Midfielder Andre Ayew says Ghana needs an early goal to unsettle Malawi on Saturday.
The Black Stars carry a vital 2-0 advantage going into the return leg of the final qualifier for the 2013 Nations Cup in Lilongwe.
However, Malawi are determined to overturn this deficit to deny Ghana a 19th appearance at the AFCON.
The country's FA has rallied support for the Flames to ensure the Black Stars face an intimidating atmosphere at the Civo Stadium on Saturday.
And Ayew recognizes an early goal is what is needed to rattle the home side to get Ghana well on its way to victory.
"It will be a tough game Malawi have a good midfield and are tactically sound but if we can get the first goal early it may be tough for them to bounce back,†the Olympique Marseille enforcer said.
The Ghana team will travel to Malawi on Friday after a four-day camp in neighboring Kenya.
Source: MTNFootball.com