Excitement is building up in Ghana ahead of the first game of the second phase against Benin at the Baba Yara Stadium after a number of key players, crocked by injuries returned to match fitness. Abedi feels the return of the likes of Michael Essien and Matthew Amoah is a good omen for the Black Stars but has warned the team their attitude must be spot and positive against Benin. Ghana traditionally has been slow starters in major competitions and in 2006 lost their opening final group qualifier against Burkina Faso before recovering to qualify ahead of South Africa. Abedi feels that approach will not fetch a World Cup ticket this time round. “In 2006 the continent lost some big names at the world cup when the likes of Cameroon and Nigeria could not reach the World Cup,” Abedi told KickOffGhana.com. “Their places were taken by more hungry teams like Togo and Angola because those so called big giants took things for granted from the beginning and when they realized their mistake it was too late.” “It is the sort of fate we must avoid by winning and starting very well against Benin. They are a side we cannot take for granted because they have very good players some of whom I follow very well in France. “They play with character and determination so our best bet is to consider them a threat and prepare for them appropriately.”
Abedi warns against slow start
