ACCRA - Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari has warned his team-mates to forget what has happened in earlier rounds of the African Nations Cup ahead of their semi-final showdown with Cameroon on Thursday.
The game at Accra's Ohene Djan Stadium is a clash between two of Africa's giants, with both sides having won the title four times.
However, it will be the hosts which will be the more desperate for success with their last title having come way back in 1982.
The Black Stars beat arch-rivals Nigeria in the previous round after a dramatic turnaround which saw Ghana come from a goal behind to win the tie 2-1.
The effort was especially impressive because they scored the winner with only 10 men after captain John Mensah was sent off 30 minutes from the end.
Most of the talk in the days after has been about the spirited win, but Muntari believes there is still plenty of work to be done.
He said: "There is a lot of expectation for us to do well. The same kind of thing that was there in the World Cup in Germany two years ago.
"It was a great win against Nigeria, but that's not our objective. Our aim is to win the title.
"But we're united as a group. We love each other very much, we respect each other and are dedicated to this tournament. We want to give our all to our nation."
The game will also have a special feeling for coach Claude Le Roy, who was in charge of the Indomitable Lions when they won the cup in 1988 in Morocco.
It was the Frenchman's first and only triumph as a coach at the tournament, but he admits that his emotions will be put aside for the game he describes as being the "hardest part" of the competition.
"I've had great times with Cameroon but I am now the Ghana coach," he said. "I will put my feelings aside during the 90 minutes. Feelings will be for before and after the match.
"In every big competition, the hardest part is always the semi-final. But we will be ready."
The coach has a selection dilemma ahead of the game with Mensah's absence through suspension creating a hole in his defence.
Defenders John Pantsil and Alhassan Illiasu are the options for Le Roy, who could also shift midfielder Michael Essien into the heart of the back four.
Cameroon come into the game after surprising many en route to the final four.
They were written off after losing 4-2 to Egypt in their tournament opener, but responded emphatically to end the group stage with the highest number of goals scored by any team. However, their defence could be a concern after leaking seven so far.
Their coach Otto Pfister has brushed aside any worries and admits they have been preparing well since their 3-2 extra-time triumph over Tunisia.
"We've been preparing OK," he said. "We've progressed match by match. Perhaps we started badly but we always know how to react.
"We scored another three goals against Tunisia, Cameroon have scored more than any other team. But now there are no more small sides left in the competition. But we're ready."
Pfister has no injuries to contend with and his side will again be relying heavily on the striking potential of tournament top-scorer Samuel Eto'o, who has five goals.
The two teams have met just twice before in the African Nations Cup, in 1982 and 2000, with both games ending in a draw.
