Mohammed Polo, the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champion, is confident that the Black Stars possess the necessary capabilities to contain Mohamed Salah during the upcoming AFCON in Ivory Coast.
Salah, the prolific Liverpool attacker, will lead the Pharaohs of Egypt in the 34th edition of the tournament.
Having recorded 17 goals and eight assists in 27 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, Salah poses a significant threat.
Ghana, aspiring to secure their fifth AFCON title, is set to face the record champions of the tournament on Thursday, January 18, at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan for their second group-stage match.
Despite the recent uneven performance of the Black Stars, Polo expressed confidence in the team’s ability to thwart Mohamed Salah’s impact.
“I think we have the players capable of stopping his danger. This is definitely the work of the technical staff,” Polo conveyed to btolat.com.
Polo also shared his expectations for Ghana’s performance in Group B, anticipating the team to secure a runner-up position.
“I expect Ghana to qualify as the runner-up to Egypt in Group Two, but advancement will not be easy in the presence of Cape Verde and Mozambique,” added the former Hearts of Oak coach.
The Black Stars will kick off their AFCON campaign against Cape Verde at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on January 14.
They will then conclude their group stage matches against Mozambique at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on January 22, 2024.