Black Stars in per-training prayers

The Black Stars held their fifth training session in Abu Dhabi on Monday night ahead of the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

All the 24 players in camp trained during the gruelling evening session to prepare for Africa’s top-flight competition to be hosted in South Africa.

Coach Kwesi Appiah and his assistant Maxwell Konadu as well as goalkeepers’ trainer Nassam Yakubu put their charges through their paces for the first half of the training.

The rest of the training programme for the evening saw the players rehearse some tactical variations and set pieces.

With all the players responding well to instructions, coach Appiah is delighted with the approach of his players during their training sessions.

“I am very happy with how all the players have trained since we arrived here on Saturday morning,” coach Appiah told Ghanafa.org.

“Training has been tough but very good for the players as I want to to achieve some fitness level before we depart to South Africa.”

The Black Stars will train in Abu Dhabi for eight more days before departing to South Africa for the tournament.

They will also play two friendly matches against Egypt and Tunisia during their stay in the UAE.

Ghana will open its Nations Cup campaign against DR Congo o n January 20 before facing Mali and Niger in the subsequent Group B games in South Africa.