Nigeria’s Boniface reveals motivation to improve after seeing Alonso’s impressive skills in training
Bayer Leverkusen have secured their first-ever Bundesliga title thanks in large part to the impressive work of manager Xabi Alonso.
At the heart of this success is Nigerian striker Victor Boniface, who has praised Alonso’s influence on the team.
Boniface, who has been a key player in Leverkusen’s title-winning campaign, revealed that Alonso’s skills on the training ground have been a source of inspiration for the players.
“Imagine you are training and your coach is doing better than you. Then you want to step up your game,” Boniface said according to a post by Bundesliga on Instagram.
The 23-year-old’s comments highlight the impact Alonso has had since taking over the reins at Leverkusen in October 2022.
The former Spanish international has overseen a remarkable turnaround, guiding the club from the lower reaches of the Bundesliga to the top of the table.
Boniface, who joined Leverkusen in 2023, has been an integral part of Alonso’s revolution. The Nigerian striker has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in the Bundesliga this season, playing a crucial role in the club’s historic title triumph.
Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title is a remarkable achievement, and Boniface’s praise for Alonso’s influence highlights the importance of a strong, inspiring leader at the helm.
As the club prepares to return Champions League campaign, Boniface and his teammates will be hoping to continue their impressive form under Alonso’s guidance.
Kalaba has been discharged excactly two weeks after being admitted at the
Former Zambia captain Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from hospital after being critically injured in a road accident earlier this month.
The former midfielder was a passenger in a Mercedes-Benz that collided head-on with a truck in a distressing incident initially feared to have claimed his life.
“Mr.Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” University Teaching Hospital PR officer Nzeba Chanda said in a statement.
“Today (Friday 26th April) marks exactly 14 days from the time of his admission.He is going to recuperate at his family home.”
The football community has expressed widespread support for Kalaba, remembering his contributions to Zambian football as a dynamic midfielder and a dedicated team leader.
On Thursday 25th April, TP Mazembe president Moise Katumbi expressed heartfelt gratitude as he stood by the Kalaba’s bedside.
“I’ve come to see my son Rainford Kalaba. First of all, I thank the Lord who saved my son. I’m in Lusaka before leaving for Egypt,” Katumbi said as quoted on Sports News Africa.
“I can say that he is already 99% cured,” remarked Katumbi, acknowledging the miraculous recovery of Kalaba.
In addition to expressing his gratitude, Katumbi made a heartfelt promise to the player, highlighting Kalaba’s exemplary character both on and off the field.
“He was an exemplary player. Other players can take his example. We won a lot of trophies with him. He’s going to join the Mazembe technical staff.
“He’s like a son to me. I thank the Lord, the Zambian government, and the doctors. If it was anywhere else, we’d lose Kalaba,” stated Katumbi, emphasizing Kalaba’s significance to the club and his personal bond with the player.
Kalaba played a pivotal role in Zambia’s historic triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012, where they clinched their maiden title by defeating Ivory Coast in a thrilling final that culminated in a dramatic penalty shootout.
At the club level, Kalaba established himself as a cornerstone of Tout-Puissant Mazembe during a successful era for the club. His tenure coincided with Mazembe’s triumphs in prestigious competitions such as the African Champions League, where they asserted their dominance with two victories, as well as claiming two African Super Cups and an African Confederation Cup title.
Prior to his tenure with Mazembe, Kalaba honed his skills in his native Zambia, featuring prominently for Kitwe United and Zesco United.
His talent caught the attention of Portuguese club Braga, where he embarked on a new chapter in his career in 2008.
However, Kalaba’s stint at Braga was brief, with just one appearance for the club before he embarked on loan spells with Gil Vicente and Uniao de Leiria.
Subsequently, Kalaba made his move to DR Congo, where he found his stride and made a lasting impact with Tout-Puissant Mazembe.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has installed and commissioned the first set of floodlights at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence.
The commissioning of the lights was done on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, when the President of the Association, Kurt Okraku, was presented with the keys to the power plant supplying the floodlights.
He then ceremoniously activated the switch, marking the official inauguration of the floodlights.
This crucial project, financed through the FIFA Forward Programme, saw the installation carried out by OVI Enschede, a distinguished Dutch electrical installations firm.
Following the handover, Okraku shared his gratitude to FIFA for their consistent backing of Ghanaian football. He emphasized that FIFA’s continued investment in Ghana Football through the FIFA Forward Program is a testament to the trust and confidence the organization has in the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
“The installation of this first set of floodlights means that training programs at the Centre can be held both during the day and at night. Our players in camp can train at night and refereeing and coaching training programs can also extend into the evening,” said Okraku. “I am indeed very happy that this dream to enhance our facility at Prampram is gradually being realized.”
