The consternation between Africa’s 20 sides has finally been laid to rest as the draw for the African Zone qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup and CAF Nations Cup has been announced.
Ghana, seeded, have been placed in Group 4 after the African qualification for the 2010 World Cup and CAF Nations Cup draw was made on Wednesday.
The Black Stars were drawn with Benin, Mali and Sudan.
And Ghana coach, Milovan Rajevac says qualifying to the finals in South Africa remains his motivation.
“I am here because of the World Cup. I believe in the ability of the Ghana national team to qualify for the World Cup once again. It’s a wonderful challenge which wouldn’t be easy but I am hopeful of leading Ghana to South Africa.
“I know with the support of the FA, the team, the players, the fans and everyone involved, we would make it,” the Serbian coach said after taking up the Ghana job.
The joint qualifying campaign will decide which five teams will join hosts South Africa at the tournament in 2010.
The qualification process will also decide the 15 teams who will join host Angola to take part at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.
For Black Stars coach, Milovan Rajevac job is cut now that Ghana’s group opponents have been revealed.
“The qualifiers begin immediately after the draw. We must study our opponents, do a lot of research on their team as well as monitor their key players” Rajevac told www.ghanafa.org as he begins to study and research on his opponents.
The draw was held at the governing body's headquarters in Zurich, and FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, said: "This is a great day for FIFA. 2010 is the first FIFA World Cup taking place in Africa. It is also the first time in history that six African teams will play at a FIFA World Cup."
CAF President Issa Hayatou responded by praising Africa's organisation for the first and second stage of African qualifying.
"I would like to thank all African countries, not only you who are qualified, but also to the participating teams, for making the competition run so smoothly," he said.
"If you qualify, please celebrate and even if you lose, please celebrate, because you achieved a lot."
Second successive attempt
Matches are scheduled for six weekends from next March to November with the exception of a June fixture involving Egypt, which must be delayed one month because of their involvement in the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Ghana rewrote its football history when the Black Stars qualified for their first World Cup finals in 2006.
The Black Stars after a losing start to Burkina Faso went on to finish tops of Group Two and earn their passage to Germany 2006 after 4-0 win over Cape Verde in the last qualifying match in September 2005.
