What the Black Stars dread most has come back staring again..

BY NANA YAW PREKO BIMPEH

If there’s anything that has become a component of the Black Stars plot at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in recent times, it is, so to speak, the last-day search for knockout qualification out of their group.

This situation that has seemingly become a parcel of the Ghana national team is apparent opposite to the saying that the best is reserved for last, as the team must have to constantly go through dreaded last-minute moments before the dust settles.

It is amusing to say the Stars leave the worst for the last.

One then can opine that the Black Stars have rarely known neutral grounds in terms of qualifying from their group into the knockout phase in recent times, and what perhaps Ghana dreaded so much has come back rearing its funny head here in Ivory Coast.

At the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, the Black Stars left it late in search of qualification, only to hit the brick wall in an embarrassing manner against Comoros in the last game.

The Black Stars opened their campaign with a one-nil defeat to Morocco and managed a draw with Gabon in the second game, leaving the team with one point after two games. Owing to the situation, Ghana was left with no chance but to win against Comoros to escape the unthinkable of not progressing into the last 16.

But whether by fate, accident or design, the unimaginable transpired with Ghana, even yet to finish reeling from its scar as we speak. The team was crushed out of the competition with a disgraceful 2-3 to Comoros, making us a laughing stock among our peers with the wounds still fresh in our minds.

Curiously, however, in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, the Black Stars envisage themselves in such an identical situation. What happened in Cameroon is back chasing Ghana again. The team is on the cusp of either leaving or staying with the same make-or-break web.

Chris Hughton’s side opened the 2023 Afcon with a defeat to Cape Verd and left Egypt off the hook to draw two all in the second game.

The four-time champions have just a point after that draw with Egypt and are left in the scenario of a must-win in their third game against Mozambique.

With the final game approaching with the same scene of Cameroon playing out of having to leave it late to fight for qualification, the ball once again is at the feet of the Ghana team. squeeze all three points to see how things pan out for those who will find themselves in the best third-placed teams.

The funniest thing is how the computations and the arithmetics have surfaced, with many Ghanaian fans working it out to see the possible calculations that will help Ghana.

At this point, every Ghanaian is a mathematician or funny to say, Archimedes.

Can the Black Stars make themselves and Ghana proud?

Will the team explore ways to change the narrative despite the belated search for a round of 16 berth for the umpteenth time?

Ghanaians will hold their breadth, and Africa will watch closely. Come on, Stars the time to shine is now.

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