By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Keta (VR), Sept. 21, GNA – The Senior male National Beach Soccer team, the Black Sharks has been drawn in group A of the upcoming 2024 CAF Beach Soccer African Cup of Nation (BS AFCON) that would be hosted in Hurghada in Egypt, from October 19 to 26.
The Sharks were housed in group A alongside the host nation Egypt, Morocco, and Tanzania during a draw event supervised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) headquarters in Egypt on Thursday.
The draw, according to Mr. Reuben Dzidodo Adjahoe, the Volta Regional Football Association Beach Soccer Committee Chairman, was an indication that the Ghanaian squad should go the extra mile to prepare adequately for the task ahead.
“It is a tournament you must be ready to compete because all the teams will come fully prepared.”
Mr. Adjahoe further stated that the National Team Management Committee would be working with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on the team’s preparations for three league matches to play in the ongoing Beach Soccer Premiere League.
He said the coaches and the entire technical team are expected to announce the squad that would represent the nation for camping within the shortest possible time to enable adequate preparation ahead of the tournament.
“The group is very tough but l always believe that good preparation will take the team through, and we are waiting on GFA for the next line of action.”
Mr. Samuel Dovlo Dinno, a sports journalist at Keta-based Jubilee Radio also described the group as a ‘group of death’ but urged the management team to put up their maximum focus on moving from the group stage in other to progress to the other stages.
Meanwhile, Senegal, seven-time winners and the reigning defending Champions, Mozambique, Malawi, and Mauritania would also face off with each other in group B, whilst two teams would qualify from each group to the semi-finals with subsequent winners progressing to the finals of the competition.
The two finalists would however pick the only two slots for Africa in the 2025 Beach Soccer World Cup tournament that would be held in Seychelles.
The Black Sharks of Ghana defeated the Sand Elephants of Côte D’Ivore in a 10-5 aggregate to qualify for the 2024 Beach Soccer AFCON for the first time in eight years.
Some Beach Soccer fans, the GNA engaged, expressed the hope that the Black Sharks would win the AFCON trophy.
GNA