Portsmouth ended their long wait for a second FA Cup victory as they defeated Cardiff 1-0 in the final at Wembley on Saturday. Both Premier League outfit Pompey and their Championship opponents, Cardiff, went into the 127th cup final hoping to follow up previous respective successes in 1939 and 1927. And it was Pompey who etched their name in the record books for the second time as a solitary first half strike from Nwankwo Kanu proved too much for Cardiff. The series of dramatic shocks and giant-killings in this term's competition has done much to restore the nostalgic magic of the FA Cup following the 13-year domination of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. Pompey and the Bluebirds, though, served up an inevitably tense finale as Kanu's goal proved to be the conclusion to the tournament and booked a place in next season's Uefa Cup. Heartbreak Ahead of kick-off there was heartbreak for veteran striker Robbie Fowler, who has been battling for fitness following hip surgery, as Cardiff manager Dave Jones opted to leave the 33-year-old out of his squad. Pompey boss Harry Redknapp, who had never previously appeared in a cup final in over 40 years as a player and a manager, named David James in goal following his recovery from a calf problem. And former Arsenal centre-back Sol Campbell - a two-time cup winner - started after a hamstring injury, while Kanu operated as a lone frontman in the absence of cup-tied forward Jermain Defoe. The magnitude of a final appearance was more than evident in a scrappy opening but it was Cardiff who enjoyed the better of possession, despite failing to truly threaten James. Heavy rain ahead of kick-off made intricate passing a difficult task, but it remained Cardiff who looked the most likely to break the deadlock as James saved well from Paul Parry and Peter Whittingham dragged a half-volley wide. However, Portsmouth then began to find their feet as Sulley Muntari floated a free-kick into the danger area and as Cardiff shot-stopper Peter Enckelman flapped, Sylvain Distin and Kanu failed to convert. And shortly after Kanu should again have done better as he jinked round a nervous looking Enckelman with trademark quick feet, only to somehow prod his effort against the upright. Proceedings then returned to a fashion similar to the tight opening half-an-hour with only a tame Pedro Mendes volley, which was gathered by Enckelman, calling either goalkeeper into action. However, on 37 minutes Portsmouth had their goal as Enckelman again fumbled a low John Utaka cross at the near post and Kanu banished the memory of his earlier miss as the Nigerian reacted the quickest to poke in a volley from close range. Almost immediately, Cardiff had the opportunity to respond as Parry broke down the left, but his far post cross asked too much of Kevin McNaughton, who could only deflect wide. Disallowed With the first half personal address system announcement of one minute added time still echoing around a sold-out Wembley, Cardiff thought they had drawn level as Glenn Loovens hooked in at a corner after James had spilled, but referee Mike Dean correctly spotted that the Dutch defender had used a hand to control the ball. Soon after the interval, Portsmouth could have doubled their advantage as Utaka raced onto an excellent Niko Kranjcar back heel to centre from the left, but Kanu saw his goal-bound effort deflected wide by Loovens. Portsmouth began to dominate and Jones recognised his side were losing the battle as he introduced Aaron Ramsey in place of Whittingham in an attempt to threaten in midfield. Highly-rated winger and semi-final goalscoring hero Joe Ledley appeared Cardiff's best outlet as the 21-year-old's pace visibly troubled Pompey, but James remained a spectator. Redknapp then opted to shuffle his hand as he replaced Utaka with striker David Nugent and Pompey looked to kill the game off, while Cardiff responded by replacing the ineffective Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink with Steve Thompson. Nugent almost justified his appearance with 20 minutes remaining as he latched onto a long ball from Muntari to warm the palms of Enckelman. Papa Bouba Diop then earned a cup final appearance as he came on in place of Mendes as Pompy attempted to shut up shop, but soon after Cardiff had their best chance of the half as Loovens nodded just over the bar at a corner. Loovens' header, though, was to be as close as Cardiff came as Pompey centre-back Distin surged forward from defence and came close to adding a second late on. But Kanu's goal proved enough to end a 69-year wait for FA Cup glory at Fratton Park as captain Campbell lifted the trophy. SOURCE: skysports.com
Pompey's FA Cup journey
JUST GR-EIGHT ... Sulley Muntari scored Pompey's winner against Man Utd in last 8.
THIRD ROUND IPSWICH (0) 0 PORTSMOUTH (0) 1 Nugent 51 FOURTH ROUND PORTSMOUTH (1) 2 PLYMOUTH (1) 1 Diarra 34, Kranjcar 45 FIFTH ROUND PRESTON (0) 0 PORTSMOUTH (0) 1 Carter (og) 90 SIXTH ROUND MAN UNITED (0) 0 PORTSMOUTH (0) 1 Muntari 78 (pen) SEMI-FINAL PORTSMOUTH (0) 1 WEST BROM (0) 0 Kanu 54 FINAL PORTSMOUTH (1) 1 CARDIFF (0) 0 Kanu 37 SOURCE: The Sun
Ghana send I. Coast Home, empty-handed
Hosts Ghana came from behind to claim a consolation third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations after beating Ivory Coast in a six-goal thriller. Sulley Muntari's swerving 25-yard free-kick gave Ghana the lead on 10 minutes before Ivorian Boubacar Sanogo hit back with a quick-fire brace. Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's equalised after half-time with a solo effort before Junior Agogo struck on 80 minutes. Ghana's Hamanu Draman then sealed the win with a 25-yard shot on 85 minutes. It is the best continental campaign for Ghana since they finished as runners-up at the 1992 Nations Cup held in Senegal. Though the game was a non-event for many, the local crowd in Kumasi turned out in numbers to see their beloved Ghana play, in what many had hoped would be the two teams contesting the final. And they witnessed a goalscoring feast as two of the pre-tournament favourites scrapped for the consolation prize. Another superb goal was added to the list of crackers from this year's Nations Cup after only 10 minutes. Muntari let rip with a 25-yard free-kick that swerved round the defensive wall and into the top corner, past a helpless Tiasse Kone. The Elephants, driven on by captain Didier Drogba, were not to be outdone though, and they were soon back in the game when Kader Keita showed great vision to play a through ball to Sanogo. The Werder Bremen-man strode into the Black Stars' box to place his shot past Kingson from 15 yards to equalise for the Elephants. Sanogo's effort was the 94th goal of the 2008 tournament and made the Ghana event the highest scoring in Africa Cup of Nations' history. The game was now dominated by the men in orange and a great double save was needed from Kingson to deny Salomon Kalou, who shot from the edge of the area, and then Drogba who pounced on the rebound with 30 minutes gone. Drogba forced another save from Kingson again seconds later, but this time there was no stopping the rebound as Sanogo stretched to direct the ball in and claim his second. The game was wonderfully open and Sanogo was only denied his hat-trick by the Ghanaian crossbar which he rattled on 38 minutes. Ghana started the second half keen to get back on level terms, with Draman proving a thorn in the Ivorian's side on the right flank. But the game's pace dropped markedly from the first half with a paucity of goal-scoring opportunities. Then with 20 minutes left to play Owusu-Abeyie picked up the ball in the centre of the pitch and sprinted past two Ivorian defenders into the area to slot home and make it 2-2. With penalties looming, the Kumasi Stadium was alive with cheers again and bizarrely suffered an invasion of insects that choked Michael Essien amongst others. Agogo then bagged his third of the tournament when he was played through with a clever pass from Essien to complete the simplest of finishes from 10 yards. Draman then put the icing on the cake when he cut in from the flank and shot from twenty yards out, only for his shot to take a wicked bounce off the turf to beat the diving Kone. ________________________________________ Ghana: Kingson, Sarpei, Pantsil, Mensah, Addo (Barusso 90), Annan, Essien, Muntari, Draman (Afful 89), Agogo, Baffour (Quincy 20). Subs Not Used: Adjei, Gyan, Kingston, Asamoah, Ayew, Kumordzi, Dauda, Asare, Alhassan. Goals: Muntari 10, Quincy 70, Agogo 80, Draman 85. Ivory Coast: Tiassa Kone, Boka, Zoro, Fae (Dindane 83), Romaric, Tiene, Zokora, Sanogo, Kalou (Gervinho 73), Drogba, Keita (Toure Yaya 64). Subs Not Used: Barry, Toure, Gohouri, Arouna Kone, Meite, Bakari Kone, Loboue, Djakpa, Eboue. Goals: Sanogo 24, 32. Ref: Jerome Damon (South Africa). CULLED FROM: BBC Sport
Coppell defends Bikey
READING manager, Steve Coppell is sure his player, Andre Bikey, must have been provoked into his bizarre African Nations Cup red card. The Cameroon defender was sent off in the last minute of his country’s 1-0 semi-final win over hosts Ghana for pushing over a medic who was on the pitch to treat skipper Rigobert Song. Bikey now misses the final against Egypt and Coppell, his boss at Reading, is certain it was no mere moment of madness. Coppell said: “He is not stupid. Something must have happened to spark it, for him to charge over and do what he did given what was at stake and what he will now be missing out on. “It’s the ultimate punishment and I imagine it was not on the spur of the moment. He will be in pain. To have played in all the games, and played well, then miss the final will hurt.” CULLED FROM: The Sun
Nkong goal stops the Ghana train
Substitute Alain Nkong's second-half goal gave Cameroon a 1-0 win over hosts Ghana to take the four-time Africa Nations Cup winners through to Sunday's final. Nkong slotted the ball past keeper Richard Kingson after being set up by Samuel Eto'o on 71 minutes at the end of a brilliant move which stood out all the more against the dullness of most of the game.
