by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 16, 2025 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghanaian forward Kwadwo Baah was instrumental as Watford battled to a 1-1 draw against Cardiff City in a thrilling Championship encounter on Tuesday evening at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The first half saw both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances, resulting in a goalless stalemate. The breakthrough came in the 65th minute when Cardiff’s Cian Ashford struck a precise left-footed shot, assisted by Calum Chambers, to give the hosts the lead.
As the game edged toward a Cardiff victory, Kwadwo Baah stepped up with a moment of brilliance in the 87th minute. The Ghanaian delivered a perfectly timed cross, which Vakoun Bayo converted with a powerful header to equalize for Watford.
Baah’s impressive performance, highlighted by his third assist of the season, kept Watford in the fight. The full-time whistle left the teams sharing the spoils, with Cardiff maintaining a narrow edge in their head-to-head record against Watford.
Watford will aim to build on this momentum as they prepare to take on Derby County on January 18th.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 16, 2025 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghanaian striker Jordan Ayew endured a disappointing night at the King Power Stadium as Leicester City suffered a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, the club where he once plied his trade.
The English Premier League clash on Wednesday night saw Ayew begin on the bench, with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy introducing him in the 80th minute in a bold attempt to turn the game around. Ayew replaced defender James Justin, adding an attacking spark to Leicester’s play.
Despite the Ghanaian’s energetic efforts in the final ten minutes, Crystal Palace’s earlier goals—scored by Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 52nd minute and Marc Guehi in the 78th—secured all three points for the visitors.
Leicester City will now look to bounce back from the defeat when they face Fulham on Saturday, January 18. Ayew, who has been a key player for the Black Stars, will hope to make a bigger impact in the upcoming match.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 16, 2025 | AFCON, Africa, Europe, International, Soccer, World Cup
Ghana football is at a crossroads, and one of its prominent voices, Kojo Addae-Mensah, has issued a clarion call for unity to steer the Black Stars back to global prominence. The former Databank CEO, speaking on Asempa FM, stressed the urgent need for a united front within the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Addae-Mensah, a key figure in the committee that appointed Black Stars coach Otto Addo, painted a sobering picture of Ghanaian football’s fractured state. Aligning with football administrator Wilfred Osei Kwaku, popularly known as “Palmer,” he underscored how disunity has hampered the national team’s progress in recent years.
“I’ve heard they are working on reconstituting the Black Stars’ management committee, and that’s a good start,” Addae-Mensah said. “But the fundamental issue is unity. Figures like Abdul Salam Yakubu, Moses Foh-Amoaning, and Palmer have all emphasized this. Under Kwesi Nyantakyi, there was harmony, and we consistently qualified for the World Cup. That’s the standard we need to return to.”
Reflecting on Ghana’s disappointing run in the recent AFCON qualifiers, Addae-Mensah urged the GFA to address mistakes and revamp both the management and technical departments of the national team. He warned that failure to do so could jeopardize the Black Stars’ World Cup ambitions.
“Football needs unity, and we need it now,” he said firmly. “Both management and technical teams must be strengthened. We can’t afford to make the same mistakes if we’re serious about returning to the World Cup.”
As voices within the football community echo his sentiments, it’s clear that a united Ghana Football Association is vital to reviving the fortunes of the Black Stars. Stakeholders are now watching closely, hoping that these calls for unity translate into action.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 16, 2025 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Dutch-Ghanaian winger Delano Asante delivered an impressive performance for Rijnsburgse Boys despite their 4-1 loss to Feyenoord in the KNVB Cup Round of 16 on Wednesday night.
Asante, who started and played the full 90 minutes, provided a moment of brilliance just before halftime. He set up Ilias Kariouh to score Rijnsburgse Boys’ lone goal, giving the home fans something to cheer about amidst a challenging contest.
Unfortunately, Rijnsburgse Boys were already trailing 3-0 by the time of Kariouh’s goal, with Feyenoord showcasing their dominance through a brace from Santiago Gimenez and a strike from Givairo Read.
Feyenoord sealed their victory in the second half when Black Stars youngster Ibrahim Osman scored their fourth goal in added time, capping off a commanding display by the Eredivisie giants.
While the defeat marked the end of Rijnsburgse Boys’ KNVB Cup journey, Asante’s performance highlighted his creativity and potential, earning him recognition despite the loss.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Jan 16, 2025 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer, World Cup
Former Databank CEO Kojo Addae-Mensah has called for immediate reforms to strengthen the Black Stars’ technical team and management, emphasizing their importance in securing Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on Asempa FM, Addae-Mensah, who previously played a role in appointing Black Stars coach Otto Addo, attributed Ghana’s recent struggles—particularly in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers—to weaknesses in both technical and managerial areas.
“Both the management and technical side need strengthening. If not, we risk missing out on the World Cup,” he stated. “We must reflect on where we got it wrong during the AFCON qualifiers and make the necessary corrections to ensure qualification for the World Cup.”
His remarks echo a growing consensus among stakeholders in Ghanaian football, who have pointed to disunity and inefficiencies within the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the national team as key factors behind the team’s underperformance.
Addae-Mensah’s call for action comes as the Black Stars gear up for the next phase of their World Cup qualification campaign in March. Reports suggest the GFA plans to reconstitute the current technical team, which is still led by Otto Addo.
The former CEO’s appeal highlights the urgent need for effective leadership and a technically sound coaching setup to revitalize the Black Stars and restore their competitive edge on the global stage.
With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, the GFA faces mounting pressure to address these challenges and lay the foundation for success in Ghana’s bid for another World Cup appearance.
