he would step up preparations for that duel.

The coach said "I know the quality of the Ghanaian side and I will not allow a single performance to distort the reality about their strength.

"My approach to the game remains intact and I have not come this far only to undervalue any opponent."

Mali picked a crucial away point against Sudan in Omdurman last Sunday and Keshi told GNA Sports his search for three points in the duel with Ghana remains a priority.

Ghana leads the group with three points while Mali and Sudan have a point each with Benin at the depth pointless. Apart from Ghana, all three teams have never qualified for the global showpiece to which Keshi yearns to be second time lucky. Keshi made history with Togo in 2005 when he qualified the 'tiny' West Africans to their first World Cup in Germany.