Ghana's Appiah to keep an eye on Cambridge FA cup hopes
By Mark Gleeson MONGOMO, Equatorial Guinea (Reuters) - Ghana striker Kwesi Appiah will likely be in the stadium at the African Nations Cup on Friday when his former team Cambridge United face Manchester United but he will try to find out the score. Ghana take on Algeria in Group C at the Estadio Mongomo a few hours before the English League Two (fourth tier) club, where he has just completed a loan spell from Crystal Palace, host giants United in the fourth round of the FA Cup. “Obviously my focus is on what is going on here in Africa and the Nations Cup. This is a big deal for me. I’ll make sure my attentions are first on this game," he told reporters. "In England I can imagine everyone is going crazy (over the FA Cup tie) but here we have a Nations Cup to worry about. But as soon as I can get a chance to see the score, I will. “Unfortunately I wouldn't have been able to play against Man United anyway but it is certainly a good draw for the club. They deserve it, they’ve done well in the cup. "We were expecting a big team in the round before but didn’t get it but now it (United) is a massive, massive club. It will be a good game for sure.” Appiah’s loan spell with the League Two side ended on Jan. 10 and when he gets back from Equatorial Guinea he will sit down with Crystal Palace to discuss his future. SURPRISE CALL-UP He got a surprise call-up from Ghana, where his father is from, on Christmas Eve and was in Accra on New Year’s Day for the first pre-tournament training session. “It was always a dream of mine (to play for Ghana) but it has been a real whirlwind. Obviously it’s a big difference from my club back in England. "It’s the first experience of the national team for me. Everything is new to me but I’ve really been enjoying it.” The London-born 24-year-old has yet to win a cap, having been left on the bench for Ghana’s opening game against Senegal on Monday, which the Black Stars lost 2-1. “I hope to play a part in all the (remaining) games. I just have to keep working hard in training and hope I’ll be selected.” But his Cambridge team mates are not far from his mind and his message to them was: “Congrats on getting this far". "I’m sure if they do what they’ve been doing up until now they‘ll give a good showing and hopefully make a shock." he said.
