The senior national team, the Black Stars of Ghana will begin their quest to end the country’s 40-year Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy drought today.
Having won the last trophy in 1982 in Libya, the team has come close in 1992, 2010 and 2015 but have failed to annex the ultimate.
CK Akonnor, a former Ghana international who steered the team to book a qualification for the tournament was shown the exit after Ghana’s start to the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in October 202 having lost to South Africa in Johannesburg in the matchday 2 games.
Having reappointed Milovan Rajevac as Akonnor’s successor on a one-year deal, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has tasked the Serbian trainer to win the trophy in Cameroon.
Following the unveiling of Rajevac, the country’s football governing body announced that the Serbian will take home $300,000 should he steer the team to success.
The 63-year-old trainer named a provisional squad of 30 players, a squad that was later slashed to 28, having opened camp in Doha in Qatar.
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The team had a three-week training camp in Doha. The team opened camp with five players after European clubs agreed to release their African players on January 3.
The Black Stars, as part of their preparations for the tournament, suffered a 3:0 defeat to Algeria at the Educational Stadium in Doha.
The team was expected to play three friendlies before the start of the tournament but due to the late release of players, Milovan and his charges only had just a match to access his players.
The Black Stars arrived in Yaounde on Saturday night with the inclusion of Kamaldeen Sulemana who joined the team on Saturday afternoon.
Ghana is housed in Group C alongside Morroco, Gabon and Comoros.
Milovan Rajevac will open their campaign on Monday, January 10 against Morocco at 16:00GMT.