Ghana's local Black Stars arrived in South Africa on Friday morning ahead of their first COSAFA Cup tournament game on Sunday.

The Council for Southern African Football Association (COSAFA) had invited Ghana to feature as guests from West Africa. The tournament was to be hosted by Botswana in September last year but was later cancelled due to ‘financial and logistical constraints.’

Team coach Maxwell Konadu is leading the home-based group has drawn out a strong squad comprising the Ghana Premier League’s finest top scorer Nathaniel Asamoah, former Maritzburg forward Yakubu Mohammed and Fatau Dauda, who last played for South African clubs Orlando Pirates and Chippa United.

Konadu said before leaving Ghana: “Like any other team at a tournament, the target is to get to the finals and try winning the ultimate and I think it is not different with our team.”

“Our hope is that we justify the decision of the organizers to invite us as guests at the Cosafa tournament.”

“Even though this is our first time and have not had enough international friendlies, yet still we want to go and do our very best for Ghana so that every year, we get invited,” he ended.

In the opening games of Group B on Monday, Swaziland nicked one over Tanzania while Lesotho lost 1-2 to Madagascar. They play the second round of matches at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Wednesday and the final group games on May 22.

Ghana, based in Rustenburg, then faces the winner of this group at the quarterfinals stage on Sunday. 

Zambia and Zimbabwe are record winners of the Cosafa Cup with four titles each.

Ghana squad for Cosafa Cup

Goalkeepers: Mozart Adjetey (Heart of Lions), Fatau Dauda (AshantiGold), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars)

Defenders: Godfred Saka (Aduana Stars), Joshua Tijani (AshantiGold), Emmanuel Asante (Asante Kotoko), Ahmed Adams (Asante Kotoko), Asiamah Badu (Heart of Lions), Abeiku Ainooson (Asante Kotoko), Alfred Nelson (Liberty Professionals)

Midfielders: Zakari Mumuni (WAFA), Michael Akuffo (Asante Kotoko), Isaac Twum (Heart of Lions), Hans Kwofie (Medeama), Bernard Morrison (AshantiGold ), Daniel Darkwah (Aduana Stars), Malik Akowuah (Medeama)

Forwards: Kwame Boateng (Great Olympics), Yakubu Mohammed (AshantiGold), Nathaniel Asamoah (Medeama

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