It was a hugely disappointing match, given some of the excellent football which has been played in the rest of the tournament, and Ghana will regret taking such a laid-back approach to a game in which they had the huge advantage of vociferous home support. It was not all joy for Cameroon as defender Andre Bikey will miss the final after being sent off in stoppage time for inexplicably pushing over a first-aid assistant attending to his captain Rigobert Song. Ghana: 22-Richard Kingson; 2-Hans Sarpei, 4-John Paintsil, 8-Michael Essien, 18-Eric Addo; 6-Anthony Annan, 7-Laryea Kingston, 11-Sulley Muntari, 20-Quincy Owusu Abeyie; 23-Haminu Dramani, 9-Junior Agogo Cameroon: 1-Idriss Carlos Kameni; 8-Geremi, 23-Andre Bikey, 4-Rigobert Song, 5-Timothee Atouba; 10-Achille Emana, 15-Alexandre Song, 19-Stephane Mbia; 21-Joseph-Desire Job, 17-Mohamadou Idrissou, 9-Samuel Eto'o CULLED FROM: Daily Mail
Essien propels Ghana into the last eight
Ghana are through to the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations after a 2-0 win over Morocco in Accra yesterday. Michael Essien, the Chelsea midfield player, was at the heart of the success, scoring the first goal and setting up Sulley Muntari, of Portsmouth, for the second. With Guinea booking the other place in the last eight from group A, after their 1-1 draw with Namibia in Sekondi, defeat put Morocco out in the group stage for the second successive tournament. Ghana’s third straight win, after beating Guinea 3-1 and Namibia 1-0, was watched by a near-capacity crowd at the 45,000-seat Ohene Djan Stadium. Their reward as group winners is a quarter-final in Accra on Sunday against the runners-up of group B, where Nigeria, perennial favourites, must beat Benin and hope that Mali lose to Ivory Coast, the leaders, if they are to avoid an early exit. Ghana were without Laryea Kingston, the influential Heart of Midlothian midfield player, who was suspended after receiving his second caution. In Kingston’s absence, Claude Le Roy, the coach, chose Anthony Annan. Henri Michel, the Morocco coach, made four changes to the team who lost to Guinea, including a switch of goalkeepers, with Khalid Fouhami making way for Nadir Lamyaghri. Ghana went into attacking mode from the start, Essien leading the charge from midfield. After 15 minutes, Lamyaghri had to be sharp to deal with a 30-yard free kick from Muntari, but the host nation took a deserved lead 11 minutes later when Muntari flighted a free kick from the right for Essien to volley past Lamyaghri. Morocco had the ball in the net shortly after with a little help from John Paintsil, but the West Ham United defender’s blushes were spared because the referee had blown for a foul. Ghana capped a fine first half with their second goal in stoppage time, Essien charging through midfield to flick the ball on for Muntari to shoot from the left of the penalty area. SOURCE: The Times
Agogo points Ghana towards gold
Striker Junior Agogo sent 10-man Ghana into the African Nations Cup semi-finals when his late goal gave the hosts a 2-1 victory over Nigeria. An exhausted Agogo battled in the second half with tiredness but was on hand to tap in virtually on the goalline after Sulley Muntari had squeezed a square pass through the Nigeria defence from the left with just eight minutes remaining. Yakubu Aiyegbeni had given Nigeria the lead in the Accra quarter-final with a 35th-minute penalty only for Michael Essien to equalise with a fine header on the stroke of half-time. Tournament hosts Ghana will meet either Tunisia or Cameroon in Thursday's semi-final in Accra. Agogo's winner came just over 20 minutes after the home team had been reduced to 10 men with the sending off of their captain John Mensah. The central defender was red carded after a professional foul on Peter Odemwingie on the edge of Ghana's penalty area. "I'm not sure he deserved it, it was speedy red card," claimed Ghana coach Claude Le Roy. Mensah will miss the semi-final. A lethargic-looking Nigeria failed to make use of their advantage and created just one chance in the second half. Nigeria took the lead 10 minutes from half-time when Eric Addo brought down Yakubu with a rugby-style tackle. The striker converted from the spot for only the third goal in their four matches by a disappointing Nigeria. Essien put Ghana level when he powered home a header from Quincy Owusu Abeyie's free kick, his effort coming off the inside of the near post to trickle over the line. "It's a fantastic team effort, they are really 11 heroes," said Le Roy of his team. "We took a risk not to change our formation and bring on a defender after Mensah had been sent off but we wanted to keep attacking. We wanted to win it," the Frenchman added. Nigeria coach Berti Vogts, who has clashed with Nigerian reporters seeking his resignation at the tournament, said Ghana had shown more experience at crucial times in the match. "We made one or two mistakes and that is not allowed in international football. I'm very disappointed," he said. Striker Yakubu added: "In football, you must take your chances. We missed too many, it's just disappointing to go out of the tournament." It was the first time in five Nations Cup tournaments that Nigeria have failed to reach the last four. SOURCE: Daily Mail
Agogo goal gets Ghana going
Ghana proved too strong for Namibia as the tournament hosts moved three points clear at the top of Group A. After Asamoah Gyan shot over the bar with the goal gaping, Junior Agogo bundled in a Quincy Owusu-Abeyie cross from close range on 41 minutes. But Namibia were not disgraced and had Brian Brendell showed a bit more calm on at least three occasions they might have snatched a surprise equaliser. Collin Benjamin also missed chances for Namibia as Ghana closed out the game. Ghana's two wins should take them through to the quarter-finals, though they need a draw against Morocco to be absolutely certain. Henri Michel's Morocco, who were beaten by Guinea earlier on Thursday, will probably need to win to have any chance of qualifying in that final group game on Monday. Sore from their 5-1 loss to Morocco, Namibia replaced goalkeeper Abisai Shiningayamwe with Athiel Mbaha. The Brave Warriors were far more organised defensively this time, and they managed to soak up plenty of Ghana pressure early on. On 19 minutes Namibia broke away and had an opportunity to take a surprise lead, but Brendell shot wide from the edge of the penalty area. Ghana wasted their chances too, notably when Gyan failed to shoot into an open goal on 34 minutes, with the goalkeeper committed. Agogo's goal came from the vision of Michael Essien, who was named man-of-the-match. The midfielder laid on a pass inside the penalty area to Owusu-Abeyie, who found Agogo inside the six-yard box. The finish was not elegant, but it was enough to delight fans in the packed stadium in Accra. The first 20 minutes of the second half were tame, though Ghana remained in control. But two more chances fell to Brendell mid-way through the second half, shooting wide after Namibia break, then firing over the bar a minute later. Benjamin shot wide in the 75th minute from a Namibia corner kick, and he also missed a chance five minutes from time. Ghana continued in search of a second goal, but faltered in the final third of the pitch. Ghana winger Laryea Kingston picked up his second yellow card of the tournament, for taking a free-kick too early, and misses the match against Morocco. CULLED from: BBC Sport
Muntari wonder wins Ghana opener
Sulley Muntari, the Portsmouth midfielder, struck an unexpected 30-yard winner in the last minute to lift hosts Ghana to victory in the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations yesterday. Muntari unleashed a left-foot thunderbolt which soared into the top corner after his side had hit the post three times in the first half and had a goal disallowed. Udinese forward Asamoah Gyan put Ghana in front from the penalty spot early in the second half only for Guinea's Oumar Kalabane to equalise. Then, just as it looked as though the hosts would have to settle for a point, up popped Muntari with a long-range, left-footed, shot to send the capacity 44,000 crowd at the Ohene Djan Stadium wild. Ghana's Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, said: "It's a good start for us. The game was difficult but we're happy we won. This will help our confidence." Ghana coach Claude Le Roy said: "It's a long way to Feb 10 [the final] but we knew it was important to win the opening game. Now we can concentrate on our next match against Namibia." The sides were all square after the first half, but it was a mystery how Ghana had not scored in the opening fixture in Group A. Guinea goalkeeper Kemoko Camara and the woodwork also played their part. Nottingham Forest's Junior Agogo then had his head in his hands after his angled header ricocheted off the inside of the far post and away to safety. Minutes later Gyan, allowed to play despite being sent off in Ghana's last competitive match against Brazil at the 2006 World Cup for diving, came up with an extravagant scissor-kick which flashed past the post. Another shot hit the woodwork before Ghana had the ball in the back of Camara's net, but Gyan's effort was disallowed after referee Eddy Maillet caught the forward pushing the Guinea defender. It was Muntari's turn to test the solidity of the Guinea goal frame in the 40th minute when he shot from the left, but again Guinea's luck held. Ghana finally got the goal they deserved eight minutes after the break when Kalabane brought down the charging Agogo. Up stepped Gyan to convert with a curling kick into the top left corner to send a deafening roar into the sky above the packed stadium where Ghana's President John Kufuor was watching. However, in the 65th minute, the celebrations were cut short when Guinea drew level. Kalabane made up for his earlier indiscretion when his header straight at Richard Kingston in the Ghana goal, was fumbled over the line by the Birmingham City keeper. Le Roy brought on Andre Ayew as a late substitute and, with his first kick, the Marseille midfielder forced Camara into a brilliant reflex save from close range. But it was Muntari who crowned the day, his 89th-minute shot flying past Camara to give Le Roy and the perfect start. Match details Ghana: Kingson, Sarpei, Pantsil, Mensah, Addo, Essien, Kingston, Muntari, Gyan (Baffour 84), Agogo, Quincy (Ayew 75). Subs: Adjei, Afful, Alhassan, Annan, Asamoah, Asare, Barusso, Dauda, Draman, Kumordzi. Booked: Addo, Muntari, Kingston. Goals: Gyan (54 pen), Muntari (89). Guinea: Kemoko Camara, Bobo Balde, Alseni Camara, Kalabane, Jabi, Feindouno, Sacko, Sylla (Bah 90), Bangoura, Correa (Soumah 60), Youla (Karamoko Cisse 60). Subs: Habib Jean Balde, Ibrahima Sory Camara, Mohammed Cisse, Diallo, Diarso, Johnson, Mansare, Yattara, Zayatte. Booked: Feindouno. Goal: Kalabane (64). Referee: E Maillet (Seychelles).
