African-football legend Abedi 'Pele' Ayew has tipped his native Ghana to win the Africa Cup of Nations. The three-time African Player of the Year believes the Black Stars, as hosts of the event, can win despite the loss of injured captain Stephen Appiah. "Ghana can go all the way because they are playing in front of their home fans and they have a strong squad. "Losing Appiah will be overcome as Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari are both great midfielders," Ayew said. "I also have high hopes for another midfielder, Ahmed Barruso, who played for Roma against Manchester United in the (European) Champions League," he added. Abedi 'Pele' Ayew won the European Champions League with Marseilles Ayew considers Group B rivals Ivory Coast and Nigeria the biggest threats to Ghana: a West African country that has won two of the previous three Nations Cup tournaments it has hosted. "If Ghana slips, then I fancy Ivory Coast or Nigeria to lift the trophy." 'Pele' collected a Nations Cup winners medal as a 17-year-old in 1982, coming on as a substitute to help Ghana edge hosts Libya 7-6 on penalties in the first African final settled by a shootout. While acknowledging that the Guineans have some great France-based players like midfielder Pascal Feindouno, he favours Ghana and Morocco to reach the knockout phase from Accra-based Group A. A career highlight for Pele was helping French club Marseille win the 1993 European Champions League, 12 months after crying publicly when a controversial caution ruled him out of a Nations Cup final when Ghana lost to Ivory Coast. SOURCE: BBC