by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 13, 2025 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghanaian defender Tariq Lamptey marked his Fiorentina debut in a Serie A clash against defending champions SSC Napoli, though his first outing ended in disappointment with La Viola falling 3-1 at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.
The 24-year-old, who joined from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer transfer window, came off the bench to replace Pietro Comuzzo shortly after Luca Ranieri had reduced the deficit for Fiorentina. Lamptey’s introduction added pace and energy as the hosts pressed for a way back, but Napoli’s dominance had already set the tone.
Kevin De Bruyne put the champions ahead early with a sixth-minute penalty before Manchester United loanee Rasmus Højlund doubled their lead eight minutes later. Sam Baukema then made it 3-0 just after the restart, leaving Stefano Pioli’s men with a mountain to climb.
Despite Fiorentina’s spirited late push, Antonio Conte’s Napoli held firm to secure all three points. For Lamptey, however, the cameo offered glimpses of promise, and he will now look forward to more minutes as he settles into life in Serie A.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 13, 2025 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Nigeria, Soccer
It was a weekend of contrasting emotions for Nigerian players in the Premier League, as Arsenal impressed while Super Eagles stars battled through ups and downs across England.
At St. James’ Park, Tolu Arokodare endured a tough introduction to English football. The 23-year-old striker, who arrived at Wolves from Belgian side Genk this summer, led the line on his debut but struggled to make an impact. His afternoon ended in the 66th minute, with Nick Woltemade’s first-half header condemning Wolves to a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle United. The result leaves Wolves bottom of the table without a single point after four matches.
Over at Selhurst Park, Chrisantus Uche tasted his first Premier League action in Crystal Palace colours. The young Nigerian midfielder came on late in the game, featuring for the final six minutes as Palace settled for a goalless draw against newly promoted Sunderland. Palace remain unbeaten, sitting eighth on the log with six points.
In London, Fulham found some joy as Super Eagles duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi helped their side to their first win of the season. Bassey was a rock in defence throughout the 90 minutes, while Iwobi, fresh from international duty, started but was replaced in the 76th minute. The decisive moment came deep into stoppage time, when Gabriel Gudmundsson’s own goal handed Fulham a 1-0 victory over Leeds United.
Elsewhere, Arsenal turned on the style with a dominant 3-0 triumph over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates. Martin Zubimendi struck twice, while new signing Eberechi Eze assisted Viktor Gyokeres, leaving Ange Postecoglou’s first game in charge of Forest one to forget.
At the Vitality Stadium, Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo was the standout performer. The Black Stars forward set up Alex Scott’s opener before winning and converting a penalty to secure Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Brighton, despite Kaoru Mitoma’s equaliser.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur produced a statement performance, hammering West Ham 3-0, while Everton and Aston Villa played out a goalless draw at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Remarkably, Villa remain the only side across England’s top five divisions yet to find the back of the net this season.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 13, 2025 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Black Stars striker Antoine Semenyo continues to enjoy a rich vein of form, shining once again for AFC Bournemouth as they edged Brighton 2-1 in a fiery South Coast clash.
Back from international duty with Ghana, the 25-year-old was immediately restored to the starting XI and wasted no time making his mark. His clever assist for Alex Scott’s opener set the tone, before Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma leveled matters after the break.
With the game finely balanced, Semenyo stepped up when it mattered most. A clumsy foul inside the box gave Bournemouth a golden opportunity, and with regular penalty taker Justin Kluivert off the pitch, the Ghanaian forward calmly slotted home what proved to be the winner.
The victory was particularly sweet for the Cherries — their first over Brighton since April 2024 — a milestone not lost on the players.
Reflecting after the match, Semenyo admitted it was not Bournemouth’s most glamorous performance, but a vital one nonetheless:
> “The manager reminded us we hadn’t beaten Brighton for a while. He told us to expect an ugly game, and that’s exactly what happened. But we showed resilience and found a way to win. The mood is perfect, everyone is enjoying training and buzzing to play. You can’t ask for more.”
When asked about potentially taking over penalty duties from Kluivert, Semenyo laughed off the idea:
> “I don’t know. Justin scored a lot last season and hasn’t missed one. But today I had to step up, and thankfully it went in. At the end of the day, it’s about doing what I can for the team.”
With Bournemouth now up to third in the Premier League on nine points, Semenyo’s fine form has quickly made him one of the league’s early standouts.
Interestingly, Manchester United had made moves to sign the Ghanaian over the summer, with discussions reportedly starting as far back as March. However, the deal fell through, leaving Bournemouth to reap the rewards of their in-form star.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 13, 2025 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Jordan Ayew’s rich vein of form continued as he found the net in Leicester City’s 1-1 draw away at Oxford United, carrying his international momentum straight into the Championship.
Fresh from scoring for the Black Stars during the September break, the experienced Ghanaian forward delivered once again, this time for the Foxes. Ayew struck in the 13th minute with a poacher’s finish inside the box, cancelling out Will Lankshear’s early opener for the hosts.
Throughout the match, Ayew’s relentless work rate and intelligent link-up play kept Leicester on the front foot, earning the admiration of the traveling supporters. His fellow Ghanaian, Fatawu Issahaku, added spark on the flank with 70 minutes of energetic wing play, further boosting the Foxes’ attack.
Leicester walked away with a valuable point, but for Ayew, it was another reminder of his growing influence for both club and country.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 13, 2025 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
Christopher Bonsu Baah has officially announced himself in Saudi Arabia with his debut goal for Al Qadsiah in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal.
The 20-year-old Ghanaian winger, fresh off international duty, struck brilliantly from the edge of the box with his weaker foot to give the Knights of the East an early spark.
But Al Hilal responded just after the restart through former Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez. Their joy was short-lived, however, as Julian Quiñones quickly restored Al Qadsiah’s lead.
Ruben Neves eventually rescued the Riyadh powerhouse from defeat, converting a penalty 17 minutes from time to seal the stalemate.
Despite a rocky start—missing his first game due to a red card—Bonsu Baah has bounced back impressively, recording a goal and an assist in just two appearances for his new club since joining from KRC Genk in the summer window.
Al Qadsiah fans will be hoping this is just the beginning of a bright chapter for their exciting Ghanaian star.