SOURCE: Telegraph
Le Roy blasts Ghana '08 organisers
Ghana coach Claude Le Roy slammed the state of the pitch after his side's 2-1 win over Guinea and suggested tournament organisers were to blame. "The first thing is not the quality of the armchair in the VIP room, but the quality of the pitch," he said of the field at Accra's Ohene Djan stadium. "In more than 20 years in Africa, it's the worst pitch I've ever seen." "We have a technical team which likes to play one-touch football and this pitch badly affected our game." The long grass seemed to impede both sets of players with the ball frequently held up on the turf, making passing difficult and resulting in many collisions. And Black Star defender John Paintsil was carried off on a stretcher after complaining of dizziness at the end of the match. Ghana's assistant coach Herve Renard said: "He had a knock to his jaw after a rough challenge during the first half." Team-mate Laryea Kingston added: "John felt weird at half-time, he could not remember anything from the first 45 minutes. "Now he's fine, he's just been sent to the hospital for a couple of checks." LeRoy blamed his team's poor finishing after the hosts left it late in the Group A tie, with Sulley Muntari scoring a spectacular winner in the final minutes. "We created so many opportunities to score, scoring seems to be very complicated for us," he said. "But it was a very good performance by the Black Stars. "We were also unlucky in the first half when we hit the post three times. We know that the future will be very difficult because all the teams in this competition are very good teams." LeRoy's opposite number and fellow Frenchman Robert Nouzerat slammed his team's performance. "This is the worst match Guinea have played under me," he said. "My regret is that we didn't play the way we should have. "The next game will be decisive for us. The consequence of losing the first game is that if we lose the second, we're out." Both sides next matches are on Thursday with Guinea facing Morocco while Ghana take on Namibia. CULLED from: BBC Sport
Africa calling… from Ghana
A friend from South Africa bumped into a Nottingham Forest fan yesterday who has given up watching his club for a month in the British winter and come to watch their star striker, Junior Agogo, play for the Black Stars in the Nations Cup. Good idea. There were two Forest flags draped from the upper tier of the stadium for the opening game, a 2-1 win for Ghana over Guinea. They were hanging next to one from the Women's Supporters' Union of Ghana (Wosugha). There must be a Forest follower out there somewhere who knows this intrepid traveller, so give him a call in Ghana and get him to log on at the local internet café and tell us about his experiences so far on this blog. What was it like in that section with all the women? A bit like Watford or Reading probably. (Only joking, honest). Was it a penalty? Junior was fouled and it looked like a homer decision from my seat. More important, how can he play at this level when he's that size? And have you seen anyone wearing a Forest shirt? There was one man wearing Pompey's colours (made locally by the look of it) and they could flog a good few more of those after Sulley Muntari's spectacular winner. I managed to stick my head out of the window on the way back from the stadium - the journey was probably the highlight of the day - to have a go at a roadside shirt stall owner for having Birmingham on display but no Pompey. Jonathan the driver was just sensational. He ignored all queues, drove on the wrong side of the road towards a set of red lights, went straight through them, hunted out two one-way streets and went down both the wrong way, skirted through a petrol station forecourt and straight into the oncoming traffic, forcing a gap he took to cut up a van, then dealt with one more one-way street and three more red lights to have us back at the hotel before the managers' press conference. The rest of the drivers here have a lot to live up to. Back to Junior. He missed a couple of sitters, but he was okay overall, unlike John Paintsil, the West Ham defender who hardly ever plays. The man next to me couldn't believe he's a Premier League player. If Ghana carry on defending like this they'll be in trouble. Great night, though, and what a well-timed winner by Sulley. Before the game an unbelievably irritating stadium announcer who loved the sound of his own voice kept on and on and on when he didn't need to say a word. He told us the names of the teams, their nicknames, their shirt colours, who was in the VIP seats (despite the fact that we'd already heard their speeches), who the sponsors were, who the captains were and all sorts of other drivel. He would not shut it, and was even still talking after kick-off. Just before the end he boomed 'Ladies and gentlemen...' and I thought we'd have to sit through it all again, he's going to tell us what the score is and which way the teams were kicking and explain the offside rule. Then Sulley scored. That shut him up.
CULLED FROM: The Guardian
Ghana 2008: host of the world's greatest players
The Elephants have barged their way across the border, the Eagles — all three varieties — have landed and the Pharaohs have sand-danced their way over the desert. Let the Africa Cup of Nations begin. When it comes to football backdrops, nowhere can compete with the spectacular tapestry that Africa sews. From supporters decked out in national dress to the official tournament ball, vibrant colour is what sets this biennial jamboree apart. For its soundtrack there is the insistent drum beat to which matches jig along.
Top Drog: Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will lead from the front for Ivory Coast in Ghana And don't forget the quirky chaos — part of the continent's daily life — that lends an unpredictable naivety to proceedings. In Mali four years ago, a BBC crew waited for over an hour for the Liberia team to turn up for a training session. Just when they were about to call off their vigil, the team bus chugged around the corner driven by a smiling George Weah — former African and World Footballer of the Year. In Nigeria in 2000 all telephone lines to the national stadium in Lagos were lost when a maintenance crew inexplicably chopped through the main communications cable two hours before the opening game. Tickets will be passed through railings to be used time and again, training sessions will be conducted to the accompaniment of music played by supporters' bands and the talk among squads is likely to be as much about unpaid bonuses as tactics and final glory. The tales of the unexpected used to extend to the pitch with players charging from right-back to leftwing, waist-high scissor tackles and shots launched from all angles and distances. Such has been the exodus of African players across all parts of European club football in recent years, however, that organisation and discipline have made unfettered naivety largely obsolete. 'You have less authenticity, less creativity than you had in the past,' said BBC analyst Marcel Desailly, born in Ghana, but a World Cup winner with France. 'Why? Because most of the players now are playing abroad. They are more integrated into a European style than an African style where the player wants to run everywhere, wants to get the ball and enjoy himself, forgetting that he is in a team.' The greater exposure to European nous is evident in the number of foreign coaches. Tunisia won the Cup in 2004 under their present coach Roger Lemerre, who led France to their 2000 European Championship triumph. South Africa's Carlos Alberto Parreira won the World Cup for his native Brazil in 1994 and Berti Vogts, now of Nigeria, famously guided Scotland to a draw against the Faroe Islands. Vogts agrees with Arsene Wenger and Avram Grant that the tournament should move to June, saying: 'All the boys are on big contracts with their clubs and the big clubs in England may be thinking in the future we won't sign African players. That would be fair for the clubs but bad for African football.' But Desailly has a different take, saying: 'It's good that fewer agents will be coming to Ghana. For the last five African Nations Cups you would see all the agents of the world at the airport coming to catch new players, new talent. Now there are no new players to discover. That time is past. They are playing abroad already.' In all, 37 Premier League players will be on show, with another seven from the Football League, including Rommy Boco, midfielder with Accrington Stanley and Benin. 'Accrington who?' you can already hear the locals in Accra asking as they drink their milk. As well as in the Ghanaian capital, matches will be played in the seaport of Sekondi-Takoradi in the south, Kumasi in the central rainforest region and Tamale in the north, where the harmattan, a dry desert wind, sweeps across the savanna to bring fierce daytime heat and biting evening chill. Former Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday striker Mark Bright will be traversing the country with BBC co-commentator Simon Brotherton as they cover 17 games in 22 days. The adventure is in the journey into the unknown. Bright said: 'The sights and sounds are different from everything we experience in Europe. At a match in Egypt two years ago, a group of Guinea fans behind one goal were banging the drums continuously. They conceded a goal and the drums went dead for 10 seconds through the shock. Then they started up again.
Flare up: Tunisia fans (left) celebrate in 2006, Nigeria supporters wear body paint (centre) and a South African makes a spectacle of himself (right) 'It's more lovable as a tournament in many ways because you know so many things go wrong. They will play the wrong music as a national anthem and a team will be looking round shaking their heads.' By mid- February, outsiders Sudan, Benin and Namibia will have enjoyed their days in the African sun and the likely champions will be Ivory Coast, Senegal or Ghana. The football may conform to the European norm more these days but the riot of colour and noise coming out of Africa will endure. Out of Africa - the best team nicknames GHANA — Black Stars GUINEA — Syli Elephants, an indigenous breed NAMIBIA — Brave Warriors MOROCCO — Atlas Lions NIGERIA — Super Eagles IVORY COAST — Elephants MALI — Eagles BENIN — Squirrels TUNISIA — Eagles of Carthage SENEGAL — Lions of Teranga SOUTH AFRICA — Bafana Bafana (The Boys) ANGOLA — Black Antelopes EGYPT — Pharaohs CAMEROON — Indomitable Lions ZAMBIA — Copper Bullets SUDAN have two — Nile Crocodiles and Desert Hawks TV Coverage Highlights: BBC3 from 7pm (Jan 20-Jan 31). Group games: Live on BBC interactive (Jan 20-Jan 31). Quarter-finals, semi-finals and third place play-off: Live on BBC3 and BBC interactive (Feb 3-Feb 9). Final: Live on BBC2 from 4.30pm (Feb 10). Those playing away 44 England-based players will be on show at the African Nations Cup: ANGOLA — Manucho (Manchester United), Rui Marques (Leeds) BENIN — Rommy Boco (Accrington) CAMEROON — Geremi (Newcastle), Andre Bikey (Reading), Alexandre Song (Arsenal) EGYPT — Mohamed Shawky (Middlesbrough), Hossam Ghaly (Derby) GHANA — Michael Essien (Chelsea), Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth), John Paintsil (West Ham), Richard Kingson (Birmingham), Junior Agogo (Nottingham Forest) IVORY COAST — Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Kolo Toure (Arsenal), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Didier Zokora (Tottenham), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Abdoulaye Meite (Bolton), Emerse Fae (Reading) MALI — Mohamed Sissoko (Liverpool), Mamady Sidibe (Stoke) MOROCCO — Youssef Safri (Southampton), Nabil El Zhar (Liverpool) NIGERIA — John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Yakubu (Everton), Joseph Yobo (Everton), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth), Obafemi Martins (Newcastle), John Utaka (Portsmouth), Dickson Etuhu (Sunderland), Danny Shittu (Watford), Seyi Olofinjana (Wolves) SENEGAL — Abdoulaye Faye (Newcastle), Ibrahima Sonko (Reading), Papa Bouba Diop (Portsmouth), Diomansy Kamara (Fulham), Henri Camara (West Ham), El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton), Habib Beye (Newcastle) SOUTH AFRICA — Steven Pienaar (Everton), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn) TUNISIA — Radhi Jaidi (Birmingham), Mehdi Nafti (Birmingham) CULLED FROM: Daily Mail
Goldfields grant Black Stars $480,000 to win
Goldfields Ghana Limited, headline sponsors of the Black Stars, has announced a $480,000 incentive-package for the team ahead of the MTN African Cup of Nations. The package is aimed at propelling the team who would be making a fifth attempt at gold when the competition commences in the Ghanaian capital, Accra on Sunday, January 20. Dr. Tony Aurbynn, Head of Corporate Affairs and Social Development of Goldfields Ghana Limited said the package was to ensure that the Stars, who are chasing Egypt's fifth Nation's Cup Gold, will be better placed to win the trophy in style. "We are hosting to win and we are more than convinced that this support will go a long way to motivate the players to annex the trophy. "To whom much is given, much is expected. With our effort so far, I do not think it will be too much to ask the Stars to deliver unto us the ultimate trophy in the end" The package is the last bit of the three-year sponsorship agreement signed between the two parties in 2005. Goldfields and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) are billed to announce an extension of the relationship that has spanned three years. The "Miners" in 2005 announced a three million dollar sponsorship package to the Ghanaians then playing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Dr. Aurbynn said the relationship has so far fetched the desired mutual benefit. That contract would run out after the three-week fiesta. CULLED FROM: GNA
