Black Stars and Everton midfielder Christian Atsu has backed the side to qualify for the quarter final stage of the CAN despite their 2-1 defeat to the Terranga Lions of Senegal.

For him, the setback is a part of the game and it would be up to the Stars to rise to the occasion on Friday when they come up against the Dessert Warriors of Algeria.

He believes the team would go into the game with a winning mentality on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference at the team’s camp in Mongomo ahead of the Algerian game, Atsu who has struggled to get games at Everton cautioned his colleagues to concentrate on the game for the entire 90 minutes, adding a momentary loss of concentration did cost the side against Senegal.

The weather for him did not necessarily affect the side’s performance in their first game as they had enough time to acclimatize ahead of matchday one.

Daniel Amartey, a nation’s cup debutant debunked the assertion that Coach Avram Grant system affected the team.

“Tactics are a big part of the game but it also has variations which players have to adopt to during a game. It is not a static game plan as far as I am concerned so that was not a problem at all.

We need to believe in the coaches’ strategy since he knows best. He has obviously studied our opponents and knows how they play and that is why he would deploy us with a certain tactical variation in mind.”

The Black Stars would play the Dessert Warriors of Algeria on Friday, Jan 23 and only a win may guarantee the side’s progress to the knock out stage.