Black Stars Performance Pleases Coach

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah summed up the general satisfaction in the Black Stars camp, describing the 3-1 win over Sudan on Friday as pleasing. The Black Stars, who played an hour with ten men following the dismissal of defender Richard Kissi Boateng were resolute to seal the win that gives them a two-point lead at the summit of Group D ahead of Zambia, who play Lesotho on Saturday. "I was really happy about the performance of the players, their fighting spirit and their eagerness to go to the World Cup," Appiah said after the game. Appiah admitted that he was concerned after Ghana were reduced to ten men and playing in such sweltering conditions. "If you look at the conditions that we were playing in, the heat and then playing with ten men and against a very good side too. I am very pleased with the result," he said. "We showed good character. Our plan was to soak up the pressure and play on the counter. "I was not bothered before the red card but after [I was concerned]. I was really happy about the way we conducted ourselves, head-on to the pressure from the Sudanese. For me, this is a sign of a good team and I know that if we go with this character to the Lesotho game and with the ambition of every player in the team now, I totally believe that we will give them a good game." Ghana will play Lesotho in the penultimate fixture in the second round on June 16 as the Black Stars push for a place in the final stage of qualifying.