by Silas Boahene | May 27, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, Soccer
Kumasi Asante Kotoko Head Coach, Prosper Narteh Ogum, has expressed his delight after achieving consecutive victories over Accra Hearts of Oak this season in the Ghana Premier League.
The Porcupines secured a 2-0 win against the Phobians, with Ugandan striker Steve Dese Mukwala netting both goals in front of enthusiastic Kumasi supporters at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
In his post-match remarks, Ogum highlighted that defeating Hearts of Oak twice serves as significant motivation to end the season on a high note.
“Beating Hearts of Oak back-to-back is not an easy job, so I’m happy. I think it’s an honor for this group of players. It’s been a while since this happened, and we are all happy, as you could see when the final whistle was blown,” Ogum stated.
This victory propelled Asante Kotoko to ninth place in the league with 43 points, while Hearts of Oak dropped to 14th with 38 points, precariously close to the relegation zone.
Asante Kotoko’s next fixture is against Accra Great Olympics on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in match week 32. Hearts of Oak will face Nations FC at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, May 31, 2024.
by Silas Boahene | May 27, 2024 | Africa, International, Soccer, USA
Zambia’s Barbra Banda scored twice as the Orlando Pride defeated the Portland Thorns 2-1 on Friday night at Inter&Co Stadium, extending their winning streak to eight games.
Banda now has eight goals in six National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) starts. The first-place Pride (8-0-3) made history by becoming the first team in the league to win eight consecutive matches.
Banda opened the scoring in the 30th minute, heading in a rebound off a corner kick. She netted her second goal in the 40th minute, dribbling past a defender and goalkeeper Shelby Hogan before slotting the ball into an empty net.
Izzy D’Aquila pulled one back for Portland in the 71st minute, scoring her first NWSL goal from a cutback pass by Olivia Moultrie, who became the youngest player in league history to record 10 assists in all competitions.
Despite Portland’s (6-4-1) efforts to equalize, including a header that struck the bar, the Pride held on for the victory.
by Silas Boahene | May 27, 2024 | Africa, International, Soccer
Egyptian giants Al Ahly have clinched their 12th CAF Champions League title after defeating Tunisia’s Esperance 1-0 in the final held in Cairo.
The first leg in Tunisia ended in a 0-0 draw, making the return leg crucial. Al Ahly secured their victory just four minutes into the match when an Esperance player inadvertently deflected a header into his own net following a corner by Hussein El Shahat.
Fans were ecstatic with the historic win.
“I swear to God, our happiness cannot be described. We tried to enter the stadium but couldn’t. My happiness is just as if I entered the stadium. This is the 12th championship, double the number our rivals have. We are the champions of Africa and no one can ever reach that number,” said Alaa Sayed, an Al Ahly fan.
Essam, another Al Ahly supporter, expressed optimism for future victories. “Congratulations to Al Ahly and their fans, congratulations to Egypt, and hopefully we will see you again in the 13th championship.”
This victory on Saturday also marks an impressive 20-match unbeaten streak in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League for Al Ahly.
by Silas Boahene | May 27, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Nigeria, Soccer, World Cup
Confusion has engulfed African football as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) remains silent on the allocation of ten slots for the continent in the upcoming FIFA U17 World Cup, reports BSNSports.com.ng.
Following its congress, FIFA announced that the next FIFA U17 World Cup in 2025 will feature 48 countries, increasing Africa’s slots from four to ten. However, CAF has yet to clarify how the ten participating countries will be selected.
In the recent WAFU B U-17 tournament, host Ghana and defending champions Nigeria were defeated in the semi-finals by Burkina Faso and CĂ´te d’Ivoire, respectively. Previously, only four teams from the CAF U17 African Nations Cup would qualify for the World Cup. With the new allocation, there is confusion among African football associations and fans about the qualification process from regional U17 competitions.
An exclusive interview with a senior official from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Sunday morning revealed uncertainty about Nigeria’s participation in the 2025 U17 AFCON. “Despite FIFA’s allocation of ten slots to Africa, CAF has not explained how these ten teams will be selected. Since the Golden Eaglets did not qualify for the final of the WAFU B U-17 competition, we are uncertain whether we will play at the CAF U17 AFCON,” the anonymous NFF official stated.
by Silas Boahene | May 25, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Austin FC Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell has declined to comment on the potential transfer of Red Star Belgrade winger Osman Bukari to the MLS club.
The Black Stars winger has drawn attention following an impressive season with the Serbian club, leading to reports that he is close to joining Austin FC. However, when questioned about the rumored transfer, Borrell remained tight-lipped. “I’m not involved in any social media, but sometimes they write things like, for example, and one time I remember that we were linked to Thiago Silva from Chelsea,” Borrell said. “The reality [is] I’m not going to comment on a player that doesn’t belong to Austin FC.”
Bukari, 25, has been instrumental in Red Star Belgrade’s success this season, with seven goals and five assists in 24 league games during the 2023-2024 season.
Currently, Austin FC is third in the Western Conference standings with six wins, four losses, and four draws. The team is preparing for a crucial match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday, May 26.
As the transfer window nears, fans and analysts will be closely monitoring any developments regarding Bukari’s potential move, which could significantly enhance Austin FC’s attacking lineup.
