The Black Meteors left the shores of Ghana on Tuesday for the 2019 Africa under-23 Cup of Nations with a promise to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
It has been fifteen years since the team competed in the world’s biggest sporting festival and winger Evans Mensah has assured Ghanaians of the team’s resolve to make it to Japan next year.
Speaking to pressmen ahead of the team’s departure, the former Inter Allies forward said he is targeting the goal king crown at the tournament.
Everybody is ready to play, everybody is fit and everybody is ready to play. It is very important for this group, Ghana and the team to qualify because we need to make our nation proud and also make ourselves proud. The most important thing is we have to qualify. We just need to qualify and also win the cup”.
His teammate, Robin Polley also said ‘it’s always good to start a tournament with three points so that is important. It’s going to be crucial and I have to be ready. I feel pressured but I believe that for the first time in sixteen years, something good will happen.
While the players and technical team members were going through the traveling process at the Kotoka International Airport, the President of the FA and three Executive Council members were receiving an 8,000-dollar donation from the Ghana Olympic Committee.
The gesture, according to the President of GOC, Ben Nunoo Mensah is an act of goodwill and a show of support to the team.
“The GOC deems it fit that we should support every national team that is going for qualifiers for the Olympic Games. As we all know the Black Meteors will be emplaning anytime soon to go to Egypt and compete and qualify for the Olympic Games. So on behalf of the GOC we are donating an amount of 8000 dollars to the president of the FA”, he said.
GFA President, Kurt Okraku revealed that the association has in place a financial package for the team and also charged them to play their hearts out for the country.
Okraku said that a return to the Olympic Games after nearly two decades will mark a perfect start to his reign as GFA Boss.
“I’m extremely blessed to have received that phone call from your good self, promising to bless me and our national under-23 side. I’m saying I’m blessed because by the time the phone call I was on the other phone talking to somebody about the incentive package or how to motivate the team”.
“Indeed motivation does not only rely on cash incentives. I believe that our Olympic team has prepared well. They are very focused. I believe in the leadership of the technical team. I believe that they have focused their minds and energy on making the Ghanaian colors proud”, he said.
A member of the Executive Council, Randy Abbey attributed Ghana’s failure to qualify for the last four editions of the Olympic Games to problems such as club’s refusing to release players but tasked the current team to change the story.
The Black Meteors have been drawn in group A alongside hosts Egypt, Cameroon and Mali. The top three teams from the competition will qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo next year.