After grinding out two important wins in the 2010 World Cup qualifying that has seen Ghana remain top of the African group D standing, Milovan Rajevac says he is gunning for a third straight win.
Ghana come up against Sudan on Saturday, June 20 in Omdurman in the third match of the final qualifying round.
A win over their hosts would ensure that the Black Stars improve their chances of a possible place at the 2010 finals to be hosted on the continent for the first time by South Africa.
Rajevac, who took up the reins of the Black Stars in his first national job last year says he has been pleased with the results that has seen Ghana open a three-point gap at the top.
“I must say that I have been pleased with the results gained so far. The balance of the team is getting stronger.
“We have been working ourselves to have a complete side and despite the injuries to some players, the other players have stepped up well. I have been pleased with their work ethic.
“The win in Mali was very important and it has given us more confidence for the next match (game with Sudan). But Sudan would not come easy,” the Black Stars coach told www.ghanafa.org.
Sudan, who are third on the group D table with a point from a possible six would be expected to battle for a win at home as the qualifiers get tougher, says Rajevac.
“They (Sudan) would need to win or make their chances of qualifying much slimmer. Sudan have only a point and playing at home, they would not want to fail. But we have to be ready for a battle.
“We would be regarded as the favourites going into the game. But Sudan have a strong team when playing at home.
They have their players always competing in the African Champions League so they would be a threat.
“I have confidence in my team and I hope we play much better than we did against Mali. The boys have enough confidence to go for a win,” Rajevac said.
Ghana’s team has been preparing for the game against Sudan from Naivasha, Kenya to help the Black Stars acclimatize with the altitude levels prevalent in Omdurman.
Rajevac named an almost unchanged 22-man squad that won 2-0 against Mali last week for the qualifier with Sudan.
Defender John Paintsil is the only absentee for the Black Stars having picked up two bookings in the qualifiers.
Ghana leads the 2010 World Cup qualifying group D with six points, three ahead of second placed Benin.
