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GHANA
GRAND
TOUR |
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The huge euphoria, a reminder of what
Ghana went through when the senior
national team, Black Stars glittered at
the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany where
they reached the last sixteen as debutants
is basically because of the balloting
slated for the plush Accra International
Conference Centre (AICC) between the hours
of 15:00 and 17:00 GMT. Soccer administrators and fans across
the world are thronging the beautiful and
serene city of Accra, Ghana's capital to
catch a glimpse of the envisaged glamorous
event that precedes the continent's
biggest football party. With the lights and lenses focused on
the West Africans, a huge representation
of the Confederation of African Football's
(CAF) hierarchy led by President, Issa
Hayatou and his Executive Committee
Members, Sponsors, and representatives of
the sixteen qualified teams are all
expectant of what the Local Organising
Committee (LOC) have up their sleeves to
make the two-hour event a memorable
one. The usual feeling across Ghana is one
of excitement derived from the fact that
Ghana as host would finally know who they
meet as the days roll close to the
commencement of the tourney that pieces
Africa's finest 16 teams together. For many, the draw is yet another
opportunity for the continent to showcase
her rich culture amidst football ahead of
the competition that spans January 20 -
February 20, 2008. For vendors on the street of Accra and
its environs, business could boom for
dealers of team paraphernalia after the
draw. The fever has been no different with
the critical Ghanaian media. With both the
print and electronic media putting the
spotlight on the draw, it is obvious that
the country is one that is ready to
receive the world to live the tournament's
dream of "Shearing Passions at the centre
of the earth." The sixteen qualified teams, Ghana
(hosts), Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, Mali,
Guinea, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Zambia,
South Africa, Namibia, Cote d'Ivoire,
Senegal, Benin and Angola should all know
their opponents soon. |
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A
Rising Continent! Four Emerging Cities! 16
Magnificent Teams! Over 4.5 Billion TV
Audience Worldwide
Ghana
has been engulfed with an understandable
excitement with barely forty-eight hours
to the main draw of the 26th edition of
the Africa Cup of Nations.