New boys Botswana face the daunting prospect of playing World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana in their opening African Nations Cup game in Franceville on Tuesday.

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It presents the opportunity either for a morale-boosting performance, if not result, or it could be crash and burn for the inexperienced Zebras.

Botswana have emerged almost inexplicably over the last 18 months as a side of competence and potential, after decades as whipping boys. But despite finishing top in their qualifying group and reaching the African championship finals for the first time, they remain untested in the cauldron of the Nations Cup arena.

They would have wanted an easier tie to kick off their first campaign but instead have been handed potentially the toughest they could have been given.

However, coach Stanley Tshosane insists on finding a positive in the situation.

"It will not have been easy for them to have prepared to face us, we being something of an unknown quantity," he says of the task for his Black Stars counterpart Goran Stevanovic.

"We were underdogs when we started qualifying and we are underdogs now.

Our advantage is that we know our strengths and limitations and will work within them from the start."

Ghana's ambitions stretch much further than just the first game in Group D. They want to win the trophy, said Stevanovic in the buildup the game.

"It's been many years since Ghana won the African Cup. But it's time for trophies. It's time to be first again, it's been a while."

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