Coach Sackey says the US will come tough

Wurzburg, June 19, GNA - Coach Robert Sackey, Ghana's spy on United States of America (USA) says the Black Stars final group opponents would come tough when they meet each other in Nuremburg on Thursday. The Stars are faced with a must-win situation if they are to progress to the knock-out stage of the competition in a mission the US-based Sackey, says remains surmountable.

He told the GNA Sports in Wurzburg that the US team is a very disciplined and physical side. Their strength is always their fitness and they can be very slippery.

The coach says the bottom-placed Americans have great aerial ability, which he underscore as their major strength the Stars will need to deal with to ensure they cruise to the next stage of the competition.

In finding the antidotes to these attributes, the coach said the Stars who last Saturday beat Czech Republic 2-0 to register the biggest surprise of the tournament and end the Europeans nine-match winning streak in all competitions can overcome the Americans by cutting ball supplies to the flanks.

They will need to make it their duty to cut off crosses else we'll get punished.

He described the Americans as fearless and a team that strikes better when their backs are against the wall.

=93Trust me, they will come fighting at all levels. =94I=92m hoping the Stars can resist the temptation of playing it tough because the Americans are very physical and are always out to frustrate players to make them receive cards.

He however said he believed the Stars had what it takes to step up their game to ensure they grabbed the maximum points that would do the trick.

"All they need to do is to repeat their performances against Italy and Czech and ensure they do not concede goals.

"It is equally important to avoid mistakes or we get punished. Coach Sackey discusses his views with the players tomorrow when they have a tape section to study the Americans.

He told the GNA Sports that one thing that would dominate his discussion would be for them to exploit the players "venerability in defence where he said their appetite for attacking often betrayed them."

I will expect the boys to make use of the Americans weak lateral backs that often get exposed when they are attacking, by doing a lot more counter to ensure we beat them.

"If we do all these things and avoid complacency, then one can say we will all come home smiling."