Sunyani fans optimistic of Black Stars chances

Sunyani (B/A), June 24, GNA - Football fans in Sunyani have expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Black Stars and expressed the optimism that the team would remain focused for their next encounter with United States of America on Saturday.

The fans were speaking in random interviews with the Ghana News Agency Sports (GNA) after Ghana succumbed 0-1 to Germany on Wednesday in the on-going World cup tournament in South Africa.

They however noted with concern that even though the Black Stars performed creditably in the match, the team could have utilized most of their chances to top Group 'D' if they had remained focused. "We lost focus and our shots at goal were not directed", Mr. Hammond Kwarteng, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the Department of Children, stated.

Kwaku Adjei, a presenter at a Sunyani based local FM radio station told He advised the Black Stars to play to the tactics of the technical bench and avoid selfishness.

The USA sees this encounter as an opportunity to revenge what happened during their encounter with Ghana in Germany 2006 world cup, George Yaw Ankomah of the Regional Office of the Department of Children said. Mr. Ankomah exhorted the Ghanaian players to eschew complacency and to score more goals when chances present themselves.

Mr. Oppong Martin, a driver, expressed disappointment about the inability of the Black Stars to score more goals and entreated the players to make determination their hallmark so to outsmart their markers during the encounter.

The streets of Sunyani went dead silent during the match as almost every resident remained glued to the television at home or elsewhere. The entire city, however, turned into a carnival after the match. Although Ghana did not win the match the outcome of the Australia-Serbia, which enabled he Black Stars to qualify for the next stage of the competition made the people burst out onto the streets to celebrate. People of all ages including women, children, the aged and most particularly the youth, could be seen chanting and dancing to either music produced by spinners or by the clanging of utensils and other items, blowing the few vuvuzelas in town.

Taxi drivers and other motorists were not left out as they joined the carnival tooting their horns with either their booths or bonnets decorated with the Ghana flag.

Wednesday was a market day in Sunyani and traders and customers were seen in all manner of dresses and paraphernalia designed in the national colours, long before the match.

It was a spectacle to see anxiety and excitement that enveloped residents as people were either seen or heard discussing the match and hurrying to close in time to go home and watch the epic match. Ms Lucy Yeboah, a textile dealer was seen earnestly packing her goods in time to go home and watch the match. "This is our moment as a country, as Ghana leads the rest of Africa to conquer the world. I am hurrying home so I do not miss this historical event", she said. The time for the match however was most ideal as most workers closed at the right time of 1700 hours. Besides, there was no need to go home before that time as the match was scheduled for 1830 hours. 24 June 10