AFCON 2015: Ghana’s Gyan Focused on Ending 33-Year Title Drought
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea — Ghanaian captain Asamoah Gyan has voiced his determination to help the Black Stars end their long-standing Africa Cup of Nations title drought as they prepare to compete in their fifth consecutive tournament since 2008.
The 29-year-old striker, who is set to feature in his fifth AFCON, says the team remains firmly focused on progressing from what many consider to be the toughest group in this year’s competition.
“We all have this dream of winning the Africa Cup of Nations — something Ghana has waited for since 1982,” Gyan told reporters. “But first, our priority is to qualify from the group stage. Only then can we start thinking about lifting the trophy.”
Ghana, four-time continental champions, have consistently come close to reclaiming the title in recent years but have fallen short in crucial moments — notably in 2010, when they lost in the final to Egypt, and again in 2012 and 2013 during deep tournament runs.
Gyan reflected on the 2010 tournament in Angola, where a youthful Ghanaian side defied expectations. “In 2010, about 80 to 85 percent of our squad came from the under-20 team. Nobody really expected much, but we made it to the final,” he said.
Ghana has been drawn in a daunting Group C, alongside North African giants Algeria, a resurgent Senegal, and South Africa — a quartet of heavyweights that has earned the nickname “Group of Death.” Each match in the group will be fiercely contested, and a single misstep could prove costly.
The Black Stars, now under the guidance of new head coach Avram Grant, begin their campaign next week with hopes of finally bringing home a trophy that has eluded them for over three decades.
