by Eliezer Ahorlu | Oct 4, 2024 | AFCON, Africa, Ghana, Soccer
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed new dates for the AFCON 2025 qualifiers between Ghana and Sudan. The first match, originally planned for Friday, October 11, 2024, will now be held on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at the Accra Sports Stadium, with kickoff at 4:00 PM local time.
Ghana’s Black Stars will aim for a crucial home victory in this fixture as they continue their quest to qualify for AFCON 2025, which will take place in Morocco.
The second leg, previously scheduled for a later date, has also been moved. Sudan will now host Ghana in Matchday 4 on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Libya, with kickoff at 1:00 PM local time.
Both matches are vital in determining the outcome of the qualifiers, with Ghana looking to capitalize on home advantage in the first leg, while Sudan will hope to make the most of their home game in Libya.
by Eliezer Ahorlu | Oct 3, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, Soccer
Asante Kotoko head coach, Prosper Narteh Ogum, has shared insights into how his team secured a 1-0 victory over Nsoatreman Football Club on Wednesday.
In his post-match interview, Coach Ogum explained that the win was the result of a well-executed game plan that exploited Nsoatreman’s defensive weaknesses. He noted that the team targeted spaces at the right-back position and took advantage of the slower center-backs by playing passes behind them.
“We realised that they had spaces at the right back. So, we were using there a lot and we knew their Centre-backs are actually not that fast as you can see. So, we decided to combine a few passes and play the ball behind them. If you look at it carefully in the first half, it worked very well for us. We just tried to use the spaces behind them and it worked for us,” Coach Ogum revealed.
The Porcupine Warriors hosted Nsoatreman FC at the Len Clay Sports Stadium in a Week 2 Ghana Premier League fixture. Despite a tightly contested match, Kotoko found the net to secure the narrow win.
This victory has propelled Asante Kotoko to 2nd place in the Ghana Premier League standings.
by Eliezer Ahorlu | Oct 3, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghanaian forward Ibrahim Osman delivered an impressive performance as Feyenoord secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Girona in the Champions League Round 2 clash at Estadi Municipal de Montilivi.
Osman, a Black Stars player, started the game and played 61 minutes before being substituted. His contribution included 22 touches, with four inside the opposition’s box. He was highly effective in duels, winning eight overall, including seven on the ground. He also showcased his dribbling skills, completing three out of four dribbles.
While his long balls and crosses were less impactful, Osman excelled defensively, winning all his tackles and making four recoveries. His efforts were vital in Feyenoord’s crucial away win, which saw Antoni Milambo and Yangel Herrera scoring, with an own goal by Ladislav Krejci. Donny van de Beek’s equalizer and David Lopez’s early strike had Girona fighting back, but Feyenoord emerged victorious.
Feyenoord will next face FC Twente in the Eredivisie on October 6th, aiming to maintain their momentum.
by Eliezer Ahorlu | Oct 3, 2024 | AFCON, Africa, International, Soccer
Senegal has parted ways with Aliou Cisse, the coach who led the Teranga Lions to their first Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title. Cisse, 48, had been in charge for nine and a half years. Under his leadership, Senegal won the delayed 2021 Afcon in February 2022.
Although his contract ended in August, Cisse remained in charge for Senegal’s recent 2025 Afcon qualifiers, including a 1-1 draw with Burkina Faso and a 1-0 victory over Burundi. While the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) sought to renew his contract, the sports ministry, under the new government of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, opted to end his tenure just nine days before the next round of qualifiers.
In a statement, the FSF thanked Cisse for his contributions and wished him success in the future. Despite sometimes strained relations between the government and the FSF, the decision came as a surprise, especially given that Cisse had already scheduled a press conference to announce his squad for the upcoming qualifiers against Malawi.
Cisse, who earned 35 caps as a player for Senegal, took over as coach in March 2015. His leadership helped establish Senegal as Africa’s top-ranked team for over four years. The pinnacle of his tenure came when Senegal won the 2021 Afcon title, defeating Egypt on penalties. He also led the team to two Fifa World Cup appearances, in 2018 and 2022, although Senegal was eliminated in the group stage and the round of 16, respectively. Morocco overtook Senegal as Africa’s highest-ranked team in December 2022.
Senegal is currently second in their 2026 World Cup qualifying group, trailing leaders Sudan by two points. The FSF has yet to announce an interim coaching team for the upcoming 2025 Afcon qualifiers against Malawi.
Cisse’s departure was prompted by a letter from Khady Diene Gaye, Senegal’s Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture, declining to approve a one-year contract extension. The letter cited Senegal’s failure to meet key objectives, including reaching the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals and winning the 2023 Afcon title. Additionally, concerns were raised about the team’s drop in world rankings and the potential loss of connection between the national team and the Senegalese public.
As a player, Cisse was part of Senegal’s golden generation, having captained the national team during their impressive run to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals. That same year, he missed the decisive penalty in the Afcon final against Cameroon. He also endured personal tragedy in 2002 when 11 family members, including his sister, perished in the Joola ferry disaster. Cisse began his coaching career in 2011, working with Senegal’s Under-23 team before taking over the senior team after Alain Giresse’s departure.
by Eliezer Ahorlu | Oct 3, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Other Sports
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Juniors Tour in Accra resumed on Monday, kicking off Week 4 of the six-week tournament, as players competed for crucial ranking points at the National Tennis Centre, Accra Sports Stadium.
After wrapping up Week 3, which marked the first J60 competition following two weeks of J30 events, the second of four consecutive J60 tournaments began with round of 32 matches. In the boys’ competition, Week 2 champion Ikenna Prosper Okonkwo from Nigeria easily defeated Iran’s Illia Mehrabani 6-1, 6-1, while his doubles partner Joseph Franklin Jimoh cruised past Togo’s Mawuko Francois-Xavier Gapko 6-0, 6-1.
However, Ghana’s top-seeded player, Raphael Dowuona, struggled in Week 3 and was unable to make an impact.
On the girls’ side, Ghana’s Benedicta Kotey faced a tough opponent in Diya Chaudhary of India, who dominated the match with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Chaudhary has already won two tournaments and was runner-up in another during her time in Accra. Other notable winners in the girls’ round of 32 included Togo’s Mazamesso Grace Tchamous, who defeated Nigeria’s Bisola Theresa Ogunkolade 6-2, 6-0, Ivory Coast’s Ahuo Marie Ange Kouakuo, and India’s Raja Sarvagnya Kilaru.
Last week’s girls’ singles champion, Alisha Ndukwu of Great Britain, was also a standout, winning a thrilling three-set final against Diya Chaudhary, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, to claim victory in Week 3.
Despite a difficult week for Ghana’s Raphael Dowuona, the host nation found success in the girls’ doubles. Sisu-Makena Tomegah, alongside Madagascar’s Iriela Rajaobelina, triumphed over Alisha Ndukwu and Raja Sarvagnya Kilaru 6-4, 6-4, securing their second straight doubles title.
The ITF J60 Accra Week 4 continues on Tuesday with the round of 16, as the competition heats up and players aim to accumulate the most points by the end of the week.