Owusu-Abeyie cleared to play for Ghana
Ghana have received a boost ahead of this month's Africa Cup of Nations with Dutch-born striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie getting Fifa clearance to play for the Black Stars. Owusu-Abeyie, who plays for Celta Vigo in Spain, had a superb showing for Holland as they hosted the Under-20 World Cup in 2005. The striker, whose parents hail from the West African country, applied to play for the Black Stars last year. The approval from football's world governing body of his nationality switch comes just 12 hours before the deadline of the submission of the list for the tournament. Owusu-Abeyie, was named in Ghana's preliminary squad for the Cup of Nations last month even though he had not received the clearance from Fifa. "We can confirm that we have just received a letter from Fifa clearing Owusu-Abeyie to play for Ghana," Ghana FA vice president Fred Pappoe told BBC Sport. "We have told the boy that he is free to play for Black Stars and he is very excited about the news. It was worth the wait. "We are confident that he has all it takes to take African by storm by playing for us during the African Cup of Nations." SOURCE: BBC Sport
Cameroon ready for Ghana '08
Cameroon's German coach Otto Pfister named his 23-man squad on Thursday for the Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off in Ghana on 20 January. The list includes Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o, who has been excused from their training camp in Burkina Faso under an agreement with the Spanish club. "He's in very good form and will not have any problem integrating into the squad in Ghana," Pfister said. The players are expected to return home next week before leaving for Ghana. The Indomitable Lions open their Group C campaign against Egypt on 22 January before games again Zambia and Sudan. Cameroon Squad: Goalkeepers: Kameni Idriss Carlos (Espanyol, Spain), Hamidou Souleymanou (Denizlispor, Turkey), Janvier Mbarga (Canon Sportif) Defenders: Rigobert Song (Galatasaray, Turkey), Andre Bikey (Reading, England), Timothee Atouba (Hamburg, Germany), Bill Tchato (Qatar Sport, Qatar), Benoit Angbwa (Saturn, Russia), Gilles Augustin Binya (Benfica, Portugal) Midfielders: Geremi (Newcastle United, England), Alexandre Song (Arsenal, England), Achille Emana (Toulouse, France), Jean Joel Epalle (Vfl Bochum, Germany), Jean Makoun (Lille, France), Landry Nguemo (Nancy, France), Modeste Mbami (Olympique Marseille, France), Paul Tchamba Essola (Arsenal Kiev, Ukraine), Stephane Mbia Etoundi (Stade Rennes, France), Alain Nkong (Atlente, Mexico) Forwards: Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona, Spain), Bertin Tomou (Excelsior Mouscron, Belgium), Mohamadou Idrissou (MSV Duisburg, Germany), Joseph Desire Job (Nice, France). SOURCE: BBC Sport
Diouf Tips Senegal in Ghana '08
Senegal captain El Hadji Diouf believes his side should be ranked as one of the African Nations Cup favourites though there is not a bad side in this year's tournament. The Bolton forward said Nigeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Mali and Cameroon would also feel they had a good chance of lifting the trophy which kicks off on Jan. 20 in Ghana. "When you look around there isn't a bad side in the tournament," Diouf told reporters. "That means anyone can win it and it makes it interesting. But I have a real desire to win. For me, the African Nations is as important as the World Cup." Senegal boast a squad including Portsmouth's Pape Bouba Diop, Fulham's Diomansy Kamara and Olympique Marseille forward Mamadou Niang. They were finalists in 2002, when they lost to Cameroon on penalties. "We have a very good team. A lot of the players play in England or France," Diouf said. "We do not fear anyone...People will want to avoid us. There are one or two teams that you don't want to play until the later stages of the tournament but there are not many teams that will want to play us." Diouf said supporters at home would be expecting success. "The pressure is maybe different in Africa because they won't settle for a draw over there. They want to go for a win every time you play and that is hard. "They are pretty tough on you if they don't deliver the goods and get a victory." Senegal are in Group D along with Tunisia, Angola and South Africa, although Diouf is eyeing a possible game against rivals Ivory Coast in the later stages of the competition. "It is always a special encounter. It is a bit of a derby game and you can compare it to Arsenal v Manchester United. It will be hard if it happens but I'm up for it," he added. The former Liverpool forward said many of his team mates and rivals would be looking to gain moves to the Premier League on the back of their performances over the next six weeks. "It is a great opportunity. It is a shop window. They know if they put in a series of good performances in the tournament there will be clubs that want to snap them up."
CULLED FROM: The Guardian
Temporary coach for Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast have temporarily replaced coach Ulrich Stielike, two weeks before the start of the Africa Nations Cup. The German coach has dropped his duties with the team to attend to his son, who has fallen into a coma. French coach Gerard Gili, who steered Ivory Coast's under-23 team to their first Olympic Games in Beijing this year, is taking over from Stielike. Gili was also part of the Elephants' coaching team at the 2006 Nations Cup. Hopes of quick return The Ivorian Football Federation (Fif) hopes that Stielike will be back with the Elephants soon. "Stielike has a few family problems, notably his son who is in quite a critical situation," said Fif secretary general Ouattara Hegaud. "While we wait for Stielike's family situation to normalise, the team's preparations will be directed by Gerard Gili. "Everything that was planned by Stielike remains the same, this is simply a human issue. "But I think it is an issue which will be resolved very quickly and we will again see Stielike leading this team." Stielike has not ruled out the possibility of being back with the team during the Nations Cup. "I'll definitely miss the first two matches. Everything beyond that depends on my son's condition," he said. Stielike has been Ivory Coast coach since October 2006. He began by putting together an unbeaten run of six matches without conceding a goal. SOURCE: BBC Sport
SULLEY IS OVER THE MUN!
SULLEY MUNTARI will never experience a day like this on a football pitch again. The Ghanian midfielder was the architect of a smash-and-grab away win with two long-range efforts which will not have been bettered anywhere this weekend. Villa fans were left wondering how their team lost when Pompey scored more goals than they had shots on target. Harry Redknapp's slick side were helped by an early own goal by Craig Gardner. But Villa boss Martin O'Neill, named Manager of the Month before kick-off, can have no complaints at the two truly stunning strikes that gave Pompey a sixth straight away win — and their first at Villa Park in 37 years. The first saw him show enough craft to cut inside Gareth Barry and find the top corner with a 25-yard left-footed drive. Strong His second came as he nabbed the ball off Nigel Reo-Coker, waltzed past Zat Knight, and then impudently curved the ball past Scott Carson from 30 yards. Pompey boss Redknapp was troubled by the abuse from home fans but he was dancing for joy after Muntari's double blast. Redknapp admitted: "Sulley is like that. He can shoot but sometimes they go into the stand and other times they hit the back of the net. "They were tremendous goals and our fans will be grateful they made the long journey up for the early kick-off with the game being on TV. "They are supporting through good times at the moment. They've never known a better time since Jimmy Dickinson was playing for the club after the Second World War. "They were genuinely a great side in those days. But the last four or five years have been fantastic in terms of the football they have seen. "We are on a great run, scoring goals away from home and looking very strong. Villa Park is not an easy place to come and score three goals. We also missed some other good opportunities so it was an excellent performance from my players." Pompey enjoyed a perfect start when they edged ahead in the 10th minute with that own goal. Sylvain Distin's shot was deflected into the path of Benjani by Wilfred Bouma but Gardner reached the ball first and diverted it past Carson. And five minutes before the break the 1,500 Pompey fans who made it up to Villa Park were celebrating once more when Muntari scored the first of his two brilliant strikes. He took the ball 25 yards out and cut inside Barry before firing an unstoppable left-footed effort past Carson and into the top corner. In the 61st minute Muntari blasted his second. He robbed Reo-Coker and nutmegged Knight before finding the net with the outside of his left foot. Eleven minutes later Villa were back in it when Distin fouled Ashley Young and referee Mike Riley awarded a penalty. Barry's ferocious spot-kick gave his side hope but the late flourish was snuffed out comfortably by Distin and central defensive partner Sol Campbell. Redknapp is a realist above anything else and doubts that his side can maintain the kind of form that might see them challenge for a Champions League place as Everton did three years ago. He said: "I would think the top four are on another level to us. They have got the squads and are strong "But these are great times for Portsmouth. We are now 11 games unbeaten and we should be making the most of these times." Villa have given enough indication that they are well placed among the clubs with designs on giving the elite sides a run for their money. But O'Neill will probably feel like dumping his Manager award into the dustbin after this showing. His side were not given much help by referee Riley but their failure to cope with the pace of Portsmouth's counter-attacks will not not have escaped him. Strike Perhaps more worrying was the lack of a tracking run by Reo-Coker in the build-up to the second goal. The former West Ham captain went missing like a canoeist off the coast of Hartlepool as Muntari was afforded too much space before hammering in the crucial second. O'Neill said: "We were looking forward to the game and we were ready for the match. "Far from confidence being dented in last week's defeat to Arsenal, it was maybe even enhanced. "Early on we were knocked back by a fluke of a goal. If Wilfred Bouma had stepped over the ball it probably would have ended up at the corner flag. "Instead he deflected it into the path of Gardner and the own goal happened. That was far from fatal but then we were undone by two wonder-goals. "But I don't want to take anything away from a super strike and I suppose you could say the same about the third one. "We had our chances in the game and if we had taken them it would have been a different story." SOURCE: NOTW
Hosts Ghana win mini-tournament
Ghana fought back bravely to survive an early scare and beat Benin 4-2 to win the four-nation friendly tournament in Accra on Wednesday. Midfielder Laryea Kingston, who plays for Scottish side Hearts, scored two late goals to secure the victory for the hosts of next year's Africa Cup of Nations. Despite the early dominance of the Black Stars, the visitors shocked the home fans on 23 minutes when France-based Stephane Sessegnon scored from the spot. The Le Mans midfielder sent goalkeeper Sammy Adjei the wrong way after defender Haminu Dramani fouled Alain Gazpoz in the box. The goal spurred on the Squirrels and they should have doubled their lead two minutes before the interval but the Swedish league's top joint top scorer Razak Omotoyossi headed Abou Maiga's cross well wide. Maiga also fluffed another scoring opportunity two minutes later when with only Adjei at his mercy, he shot hopelessly wide. Omotoyossi was not to be denied just after the interval when he dummied two defenders before placing the ball on the blind side of the Ghana goalkeeper. But the visitors, who were guilty of wasting chances to extend their lead, were eventually punished for their profligate finishing. The Black Stars pulled one back through striker Junior Agogo on 47 minutes after being set up by Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari. Muntari could have drawn the Black Stars level in the 62nd minute but Benin keeper Rachid Chitou held firmly after a terrific shot from the edge of the box. Just as the game threatened to run away from them, the home side showed more urgency in attack. Their determination paid off on 75 minutes when Kingston slalomed past four defenders before displacing Chitou on for the equaliser. Ghana went in front nine minutes later when captain Stephen Appiah shook off two defensive tackles before firing in from 25 yards. Kingston killed off the Squirrels' challenge two minutes later when he scored with the outside of his right foot directly from a free kick at the edge of the box. Meanwhile, Togo took third place after thrashing the United Arab Emirates 5-0 in Wednesday's other game. The four-nation tournament is to test Ghana's readiness to host football's Africa Cup of Nations in January.
