Ghana begin training for FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Ghana's national football team Black Stars have begun training ahead of their two World Cup qualifying matches against Sudan and Lesotho next week.

Fifteen players reported on the second day of training Tuesday at the Accra Sports Stadium for the two away encounters against Sudan in Khartoum June 7 and Lesotho in Maseru June 16, reports Xinhua.

France-based duo Rabiu Mohamed and Jonathan Mensah will join the Black Stars camp next Monday for the matches. The two will be the last players to join the Stars at their Addis Ababa camping base due to the involvement of their club, Evian Thonon Gaillard, in the final of the Coupe de France.

Evian will lock horns with Girondins de Bordeaux in the final coming Friday in Paris and the Ghanaian pair is expected to feature for their club.

The team began non-residential camping in Accra Monday and is expected to fly out to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Thursday where they will continue to limber up until June 5 when they arrive in Khartoum for the Sudan game.

The Black Stars will then travel to Johannesburg June 9 and train for four days before departing for Maseru for the match against Lesotho.

Ghana lies second in Group D of the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifications with six points, a point behind former African champions Zambia, who are on seven points.

The Black Stars must beat Sudan and go on to win all remaining matches to make possible a chance to qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup.