Kwadwo Asamoah remains one of Ghana's consistent players and is keen to see the Black Stars, one of the favourites for glory for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations lift the trophy. The Udinese attacker is expected to make his third successive Nations Cup appearance after his debut in 2008 as Ghana prepare for the start of this month's finals in Gabon-Equatorial Guinea. Though, a squad member in the bronze winning 2008 Nations Cup side, Asamoah, two years after, played every match for the Black Stars as they marched to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola and picked silver. The 23-year-old has become an integral player in the Black Stars and has told Fifa.com that Ghana would be a strong candidate for the title when the finals kick off on January 21. "We are a good team, without any phenomenons but with many quality players. If we are compact and gritty as [coach Goran] Stevanovic asks, we will be dangerous for anyone to play," Asamoah said. The competition would miss teams like Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria but the Ghanaian does not expect it to make it any easier for the Black Stars. He anticipates strong competition from all the qualified nations. "It is true that strong and successful teams will be missing, but it still won't be easy to win the continental tournament. Not even South Africa will be there, but there are always new teams who will make life hard for anyone. All the teams who qualified for the finals deserved it." The absence of some of the established nations might have narrowed down the number of favourites but Asamoah refuses to tag any side as favourites head of the start of the competition. "I do not see any favourite," he said. "We all start on the same level, so of course there could be a big surprise. I see a very balanced tournament." Ghana's first game at the finals will be against newcomers, Botswana on January 24, three days after the tournament kicks off. The Black Stars will follow up their opener with fixtures against West African rivals, Mali four days later and Guinea on February 1 at the same stadium. Gabon will co-host the 2012 African Nations Cup with Equatorial Guinea. The tournament will kick off on January 21 and run till February 12.