SOURCE: BBC Sport
Osei tries out for Man. City
Manchester City's scouting net has trawled in two of the most promising young players in Africa. Ghanaian Ransford Osei, a star of the recent U17 World Cup, and Matthew Edile, whose penalty shoot-out goal helped Nigeria win the tournament, are both having trials with the club. SOURCE: Daily Mail
Man Utd capture Ghana’s 14-year-old Cofie
Manchester United have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea in the race for 14-year-old Burnley striker John Cofie and agreed an undisclosed fee with the Clarets. Burnley rejected a reported £250,000 bid from Liverpool for Cofie this week. But the German-born Ghanaian refused to return to training with the Clarets and they agreed he could leave Turf Moor. Burnley have inserted a 25% sell-on clause in the deal, which also gives them first refusal on any loan deal and a future friendly match with United. It will be three years before Cofie can sign professional terms at Old Trafford and the friendly game will take place within 12 months of that. Cofie was signed by the Clarets last summer after he was spotted at a youth tournament in Germany. "The player was unwilling to come back to Burnley so we didn't have a choice in keeping him here," Burnley operational director Brendan Flood told his club's website. "He was going to go to one of the clubs chasing his signature and in the end, we all felt that Manchester United was the right option. "He has a good future ahead of him and hopefully we can try and keep youngsters of John's quality at the club in future."
SOURCE: BBC Sport
Norwegian keeper opts for Ghana
Goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey Larsen has opted to play international football for Ghana instead of his country of birth, Norway. The 19-year-old, who plays for top Norway side Stromgodset, has turned down invitations to play for the European country's under-20 side. Kwarasey, whose father hails from Navrongo in the Upper East region of Ghana, says he turned down the opportunity to play for Norway because he prefers the West African country. "It is true that my mum is a Norwegian but it has always being a dream for me to play in the colours of Ghana," Kwarasey told BBC Sport. "Even though I have not received a call-up from Ghana so far, I am patient and will wait for the opportunity. "I went to Ghana some years ago as a kid and after playing with the other kids there I resolved to play for my fatherland. "I watch the matches of the Ghana national teams and I think the style of play is attractive and will also enhance my career. "I thank Norway for giving me the opportunity to develop my talent but Ghana is the choice for me." The highly rated youngster is hoping that his height will gain him a place in Ghana's squad for future matches. At 6ft 4in, Kwarasey is literally head and shoulders above Black Stars regulars Richard Kingston and Sammy Adjei, who average 5ft 8in. Meanwhile, the Ghanaian has warned Norway international Espen Johnsen that he expects to be Stromgodset's first-choice goalkeeper next season. Kwarasey managed five league appearances for his club for the just ended season with Johnsen playing in 21 matches. He said: "I have a lot of respect for Johnsen's achievements with the Norway national team and his experience in the game. "Johnsen is loan from Champions League side Rosenborg and it is likely he will to return before the start of the season. "Even if he stays, I want to be the first choice keeper. My message is clear - I'm ready to fight."
SOURCE: BBC Sport
Dede keen to flourish in Europe
Andre 'Dede' Ayew says his display in the Uefa Champions League has given him the confidence to believe he has a future on the world stage. The 17-year-old, son of Ghana legend Abedi Pele, who plays for French club Marseille was given his first start in the competition on Tuesday. Dede was named in the starting line-up ahead of France international striker Djibril Cisse in their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Portuguese outfit Porto. The youngster hardly put a foot wrong during the game and earned himself high praise for his performance. But Dede shrugged off the post-match comments stressing that keeping his place in the side will be his biggest challenge. "It is good to hear the praise from everybody but the most important thing is to stay in the squad and play better in every game," Dede told BBC Sport. "It is important that I stay here to develop and I am confident of helping to bring success to the club. "Even though there are big players in the team, the pitch will always decide and I am confident of using this opportunity to show the world what I can do." Dede signed a professional deal with Marseille in May after impressing with the reserves. OURCE: BBC Sport
Ghana to host 4-nation tournament
2008 African Nations Cup finals hosts Ghana will host a four-nation tournament in November to test facilities ahead of the finals, which start on Jan. 20. Renovated venues in Accra and Kumasi will be used for the tournament, to which Benin, Guinea and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to participate from Nov. 17-21. As part of preparations for the tournament, Ghana have scheduled a friendly against Jamaica in London on Oct. 14, the Ghana Football Association announced on Monday. It is the second meeting between the two countries in Britain in the last two years. Ghana emerged victors in their last meeting at Leicester, prior to the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, where Ghana reached the second round.
CULLED FROM: The Guardian
Obi Gets All Clear for Ghana Tie in Accra
Nigerian U-23 coaches have indicated that Super Eagles maverick John Mikel Obi might be called up for the make or break Beijing 2008 qualifier against the Black Meteors of Ghana in Accra next month after returning to international duties against Lesotho in Warri on Saturday. The Chelsea midfielder’s wanton disregard for national cause incurred a sanction from the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) as well as a far reaching vow by the U-23 technical crew to exempt him from the Olympic party should Nigeria secure qualification for the Games. But Olympic team assistant coach Henry Nwosu (MON) revealed yesterday that the Mikel’s matter had been resolved following his pardon by the Nigerian federation. “We have not foreclosed the prospect of Mikel playing for the national team at this level. He can still play for us because he has been pardoned by the NFA. In the first instance, we never had any problem with him,” Nwosu said. He said the technical crew led by Samson Siasia would still decide whether or not to invite him for the game against the Ghanaians. It is, however, not yet clear if the Chelsea star would accept the invitation if the U-23 coaches decide they need him for the game. The Nigerian team is expected to regroup in the middle of next month in preparation for the crucial fixture against Ghana. Nigeria’s lead of the three-team group appears shaky following Ghana’s shocking 3-1 defeat of South Africa last Saturday before a hostile crowd at Olen Park Stadium in Potchefstroom. The Ghanaians, who lost 3-2 to Nigeria in Abuja, will aim for outright lead of the group when they host the Amagluglug next month. Two weeks ago the Nigerians were held to a 1-1 draw by the South Africans in Rustenburg Stadium with Chinedu Ogbuke scoring the equaliser. CULLED FROM: THISDAY
My Guinness! Essien the face of stout
Michael Essien has put himself on collision course with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho - by signing a deal to sell Guinness. The midfielder, who cost £24.4m from Lyon in 2005, has agreed a contract to promote the Irish stout in his native Ghana. Essien, 24, has been named Guinness's ambassador in the West African country, and will star in a poster campaign. But a row could now be brewing with Mourinho, who strongly believes his players should follow healthy diets and lifestyles - and will be dismayed that his prize signing is endorsing alcohol. Essien said: "I am very excited to be Guinness's first football ambassador, and truly feel proud to be part of the greatness that is African football. "I hope I can act as a source of inspiration for many football fans across Africa, in the same way that Tony Yeboah and George Weah inspired me to reach greatness within my football career." Guinness recently reported a 17% rise in sales in Africa, in contrast to slumps in the UK and Ireland. The company's Ghana marketing head Agnes Emefah Essah said: "Guinness Ghana Breweries have a longstanding association with Ghana's Black Stars, and we believe that there is greatness in our players." SOURCE: Daily Mail
OSEI WINS SILVER SHOE
Inspite of his efforts to catch up with eventual leading scorer Macauley Christantus, Ghana’s Ransford Osei had to settle with the adidas Silver Shoe, at the just-concluded FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea. The diminutive forward, who stands at 1.68 metres, chased the tall Nigerian until the final whistle of Ghana's match for third place against Germany, where he scored his sixth goal of the tournament with a glancing header. In fact, Osei got off to a superior start to his chief rival in the beginning when he found the net twice against Trinidad and Tobago in his side's first group game. Osei went on to score two more goals against Germany and Colombia, then picked up another in the quarter-final defeat of Peru. Germany captain Toni Kroos was voted the best player of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea 2007, while Nigeria's Macauley Chrisantus took the adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament's top scorer. The Bayern Munich starlet received 26 per cent of the votes, which was carried out by the accredited journalists who attended the final between Spain and Nigeria at the Seoul FIFA World Cup Stadium. In addition to finishing as the seven-goal leading marksman in front of Ghana's Ransford Osei and Kroos, Chrisantus also pocketed the adidas Silver Ball, with Spain's Bojan judged the third most outstanding player on Korean soil. adidas Golden Ball and adidas Bronze Shoe: Toni Kroos (Germany) - 5 goals, 4 assists, 26 per cent of the votes. A key figure in the German midfield, captain Toni Kroos proved why he is regarded as the next great Bayern Munich and Germany No10 with his consistent performances throughout the tournament. His moves and passes across the middle of the park showed the essence of German efficiency, while the playmaker's five goals helped Germany become the most prolific team in the tournament with 20 goals. Kroos opened his account with a brace in Germany's second group match against Ghana, then he added one each against England and Nigeria. But his best goal would be the untouchable free-kick against Ghana in the match for third place. adidas Silver Ball and adidas Golden Shoe: Macauley Chrisantus (Nigeria) - 7 goals, 2 assists, 25 per cent Macauley Chirsantus was a nightmare for the defenders who had to mark him. His five goals in the first phase, which included braces against Japan and Haiti, had already made him a strong candidate for this award. His efforts were not spectacular but every one of them was crucial, especially in the second round. Indeed, his clinical finish from close range helped the Golden Eaglets fly over Argentina in the quarter-final, before he scored his seventh goal of the tournament against Germany in the semi-final, his trusted right boot again doing the trick. adidas Bronze Ball: Bojan (Spain) - 5 goals, 1 assist, 19 per cent Although he missed a chance to play in the final, Bojan was deemed the best player in the Spanish camp, scoring five goals, including the last-gasp winner against Ghana in the semi-finals. The Barcelona starlet found the net twice in the opening game against Honduras, but he could not score against Syria in the next match before being rested on the bench for the final group game with Argentina. However, the No9 came back to the starting line-up against Korea DPR and found his rhythm, scoring twice with powerful drives into the net. adidas Golden Shoe: Macauley Chrisantus - 7 goals, 2 assists adidas Silver Shoe: Ransford Osei (Ghana) - 6 goals, 3 assists adidas Bronze Shoe: Toni Kroos - 5 goals, 4 assists FIFA Fair Play Award: Costa Rica SOURCE: scoutingtalents.com
Ghana keen to repel underdog status
Ghana are hoping it will be third time lucky when they take part in the 2007 women's World Cup in China. The Black Queens have won only one game in two World Cup appearances, beating Australia 2-1 at the 2003 tournament. But the West Africans, the lowest ranked of the 16 finalists in China, have the opportunity to redeem themselves when they kick off their Group C campaign against Australia on 12 September. They will face highly-rated Canada four days later before completing their group campaign on 19 September with a game against Norway, the fourth best team in the world. But it goes without saying that the Ghanaians have improved since their last appearances at the World Cup. They are currently top of Africa's qualification table for the 2008 Olympics Games following recent 1-0 wins over continental giants Nigeria and South Africa. Captain Adjoa Bayor has been instrumental in the team's recent success and will no doubt be expected to do the business in China. The midfielder has blossomed into a world-class player, thanks largely to the invaluable experience gained while playing club football in the United States with FC Indiana. Bayor, who was selected for the World All Stars that took on China in April this year, says the Black Queens can cause an upset or two. "It's okay if our opponents want to talk big, but our concern is to get the results on the field," Bayor said. Even though Bayor will be without many of her team-mates who played at the last World Cup, coach Isaac Paha has drafted in several young promising players, notably Anita Amankwa. The teenage sensation, who is blessed with lightning speed, emerged as one of the top scorers at the African Championship last year. Inspirational goalkeeper Memunatu Sulemana makes a return to the national team after a two-year absence. The former Fifa All Stars player quit the game after her club Post Ladies refused her request to continue her career abroad. There is an air of excitement and optimism as the Black Queens aim to progress to the tournament's knock-out stages at the third time of asking.
