Off the wire
China calls for upgrading, improving cooperation with EU  • Foreign exchange rate of Euro to other currencies  • Mozambican president to meet opposition leader  • Morocco fined 8 million euro for failing to host 2015 African Cup  • Somali leader urges Parliament to expedite approval of cabinet  • French stock market index down 0.26 pct on Friday  • China calls for cooperation in addressing security challenges  • 1st LD Writethru: Putin, Merkel, Hollande begin peace talks in Moscow on Ukraine crisis  • U.S. stocks extend rally on stronger jobs report  • British trade deficit increases to 34.8 bln pounds in 2014  
You are here:   Home

Ghanaian president wants Black Stars to win AFCON trophy

Xinhua, February 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama asked Friday the Black Stars, the country's senior national soccer team, to end the 33-year trophy drought in the uncompleted African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Speaking at the graduation of senior officer police cadets in Accra on Friday, the president said it was time for the Stars to bring the trophy home.

Ghana is chasing its fifth continental trophy as the Black Stars face the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire in the grand finale of the 2015 AFCON tournament on Sunday.

President Mahama asked Ghanaians to hope, pray and support the Stars to lift the flag of Ghana high in Equatorial Guinea.

"All of us had our hearts gladdened by a sterling performance of the Ghana Black Stars in Equatorial Guinea in their match against the host nation.

"We continue to pray and hope that the Black Stars will do us proud and for the fifth time in history bring the African Cup home, " he said.

The Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire clash will be a repeat of the Senegal 1992 final in which the Elephants won through a marathon penalty kick.

It was the last time the Elephants won a continental trophy. Endite