by Silas Boahene | Sep 17, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
FC Samartex 1996 head coach, Nurudeen Amadu, has called on his team to remain confident about advancing to the third round of the CAF Champions League despite their 2-2 draw with Raja Casablanca in the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium.
With the second leg scheduled for Casablanca on September 21 and Raja Casablanca holding the advantage due to their two away goals, Amadu remains optimistic. He stated, “It was a tough match, and while we did our best, it wasn’t enough. Nevertheless, the boys performed well. We need to motivate our players and believe that we can achieve the result we need in Casablanca.”
This is Samartex’s debut in the CAF Champions League following their 2023-2024 Ghana Premier League title win. The team also started the 2024-2025 league season with a goalless draw against Dreams FC.
by Silas Boahene | Sep 17, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghanaian forward Inaki Williams made history in La Liga after his remarkable performance for Athletic Bilbao in their 3-2 victory over Las Palmas. The 30-year-old registered a hat-trick of assists, becoming the first player since 2005 to achieve the feat in a single La Liga match.
Williams assisted goals from Oihan Sancet, Nico Williams, and Aitor Paredes, despite Bilbao playing with 10 men following Mikel Jauregizar’s red card in the 56th minute.
Reacting to the milestone, Inaki Williams took to social media, stating, “Luck sometimes helps, work always.”
This standout performance follows his appearances for Ghana in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, where the Black Stars secured draws against Angola and Niger. Despite his impressive assists, Williams has yet to score in the 2024-2025 La Liga season. Bilbao is set to face Leganes on September 19.
by Silas Boahene | Sep 17, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, emphasized the importance of passion in his players’ performances, stating it is his responsibility to ensure they show more determination than they did in their recent matches. Speaking after watching Medeama SC’s 1-0 victory over Legon Cities at the Legon Sports Stadium, Addo acknowledged fan criticism following Ghana’s 1-1 draw with Niger and 1-0 loss to Angola in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
“My message to the fans is that we need to show a different attitude from the last game. There was a lack of passion on the pitch, and it’s up to me to fix that. If we play with passion, we can beat any team,” Addo remarked.
Ghana is set to face Sudan in their next AFCON qualifier in October.
by Silas Boahene | Sep 17, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, Soccer
Medeama SC Board Chairman, Dr. Tony Aubynn, has refuted claims that a change in the club’s technical staff was the primary reason for their underwhelming title defence in the 2023-2024 Ghana Premier League season. After winning the league in 2022-2023, Medeama finished eighth the following season, with many attributing the drop in performance to moving head coach Evans Augustine Adotey to a Technical Advisor role and appointing Nebojsa Kapor as his replacement.
In an exclusive interview with ChannelOne Sports, Dr. Aubynn clarified, “I don’t think the coaching change was the main cause. Several factors affected our performance, and the intention behind the change was positive.” He emphasized that the decision was carefully considered by the board.
Medeama has started the 2024-2025 season strong, with back-to-back victories over Accra Lions and Legon Cities, and will face Basake Holy Stars on Friday, September 27.
by Silas Boahene | Sep 17, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, Soccer
John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer for the 2024 Ghana Presidential Elections, has harshly criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s performance in the sports sector. During a rally in the Greater Accra Region, Mahama expressed his disappointment after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) withdrew its approval for the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi to host Category 3 games, citing Ghana’s lack of a suitable 30,000-seat venue for international matches.
This ruling means Ghana’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Sudan will be held in Togo or CĂ´te d’Ivoire. Mahama labeled the situation “embarrassing,” especially considering the government’s significant expenditure on stadium renovations ahead of the 2023 African Games. He further questioned the $85 million spent on rehabilitating stadiums and the alleged $15 million spent on feeding athletes during the Games, calling the expenses shocking.