SOURCE: BBC Sports
Ghana beat Morocco
Ghana kicked off the first of a two-game friendly series on a winning note against Morocco in the French town of Rouen on Saturday. The Black Stars got back on the winning road with a 2-0 win over the North African side, their first since March when they easily dispatched Nigeria 4-1 in a similar exercise as part the build up towards next year’s African Cup of Nations to be hosted by Ghana. Ghana had to wait until the second half before rounding up victory over Morocco, one of the nations to have qualified for Africa’s flagship sporting event, the CAN, after a barren fist half. Black Stars coach made a host of changes and the introduction of Barusso into the game saw captain, Michael Essien deployed to a central defensive role while the AS Roma played partnered Eric Addo, Andre Ayew and Laryea Kingston in midfield. And it was two second half substitutes, Junior Agogo and Ahmed Barusso who did the trick for Ghana. The Nottingham Forest striker controlled a pass from a Laryea Kingston cross at the far post and shot from the left channel to put Ghana in the lead after 47 minutes of play. Ghana pushed the opponents and in one of such attacks, the Moroccans conceded a freekick to the Black Stars. Kingston was on had again to float the ball into the six yard box of the Atlas Lions and Barusso managed to lose his marker and soared to nod in the second for Ghana. Morocco attempted to pull a goal back but Richard Kingson was in fine form to block a close effort on the left with his leg. Moses Sakyi was given run out by Claude Le Roy as the Black Stars guarded their lead over Morocco. Ghana would continue with the busy schedule four days later on September 12 with Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. SOURCE: ghanafa.org
Ransford Osei for CAN 2008
The striking prodigy of Black Starlets' attacker Ransford Osei, has attracted the attention of Black Stars' coach Claude Le Roy. And in his bid to parade and build a formidable frontline for the forthcoming Ghana 2008 tournament, the French trainer, has penciled down the young striker as a possible candidate to strike alongside his favourite, Asamoah Gyan.
For Le Roy, the young striker, like wine, is maturing as the weeks roll by and has all it takes to wear the senior team shirt. Le Roy said in a press conference in Accra.
So far 5 Goals in 6 Games at the U-17 World Cup and I won't be surprise he scores another goal in the 3rd place match. Ransford Osei has scored about 15 Goals for the Starlets in Competitive Games so far. Summary of Ransford Osei's Goals On 17th September, 2006 Ransford Osei scored a hat-trick during 1st Leg CAF U17 Nations Cup Qualifiers Ghana vs. Guinea 3-1 3 Goals On 15th October,2006 Ransford Osei scored the only goal of the 2nd leg qualifier CAF U17 Nations Cup Ghana vs. Guinea 1-1 1 Goal 12th December,2006 the second round of the CAF U17 Nations Cup Qualifiers 2nd leg against Ivory Coast Ransford Osei scored 1goal Ghana vs Ivory Coast 2-0(Starlets qualify) 1 Goal 7th CAF U-17 Championship Group Stage 3/11/2007 Ghana vs Burkina Faso 3-1 1 Goal 7th CAF U-17 Championship Group Stage 3/14/2007 Ghana vs Eritrea 6-0 1 Goal 7th CAF U-17 Championship Semi Finals 3/20/2007 Ghana vs. Togo 1-2 1 Goal Mini Tourney in Korea Match Day 1 6/17/2007 Ghana vs. Haiti 3-0 3 Goals Mini Tourney in Korea Match Day 2 6/19/2007 Ghana vs. Brazil 1-1 1 Goal FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage 8/20/2007 Ghana vs. Trinidad 4-1 2 Goals FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage 8/23/2007 Ghana vs. Germany 2-3 1 Goal FIFA u-17 World Cup Group Stage Ghana vs. Colombia 2-1 1 Goal
FIFA U-17 World Cup Quarter Finals Ghana vs. Peru 2-0 1 Goal
Tags: 2007 • Black • Cup • FC • FIFA • Ghana • Kessben • Korea • Osei • Ransford • star • striker • U-17 • World Flickr tags: 2007 • Black • Cup • FC • FIFA • Ghana • Kessben • Korea • Osei • Ransford • star • striker • U-17 • World.
SOURCE: scoutingtalents.com
Ghana race enters final straight
The lineup for next year's CAF Africa Cup of Nations should become a lot clearer after a busy weekend featuring 19 qualifying matches across the continent. Angola, Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, Sudan and Tunisia have already booked their places alongside hosts Ghana at the tournament but that number should at least double over the coming days, with the outcome in all but two of the 12 groups expected to be settled by Sunday night. FIFA.com asssesses the state of play. Group 1 - Gabon need a miracle Côte d'Ivoire travel to face Alain Giresse's Gabon without injured captain Didier Drogba but needing only to avoid defeat by a six-goal margin to secure qualification. With Djibouti's withdrawal having left just three teams, this is the final match of a section that the Elephants - who have claimed maximum points without conceding a goal - lead by three points from their opponents. Group 2 - Egypt on the brink Defending champions Egypt can secure qualification with victory over Burundi in a fixture postponed from June. A point clear of a Botswana side who must visit Egypt next month, the Pharoahs welcome back striker Mido but are missing his fellow forward Mohamed Zidan due to a foot injury. Group 3 - Spotlight on Kampala With Nigeria already assured first place, the focus is on the Nelson Mandela stadium in Kampala where some 60,000 fans will watch Uganda host Niger aiming to bolster their hopes of finishing among the best three runners-up. Victory will move Uganda on to 11 points but a big score would also help given the possibility of goal difference deciding who heads to Ghana. Group 4 - Summit meeting in Sudan With 13 and 12 points respectively, both Sudan and Tunisia have already qualified but their meeting in Omdurman on Sunday will decide which team advances as group winners. Tunisia have not conceded a goal in five matches but they can expect a fierce test against Sudan, whose success in qualifying has been mirrored by the fortunes of club side Al Hilal, surprise semi-finalists in the CAF Champions League. Group 5 - Minnows chasing dream Having taken seven points from five games, Equatorial Guinea retain an outside chance of reaching their first continental finals but to keep that dream alive they must beat group winners Cameroon on Sunday. That could prove easier said than done against the Indomitable Lions. Save for the absence of injured strikers Samuel Eto'o and Achille Webo, coach Jules Nyongha has taken his strongest possible squad to Malabo, where the home supporters should see a home debut for Real Madrid starlet Javier Balboa, capped for the first time in Rwanda in June. Group 6 - Eritrea on a mission Eritrea are another second-placed side harbouring hopes of qualification as one of the best runners-up but they will need a handsome win over Swaziland in Manzini on Sunday to stand any chance of making it to Ghana. "We want to qualify for the Nations Cup in Ghana next year. Not that we're taking Swaziland lightly, but our mission is clear - we need to win this one at all costs," said Eritrea coach Haile Taber, whose charges have eight points, five adrift of group winners Angola. Group 7 - Senegal a step away No group is more closely contested than this one which features three teams all capable of claiming first place. Leaders Senegal have eight points and can secure top spot with a home victory over Burkina Faso but should they slip up, both Tanzania - also on eight points - and Mozambique - two points further back - could yet leapfrog them. Tanzania host Mozambique in the other game but the visitors travelled to Dar Es Salaam under a cloud following the death in a car accident of defender Nando. He was killed along with his wife and two children driving back to Maputo from his South African club Black Leopards on Sunday. Group 8 - Tight at the top Guinea and Algeria are level on eight points at the group summit ahead of their final matches against Cape Verde Islands and Gambia respectively. The Guineans, leaders on goal difference after winning in Algeria, have been buoyed by the availability of captain Pascal Feinduono who had been doubtful because of injury. Coach Robert Nouzaret also has defender Dianbobo Balde back for a match Guinea go into knowing that any slip-up could let in Algeria. The North African team welcome back Hameur Bouazza for their visit to Gambia and will hope to improve on their poor recent away record - while keeping their fingers crossed for good news from Conakry. Group 9 - Matches postponed Mali, Togo and Benin all retain a shout of winning the section but their last set of matches has been postponed to 12 October because of elections in Sierra Leone this weekend. Group 10 - Striker boost for Congo DR Congo DR go into the final round with eight points, one clear of both Namibia and their opponents on Sunday, Libya. Victory over the Libyans will secure their ninth successive appearance in the continental showpiece and the prospect of Lomana Tresor Lua Lua and Shabani Nonda teaming up in attack for the first time in two years has boosted Congolese hopes further. The duo are among 14 players called up from European clubs as Congo seek to assure their progress. Second-placed Namibia must beat Ethopia and hope for a draw in the match in Kinshasa. Group 11 - McCarthy returns Benni McCarthy's return from a self-imposed international exile of 18 months has given the South Africa squad a lift as they look to secure the point they need against second-placed Zambia to earn their seventh consecutive Nations Cup berth. Group 12 - Job done With Morocco already qualified, this three-team section concludes with the meeting of Zimbabwe and Malawi in Bulawayo - a fixture that the hosts go into with new coach Norman Mapeza at the helm. SOURCE: FIFA.com
Boateng for first team start
Eager for first team start: Boateng Michael Dawson stepped up his return to fitness from an ankle injury by playing 65 minutes as Tottenham's reserves beat their Birmingham counterparts. Midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng also played and he set up the only goal of the game, scored by Andy Barcham in the 81st minute. First-team hopeful Adel Taarabt also featured in the game at Leyton Orient's Brisbane Road. SOURCE: Daily Mail
Leverkusen face up to Sarpei loss
Bayer 04 Leverkusen may have to begin their UEFA Cup campaign without Hans Sarpei after the Ghana international suffered a groin strain in Friday's 1-1 draw with FC Schalke 04. Greško replacement The 31-year-old lasted just 25 minutes of the Bundesliga fixture before being replaced at left-back by Vratislav Greško. Sarpei is expected to be out for a fortnight, meaning he could miss Bayer's UEFA Cup first round first-leg meeting with Portuguese side UD Leiria on 20 September. He should be back for the return two weeks later, however. CULLED from: UEFA.com
Ghana U-17 stun Brazil
