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Arousing welcome for the Stars in Kumasi
Kumasi, Feb.8, Ghanadot/GNA - Officials
and players of Black Stars, the national senior football
team arrived to a rousing welcome at the Kumasi Airport on
Friday to battle it out with the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire
for the third place position in the ongoing Ghana 2008 26th
MTN Africa Cup Of Nations (CAN) soccer fiesta.
The Stars, who landed at the airport around 1615 were met by
the members of the Kumasi Venue Local Organizing Committee (KVLOC),
soccer fans including members of the Nation-wide Supporters,
National Supporters Union and school children.
The fans clad in national colours and holding miniature
national flags danced to Panlogo and brass band music amidst
cheers of congratulation as the players and the official led
by Coach Claude Le Roy boarded the bus to move to town.
They were driven through some of the principal streets in
the Metropolis where people rushed from their offices and
shops to welcome them. "You could hear them shouting 'Agogo,
Agogo" as the bus drove by".
The crowd thickened up as they moved to the Asafo market
area and the Central Business District at Adum where the
streets were blocked up and trading activities came to a
halt with the people jumping to see their faces in the bus.
It was very delightful with people spreading their cloths on
the street with others waving them with white handkerchiefs
and national colours indicating the support and love they
have for them.
When the team arrived at the Golden Tulip City Hotel where
they would lodge, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, the Metropolitan
Chief Executive told newsmen that it was the wish of the
people in Kumasi to host them right from the commencement of
the competition but this did not happen.
She said Ghanaians especially those in the Metropolis were
very happy and satisfied with the overall performance of the
team and expressed the hope that they would give a good
account of themselves when they lock horns with the La Cote
d'Ivoire for the third place tomorrow, Saturday February 2
at the local Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
The team, which lost 0-1 to the Indomitable Lions in the
semi-final match at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra
later set out for a training session at the Sports Stadium.
GNA
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