Kumasi, June 7, GNA - Ghana's Black Stars have been tipped to qualify from their group to the next stage of this year's World Cup tournament in Germany despite the stiff opposition they would encounter in their preliminary matches.

Rev. Osei Kofi and Tony Yeboah(pictured), both former key players of the Stars, who made the prediction in separate interviews with newsmen in Kumasi on Tuesday, however, warned the team to be cautiously optimistic and endeavour to go into every match with the seriousness it deserves. Ghana, which is making her debut at the World Cup finals, is in Group 'E' alongside Italy, the Czech Republic and USA, which kicks off on Friday June 9.

Rev. Osei Kofi said that "It is my fervent prayer that the players would put behind them the string of successes they chalked recently in their friendly matches and concentrate on the difficult tasks ahead". The veteran footballer who is now a Reverend Minister, was an active member of the Stars' team of the 1960s and 70s and also had stints with Kumasi Asante Kotoko during his playing career.

The former Black Stars player indicated that the Stars' qualification to its maiden World Cup finals was a demonstration of the growth of Ghana football and called on stakeholders to be dedicated to maintain such a trend.

"Our players should not underrate their capabilities or feel inferior to their experienced opponents. They should go into each match with confidence with the view to proving a point that African football has come of age", he added.

Rev. Osei Kofi pointed out that it behoved the Stars to be dedicated to improving upon records set by Cameroon and Senegal as the only two African countries to have reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 1990 and 2002 respectively.

He said this was the only way Ghana could consolidate her gains in football and also attract the necessary investment for the development of football in the country.

Tony Yeboah, a member of the Black Stars team that won silver at the African Cup of Nations tournament in Senegal in 1992, called on the Stars to step up their training and improve on accurate shooting practices so as not to squander chances that may come their way at the tournament.

"When you play against defensive-minded teams like Italy, you need not squander your chances since they hardly come that easily" he added. Tony Yeboah expressed optimism that the inclusion of Michael Essien and Sulley Ali Muntari in the Stars team would help tighten the midfield which was missing in the recent African Cup of Nations in Egypt. He commended players of the Black Stars for their unity of purpose which enabled them to qualify for their maiden World Cup.