The Ghana Football Association is taking no chances to ensure that Ghana makes another presence at the FIFA World Cup. Hectic preparations are under way to secure an important away victory over Mali in the final phase of the qualifying series and so the local league programme has been suspended this weekend to get full attention for a special friendly match against Uganda in Tamale on Sunday May 31st.

The northern regional capital of Tamale was specially chosen for this trial match because it has similar climatic conditions like Mali at this time of the year. One may therefore surmise that it would serve as some sort of acclimatization for the Black Stars. The team will remain in camp in Tamale and fly from there to Bamako for that crucial maiden away match bearing in mind that there are two more away encounters against Sudan and Benin.

This trial match will parade a lot of new faces for the Black Stars in the absence of regular stars like Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah, Laryea Kingston, Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah and Anthony Annan for varied reasons but mostly due to injuries.

Serbian Coach Milovan Rajevac, will try new faces like Papa Arko formerly of Liberty Professionals and now with Egyptian club Al-Gaish, former Black Starlets kingpin Opoku Agyemang now in Qatar, Prince Buabeng (Dundee United), Isaac Vorsah(Hoffenheim Germany) and defenders Jonathan Quartey and Jonathan Mensah both playing in South Africa.

Backed by familiar faces like Harrison Afful, Samuel Inkoom, Dan Yeboah, Philemon MacCarthy, Prince Tagoe, John Paintsil and Joe Tex Frimpong, the Black Stars should be strong enough to give an indication of their preparedness to reach the World Cup finals in South Africa.

Matches between Uganda and Ghana though not that many, have always produced exciting moments. It is on record that Ghana won the original Africa Cup of Nations trophy for keeps in 1978 beating Uganda 2-0 in the final in Accra with Opoku Afriyie now team manager of the Black Stars scoring both goals.

The most recent Ghana-Uganda encounter win was 2005 in Kumasi; where Michael Essien and Mathew Amoah scored to give Ghana a 2-0 win in a World Cup qualifying match. From all indications this will be a worthwhile exercise to give the Black Stars the right tune for the task ahead against Mali on June 7.

FROM MY ARCHIVES (May 29th)

May 29th 1993: Raymond Goethals, coach of European champions Marseille has confirmed he would quit. “It is a fitting way to end my career. I can’t think of a nicer grand finale to my career”, said the 71 year old former Belgian national coach.

Goethals said it had been possible to beat Milan because their game was predictable. “For five years Milan has been playing with the same names with the same concept”, he added.

One newspaper alluded to the Dutch habit for self destruction around the time of major tournaments. “The dream turns to nightmare. Gullit had done little to help the Dutch cause” said another newspaper. Meanwhile Gullit remains tight lipped.

May 29th 1995: Gambia pulls out of Africa Cup of Nations football qualifying series.

May 29th 1998: FIFA to honour Nelson Mandela, Gilmar, Gerd Muller,Karl Weigang among personalities for FIFA Order Merit during its 51st Congress.

May 29th 1998: A.C.Milan names former Udinese coach Alberto Zaccheroni as Fabio Capallo’s replacement.

May 29th 1999: Sunday Ibrahim and Ebo Mends sacked as coaches of Kumasi Asante Kotoko FC.