Black Stars-Mexico friendly is meaningless - Alhaji Bahmed

Published on: 23 June 2017

The Chief Executive Officer of Bahmed Travel and Tours, Alhaji Ahmed Bandoh has questioned the rationale behind the senior national team (Black Stars) playing a "meaningless" friendly with Mexico on May 28 in Texas.

According to the former Kumasi Asante Kotoko board member, the Stars team would derive no benefit from playing an alternative Mexico side because their first team is currently involved in the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) in April signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commercial Service of the US Embassy in Accra to organise two business expositions ahead of the international friendlies against Mexico and the USA.

However, Alhaji Bandoh has described the first of the double-header against Mexico which takes place on May 28 in Texas as a waste of national resources.

"For the USA match, I can understand because even though like the Mexico match it does not fall on a FIFA matchday at least they are bringing their main team and the Black Stars can win some rankings points," Alhaji Bandoh said in an interview with Graphic Online.

"There is no justifiable reason for playing a third-string Mexico team aside selfishness of some officials who want to risk the limbs of the players.

"The top team of Mexico that we know are playing in the Confederations Cup in Russia, so why are the players being forced to play such a meaningless match?

He also urged the general public to demand explanations from the GFA and Ministry of Youth and Sports as to why they were wasting national resources.

The Black Stars were expected to depart Accra yesterday for the Mexico clash and they will also play the United States on July 1 in Connecticut.

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