After months of mind-maundering, dovetailing into a state of bewilderment on the pitch, sanity seemed to have been restored into the Black Starswith regard to the team’s work ethic and general discipline.

Until Serbian trainer Milovan Rajevac took over from CK Akonnor some three weeks ago, the Stars played with less enthusiasm, verve and obsession – and watching them became more or less a disconcerting penance.

It was the reason many thought the local trainer like Akonnor was not up to the task.

In his first Qatar 2022 World Cup assignment against Zimbabwe, Milovan proved his quality, especially after the recess when the visitors pulled level. His decision to take out a near-lifeless Jordan Ayew for Benjamin Tetteh brought some bite into the Stars’ less potent forwardline that resulted in Ghana’s 3-1 win. His predecessor would have kept Jordan until it may be too late.

Milo again demonstrated a brawny heart in his starting line-up. You must be a coach with big balls to name a debutante Swedish League Two goalie in Joojo Wollacott, in such crucial encounter whose upshot could determine your future in the campaign! Only few coaches too might start Africa Under-20 teenage star Mohammed Issahuku ahead of the more experienced Samuel Owusu. Big heart!

With the performance exhibited by the Stars, one can assertively say that the confidence of Ghanaians in the team should gradually be streaming back!

That is what you get when you have a quality bench: Ghana’s bench had Milovan (UEFA Pro Licence) and his two Assistants – Otto Addo (UEFA Pro Licence) and Maxwell Konadu (UEFA Licence A). The difference as regards reading the game was all-too clear.

It may not have come as any stunner when Milovan’s charges stormed Harare for the return to upstage Zimbabwe 1-0 on Tuesday – with Captain Andre Ayew starting from the bench – and coming on only in the last five minutes of the high-on-energy afternoon.  The result puts the Stars on nine points, a point adrift South Africa who beat Ethiopia by the same scoreline on Tuesday.

Milo still have got some great deal of work to do; but coming back to handle the team for first time in 11 years in such manner, the Serbian must have scored full marks on the cards of many of the game’s experts.

By John Vigah