Ghana knocked tournament favourites Brazil out of the under-17 World Cup in South Korea with a 1-0 win on Wednesday. Isaac Donkor scored the only goal of the game with a deflected shot on 51 minutes. The Black Starlets played the entire second half of the game in Gwanyang with ten men after Francis Boadi was sent off a minute before the break. They were very effective on the counter-attack against the skilful Brazilians. Ghana will play Peru in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Changwon. Meanwhile, Tunisia suffered a 3-1 defeat in extra time against France. in another second-round tie. France took the lead just before half-time with a free-kick from Henri Saivet, but Nour Hadhria gave the Carthage Eaglets the equaliser four minutes after the break with a stunning 25-metre drive. It was still 1-1 after 90 minutes, but France scored twice in extra time through Damien Le Tallec. Tunisia had been reduced to ten men after 76 minutes, when Mohamed Karoui was sent off for a foul. The resultant penalty was saved by goalkeeper Habib Tounsi. SOURCE: BBC Sport
Ghana, Tunisia record World under-17 wins
Ghana beat Trinidad and Tobago 4-1 and Tunisia held off Belgium at the under-17 World Cup in South Korea on Monday. Youssef Msaki scored twice in Tunisia's 4-2 win over Belgium in Group E. Oussama Boughanmi opened the scoring in the 20th minute and Khaled Ayari met Nour Hadria's corner kick at the first post to double the lead four minutes later. Belgium rallied with two goals in nine minutes to Nill Depauw and Kevin Kiss to equalize before Tunisia again took the lead just on halftime when Msakni scored his first. Boughanmi was sent off after collecting his second booking in the 52nd minute, although Belgium was unable to capitalize and Msakni gave the 10-man Tunisia lineup a two-goal cushion with a goal in the 79th. Meanwhile, a brace by Ransford Osei helped Ghana to move to the top of Group F after Germany held Columbia to a 3-3 draw in group's opening game. Osei led the way for the Black Starlets, whose explosive attacking delighted their audience. The Ghanaians were up 3-0 by half-time thanks to Osei's brace and another strike by Sadick Adams. Trinidad and Tobago pulled one back through Stephan Campbell before Reading striker Kelvin Bossman sealed the win. "It was important to make a successful start, and we'll be confident about our remaining matches now," Ghana captain Paul Addo said. The Black Starlets face Germany in their next game on Thursday and a win will guarantee them a place in the next stage of the competition. "It'll be tough against Germany, but we still have every chance of winning," Addo added. Action continues on Tuesday as Togo take on Peru in Group A.
SOURCE: BBC Sport
Asamoah in racist abuse claim
The German Football Federation (DFB) has opened an investigation into Borussia Dortmund's goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller over alleged racist comments. Schalke 04's Ghana-born striker Gerald Asamoah claims Weidenfeller made the comments before Asamoah scored in his club's 4-1 Bundesliga win on Saturday. It is alleged that in the 51st minute of the match, Weidenfeller called Asamoah, the first black player to be selected for the German national team, a "black pig". The match in Gelsenkirchen was a tense affair between the two rivals, especially as Dortmund had beaten Schalke 2-0 on the penultimate weekend of last season to deny the Royal Blues their first Bundesliga title. "In the heat of the moment, things are often said which people later regret, and tensions were high for that game," Ghana-born Asamoah said. "But when you hear something like that, it makes you really disappointed. "He regretted saying it and he apologised to me during the game, but I don't know why he didn't admit it after the match. "He should tell the truth." In September 2006, monkey cries made by supporters of Hansa Rostock led to the DFB fining the club US$26,000. SOURCE: BBC Sport
Levante reject Riga offer
Levante have rejected an offer for Ghanaian winger Riga Mustapha. Five Premiership clubs watched the Ghana-born wide-man in action at the weekend as he scored two in a win over Racing Santander. Manchester City, Wigan, West Ham, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough all watched Mustapha and one of them is now believed to have lodged an offer. Spanish reports say Middlesbrough, via an agent working on their behalf, lodged a €2million (£1.3million) bid - although it remains to be seen which club indeed made a firm approach. One thing which is clear is that the offer was not acceptable. "The offer is insufficient," president Pedro Villarroel told the Valencian. Reports suggest Levante want €4million (£2.7million) before they would consider letting Mustapha leave. SOURCE: skysports.com
Ghana 4-1 Nigeria
Ghana beat Nigeria for the first time in 15 years, thanks to four second-half goals in Tuesday night's friendly at Griffin Park. Goals from Laryea Kingson, Sulley Muntari, Junior Agogo and substitute Asamoah Frimpong clinched a comfortable win for Claude Le Roy's side - and prompted extravagant celebrations from the Ghanaian fans, dozens of whom charged on to the pitch after the second and third goals. The Super Eagles earned a consolation through Taiwo Taye's 65th-minute penalty, but Ghana's attacking prowess proved too much for a Nigeria side in which Chelsea midfielder Mikel Jon Obi was surprisingly included. Mikel was not expected to feature in the match, after Blues manager Jose Mourinho said he had picked up a thigh injury which would rule him out for two weeks. But the young playmaker played for the full match, while club-mate Michael Essien managed 87 minutes for Ghana. There was no sign, however, of Obafemi Martins in the 18-man Nigeria squad - despite Newcastle saying the forward had been given permission to play. In the 11th minute, Mikel played a superb through ball to John Utaka, whose close-range effort was blocked smartly by Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson. Six minutes before that, Laryea Kingson almost gave Ghana the lead when his curling cross from the left was missed by team-mate Agogo but was palmed away by Vincent Enyeama in the nick of time. In the seventh minute, Kingson fired just wide from 30 yards. Mourinho would have been watching intently when Essien fell awkwardly under a Nigerian challenge in the ninth minute. The Chelsea midfielder spent almost two minutes off the field with what appeared to be pain in his back, before he rejoined the action. Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari both came close for Ghana, but the best chance of the half fell to Mikel - who put a free header over the bar from eight yards after he had been picked out by Utaka's right-wing cross. Ghana went back on the attack, with Gyan blazing well wide after fine work from Essien and Stephen Appiah - and Iliasu Alhassan shooting over an open goal after Enyeama had flapped at a corner. A minute before the break, Muntari headed John Mensah's long cross too close to Enyeama. Ghana found the attacking edge their first-half play had lacked, scoring three times in the first 15 minutes of the second period. Laryea Kingson gave them the lead with a low shot from 20 yards in the 50th minute, with Muntari adding a stunning second four minutes later - a searing drive into the roof of the net from an acute ankle. Le Roy's men then made it three on the hour mark with a delightful goal, Gyan collecting Appiah's superb pass before crossing from the right for Agogo to volley in smartly at the near post. Ghana briefly lost their cool five minutes later, though, Hans Adu Sarpei bringing down Utaka for a penalty which Taiwo calmly converted. But the Black Stars soon recovered their composure - Appiah, Gyan and Essien combining to set up substitute Frimpong who guided in the fourth from 10 yards after 76 minutes. SOURCE: soccernet.com
Ghana’s Queens tame Angola’s
Ghana’s quest for a place in the women’s football competition at the 2008 Beijing Games kicked started on Saturday with a 2-1 away win over Angola. The women’s Olympic qualifying series begins over the weekend for Africa’s sixteen nations vying for the single slot to the 2008 Beijing Games. Ghana's women’s Olympic team proved too strong for their Angolan opponents scoring a goal apiece in each half of the game in Luanda. Rumunatu Tahiru scored to put Ghana in the lead before the hour mark. Ghana held onto the lone goal to end the first half. However, back from recess, the Angolans cancelled out Ghana’s first half lead as the score cards read 1-1. And 17 year-old prodigy, Anita Amankwah a revelation during the African Women’s Championship last year in Nigeria was on hand to crown off the efforts of the Black Queens when she grabbed a brace on the day to make it 2-1 for Ghana. The return leg is slated for March 11 at the Coronation park. Africa has a single slot for the Olympic Games and the 16 nations competing in the qualifiers this weekend are seeking to pick the sole ticket. Aside the single slot for Africa, the runners-up from the CONCACAF and CAF qualifiers would be compete in a one-off decider for a place in the Olympic competition. The other fixtures for the qualifying rounds are Liberia-Ethiopia, Nigeria-Senegal, Guinea-Zimbabwe, Eritrea-Morocco, Equatorial Guinea-South Africa, Namibia-DR Congo and Mozambique-Algeria. SOURCE: ghanafa.org
Asante Kotoko beat Port Authority
Kumasi Asante Kotoko struggled to a 1-0 win over Gambian side, Port Authority in the first leg fixture of the CAF/MTN Champions League preliminary round. Dan Acquah’s second half goal from a spot kick ensured that Kotoko left the Len Clay stadium in Obuasi winners. Kotoko handed new signings, Nii Adjei and Ahmed Nyame their debut in continental club football but had it tough dominating play as their opponents without five regular players on national duty looked a formidable unit. Watching from the sidelines for the Porcupine Warriors was their most expensive signing in the January transfer window, Isaac Vorsah. The victory was Kotoko’s second in succession in all competitions they are involved in, that is both the domestic and continental campaign. Kotoko started superbly but easily lost their early minute dominance as they struggled to break through the rear of Port Authority. Both sides battled it out strongly but ended the first half goalless. Back from recess, the Gambians still stood tall but the Porcupine Warriors at least deservedly scored through a spot kick which was converted by defender, Dan Acquah. The return leg comes off in Banjul next week. The first leg should have come off a last week. But Port Authority requested for the postponement of the game due to the unavailability of the some of their players who were representing Gambia in the African Youth Championship which ends Saturday in Congo. The Confederation of African Football – CAF, heeded to the request of the Gambians and postponed the game.
