Go For Trophy : President Mahama Urges Stars

President John Dramani Mahama has charged the Black Stars to make the nation proud by winning the African Cup of Nations today.

The national team will battle the Elephants of Côte d'Ivoire in what is expected to be an explosive final at the Estadio de Bata in Equatorial Guinea.

Speaking at the graduation of the 46th cadet officers' course of the Police Academy in Accra on Friday, the President made reference to that important game.

Rallying the nation 

In typical fashion, he rallied the nation, which had been starved of honours at the national football level for 33 years, to continue to pray for the team to win the ultimate trophy.

"We will continue to pray and hope the team would make us proud and for the fifth time in history, bring the African Cup of Nations home," Mr Mahama said.

He praised the team for the sterling performance against Equatorial Guinea in the semi-final match which saw the host nation succumbing to a 3-0 scoreline before the might of the Black Stars in that ill-tempered game.

He said Ghanaians were gladdened by the important victory and expressed the hope that the team would clinch the trophy today.