SOURCE: ghanafa.org
Benfica sign on Ghana’s Lion
Portuguese side, SL Benfica look into the future as they sign on young Ghana international defender, Jerry Akaminko before the European transfer window shuts at midnight on Wednesday. Benfica, who are five points adrift league leaders FC Porto, are keen to see the young defender develop through the club’s youth ranks. The three and half year deal would see the 19-year-old stay at the Estádio do Dragão until 2010. The former junior national team captain joins Benfica from local side, Kpando Heart of Lions. Jerry Akaminko would be joining the club’s junior team and could be handed his Benfica debut on Saturday in the Portuguese junior league but would not be expected to feature in the UEFA Cup Round of 32 tie against FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti next month. The central defender, a key figure in the set up of Heart of Lions has risen through Ghana’s junior teams having played for the Black Starlets, Black Satellites and now with the Olympic team, the Black Meteors. SOURCE: ghanafa.org
Ghana's Obodai joins Waalwijk
Ghanaian midfielder Anthony Obodai has ended his stand off with Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam by joining rivals RKC Waalwijk. The 24-year-old handed in a transfer request on Monday after being expelled from the club's training ground by coach Wiljan Vloet following a furious row over team selection. Obodai has joined struggling side Waalwijk on a three-and-a-half-year contract. Waalwijk are bottom of the Dutch top league and Obodai is confident of helping them avoid the drop. "I'm very happy to have joined Waalwijk and I know with the help of my team-mates will not be relegated," Obodai told BBC Sport. "I have come here to help improve the fortunes of the club and to get regular playing time and also to fight for a place in my national team. "Sparta did not treat me with respect and it was time to leave. I can concentrate on the challenges ahead." Waalwijk are hoping that the acquisition of the Ghanaian will help improve the fortunes of their club. "Anthony is a strong defensive midfielder who can improve a lot things for our club," Waalwijk's general manager Henry van Vegt said. "He is a major addition to our squad and we are proud to have him." Obodai, who was captain of Sparta, fell out with coach Wiljan Vloet after being told to sit on the bench last week. He played in 47 games for Sparta Rotterdam since moving from rivals Ajax Amsterdam in 2005. SOURCE: BBC Sport
Ashgold in crucial Champs League win
Jonathan Quartey's stunning finish gave Ghana's Ashanti Gold a crucial 1-0 away win against Renacimiento of Equatorial Guinea in the Champions League on Sunday. Quartey volleyed home in the 55th minute to give the Obuasi side a victory in their first appearance in the tournament in ten years. Ashgold, finalists in their last appearance in 1997, could have won the first-round, first-leg tie by a wider margin but striker Lamini Nasir failed to convert a spot kick just after the break. Also on Sunday, DR Congo side TP Mazembe beat visiting Police XI of Botswana 3-0 thanks to a hat-trick by international striker Mputu Mabi. Egyptian club Zamalek defeated Burundi's Vital'O 4-1 in their game in Cairo. Strikes from Amr Zaki, Hazem Emam, Mostafa Gaafar and Tarek Al-Sayed secured the win for the home side. Cameroonian sides Coton Sport and Canon Yaounde were other clubs to take advantage of playing at home, winning by against Uganda Revenue Authority and Etoile du Congo respectively. Nigerian champions Ocean Boys failed to benefit from their home advantage as they were held to a goalless draw by FC Kallon, the club owned by Sierra Leone international striker Mohammed Kallon. Meanwhile, Cape Verde's Sporting Club failed to turn up for their game against Guinea's Felo Star, staying at home over safety concerns after a violent general strike. Human rights organisations say at least 60 people were killed and many more injured in a violent 18-day general strike against Guinean President Lansana Conte, which was suspended late on Saturday under a deal with unions. Felo Star's secretary-general Mamoudou Drame said Sporting Club had forfeited the tie by failing to turn up, although Confederation of African Football officials were unavailable for comment.
SOURCE: BBC Sport
Kwame Ayew returns to boost Setubal
Portuguese side Vitoria Setubal have signed former Ghana striker Kwame Ayew to boost their chances of league survival. Kwame, young brother of former African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele, signed a six-month contract on Friday. It will be the 33-year-old's second spell with Setubal, having scored eight goals in 23 appearance for the club in the 1997/98 season. Ayew moves from China side Xian Zhang Ba International Football Club where he was the league highest scorer last season with 17 goals. Setubal, who are third from the bottom of Portugal's top league, are hoping the signing for the former Ghana international will help them avoid relegation. It will be Ayew's second spell in Portugal having played for Uniao Leiria and Sporting Lisbon. He also played for clubs in the Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, France and Italy.
SOURCE: BBC Sport
Ghana's Gyan lands record $10.5m deal
Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has joined Lokomotiv Moscow in the biggest purchase of the Russian pre-season. The 21-year-old moves from Italian Serie A side Udinese in a deal worth US$10.5m. Ghana international spent the last two seasons on loan at Serie B club Modena before rejoining Udinese at the start of this season. He played for his country at the World Cup in Germany in June and scored in the Black Stars' thrilling 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic. The transfer fee reflects the demand for a player who has scored 12 goals in 19 appearances for his country. But Spartak Moscow's acquisition of Argentinean Fernando Cavenaghi for US$13m in 2004 remains a Russian record. Gyan moved to Udinese from the local side Liberty Professionals in 2003.
SOURCE: BBC Sport
Ghana and Nigeria reschedule tie
Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and their Ghanaian counterparts have agreed a new date for an international friendly in London. The Super Eagles were scheduled to take on their African rivals at Loftus Road on 7 February. But a clash in date with an England fixture means the game will now take place a day earlier. The match will be hosted by Brentford FC at their Griffin Park on 6 February. According to Justin Addo, CEO of Jv2i Consult, organisers of the game, a change of date and venue is the only alternative to ensure the game takes place next month. "The English FA ruled that since England play Spain on 7 February in Manchester, we need to look for an alternative date," Addo told BBC Sport on Friday.
Portsmouth ended their long wait for a second FA Cup victory as they defeated Cardiff 1-0 in the final at Wembley on Saturday. 
Hosts Ghana came from behind to claim a consolation third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations after beating Ivory Coast in a six-goal thriller. Sulley Muntari's swerving 25-yard free-kick gave Ghana the lead on 10 minutes before Ivorian Boubacar Sanogo hit back with a quick-fire brace. 
READING manager, Steve Coppell is sure his player, Andre Bikey, must have been provoked into his bizarre African Nations Cup red card. 
Substitute Alain Nkong's second-half goal gave Cameroon a 1-0 win over hosts Ghana to take the four-time Africa Nations Cup winners through to Sunday's final. 
Striker Junior Agogo sent 10-man Ghana into the African Nations Cup semi-finals when his late goal gave the hosts a 2-1 victory over Nigeria. 
Ghana proved too strong for Namibia as the tournament hosts moved three points clear at the top of Group A. 
Sulley Muntari, the Portsmouth midfielder, struck an unexpected 30-yard winner in the last minute to lift hosts Ghana to victory in the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations yesterday.
Ghana coach Claude Le Roy slammed the state of the pitch after his side's 2-1 win over Guinea and suggested tournament organisers were to blame. 
The Elephants have barged their way across the border, the Eagles — all three varieties — have landed and the Pharaohs have sand-danced their way over the desert. Let the Africa Cup of Nations begin. 
Ghana have received a boost ahead of this month's Africa Cup of Nations with Dutch-born striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie getting Fifa clearance to play for the Black Stars. 
Cameroon's German coach Otto Pfister named his 23-man squad on Thursday for the Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off in Ghana on 20 January. 
Ivory Coast have temporarily replaced coach Ulrich Stielike, two weeks before the start of the Africa Nations Cup. 
SULLEY MUNTARI will never experience a day like this on a football pitch again. 
Ghana fought back bravely to survive an early scare and beat Benin 4-2 to win the four-nation friendly tournament in Accra on Wednesday. 
Manchester City's scouting net has trawled in two of the most promising young players in Africa. 
Manchester United have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea in the race for 14-year-old Burnley striker John Cofie and agreed an undisclosed fee with the Clarets. 
Goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey Larsen has opted to play international football for Ghana instead of his country of birth, Norway. 
Andre 'Dede' Ayew says his display in the Uefa Champions League has given him the confidence to believe he has a future on the world stage. 
Michael Essien has put himself on collision course with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho - by signing a deal to sell Guinness. 
Inspite of his efforts to catch up with eventual leading scorer Macauley Christantus, Ghana’s Ransford Osei had to settle with the adidas Silver Shoe, at the just-concluded FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea.
Ghana are hoping it will be third time lucky when they take part in the 2007 women's World Cup in China. 
Ghana kicked off the first of a two-game friendly series on a winning note against Morocco in the French town of Rouen on Saturday.
The striking prodigy of Black Starlets' attacker Ransford Osei, has attracted the attention of Black Stars' coach Claude Le Roy.
Eager for first team start: Boateng
Bayer 04 Leverkusen may have to begin their UEFA Cup campaign without Hans Sarpei after the Ghana international suffered a groin strain in Friday's 1-1 draw with FC Schalke 04.
Ghana knocked tournament favourites Brazil out of the under-17 World Cup in South Korea with a 1-0 win on Wednesday. 
Ghana beat Trinidad and Tobago 4-1 and Tunisia held off Belgium at the under-17 World Cup in South Korea on Monday. 
The German Football Federation (DFB) has opened an investigation into Borussia Dortmund's goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller over alleged racist comments. 
Levante have rejected an offer for Ghanaian winger Riga Mustapha. 
Ghana beat Nigeria for the first time in 15 years, thanks to four second-half goals in Tuesday night's friendly at Griffin Park. 
Ghana’s quest for a place in the women’s football competition at the 2008 Beijing Games kicked started on Saturday with a 2-1 away win over Angola. The women’s Olympic qualifying series begins over the weekend for Africa’s sixteen nations vying for the single slot to the 2008 Beijing Games.
Ghanaian midfielder Anthony Obodai has ended his stand off with Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam by joining rivals RKC Waalwijk. 
Jonathan Quartey's stunning finish gave Ghana's Ashanti Gold a crucial 1-0 away win against Renacimiento of Equatorial Guinea in the Champions League on Sunday. 
Portuguese side Vitoria Setubal have signed former Ghana striker Kwame Ayew to boost their chances of league survival. 
Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has joined Lokomotiv Moscow in the biggest purchase of the Russian pre-season. 
Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and their Ghanaian counterparts have agreed a new date for an international friendly in London.