Ghana’s Black Starlets returned to winning ways after beating Serbia in the early hours of Friday in the ongoing UEFA U-16 international tournament.
Laryea Kingston’s boys responded with a commanding performance in their second game after losing their opener against Russia.
Ghana picked up a win with a 5-1 win in Zenit.
The West African side began the game strongly but had to wait until the 15th minute to open the scoring. Captain, Abdulai Nortey scored with a brilliant curler after Ernest Ofori had beaten his opponent to the ball.
The Starlets continued to press for the second goal which came in the 44th minute with Benjamin Hanson scoring from the penalty spot after Ebenezer Anane was fouled in the box.
David Kwame Koranteng made it 3-0 on the stroke of halftime as he connected well with Abdul Baaki Haruna’s cross.
Kingston made no changes at the break.
Anane, who won the penalty for Ghana’s second goal, scored the fourth goal of the day after a brilliant exchange of passes between him and Koranteng.
Serbia pulled a goal back in the 67th minute of the game to make it 4-1.
With just a few minutes away from the full-time whistle, Benjamin Tsevanyo came off the bench to score to wrap up the victory for the Starlets.
Ghana will now face Kazakhstan in their final game of the four-nation tournament on Sunday, April 28.
The tournament forms part of Ghana’s preparations for the 2024 WAFU B U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to be staged in Accra.
Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku has officially bagged his first hat-trick as a professional footballer with the 20 year old recording the impressive mark in Leicester City’s big win over Southampton.
Leicester City smashed The Saints 5-0 in the Sky Bet English Championship with Issahaku scoring in the 25th, 75th and 81st minute respectively. Rounding up his super performance, Issahaku assisted Jamie Vardy’s goal in the 79th minute for Leicester City’s fourth goal. Issahaku’s first and third goals were assisted by Jamie Vardy.
The former Dreams FC player improved his tally in the 2023-2024 Championship season to six goals and 12 assists in 39 games as Leicester bid to return to the Premier League in its first attempt.
This latest outing highlights Issahaku’s impressive form in the wake of registering an assist in Leicester’s 2-1 over West Bromwich Albion. The Foxes hold a four point lead in the Championship.
After completing the hat-trick, the Sporting Lisbon loanee celebrated with a dance that was reminiscent of Ghanaian football legend Asamoah Gyan who spent time in the English Premier League with Sunderland.
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey believes his team did everything possible to beat Chelsea in every situation when the two faced off in the London derby.
He said this in a post game interview after Arsenal scored a big 5-0 win over Chelsea in the English Premier League to maintain its lead atop the standings.
Partey played 72 minutes in the contest as a starter for just the fifth time this season and starred in the game delivering nine passes into the final third and registered three interceptions (a team high) before getting replaced by Jorginho.
Arsenal hold a four point lead over third ranked and defending league champions Manchester City though Man City have played two games fewer. Arsenal hold a four point lead over third ranked and defending league champions Manchester City though Man City have played two games fewer.
Defending champions Nigeria have been handed a difficult path to the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations finals after being drawn in the same group as Burkina Faso for next month’s WAFU B qualifying tournament in Ghana.
The Golden Eaglets, who won the last edition of the regional championship in 2022, will also face Togo and Niger in Group B of the competition which runs from 15-28 May.
Hosts Ghana find themselves in Group A alongside Cote d’Ivoire and Benin in a tough-looking section of the competition to be played in Accra.
The draw was conducted by 1970s Ivorian football legends Kobenan Kouman and Die Foneye at the Ivorian FA headquarters in Abidjan on Friday.
Nigeria claimed their WAFU B U17 AFCON title by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the regional final in Ghana two years ago.
However, they will need to overcome some familiar foes if they are to defend their crown and with the Burkina Faso finishing third at the last TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations, some exciting matches are expected.
Arch-rivals Nigeria and Ghana are among the two favourites and could meet in the final in Accra on 28 May, should they top their respective groups and make it through the semi-finals.
Ghana also have pedigree at this level, having the World Cup in 1991 and 1995 as they bid to reach the U17 AFCON finals on home soil.
The top two teams from the WAFU B tournament will qualify for next year’s TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Major League Soccer (MLS) side New England Revolution is on the verge of securing the services of Black Stars defensive midfielder Baba Iddrisu from La Liga club Mallorca, according to reports from Spanish news outlet Relevo.
Relevo has indicated that negotiations between New England Revolution and Almeria, where Baba Iddrisu is currently on loan from Mallorca, are progressing positively.
Although nothing has been finalized yet, New England is eager to conclude the deal.
Iddrisu, who joined RCD Mallorca’s youth setup in January 2014, has since made significant strides in Spanish football. After featuring prominently for Mallorca’s first team, he moved to Almeria on loan with a buyout clause in August 2023.
Despite facing challenges at Almeria, The 28-year-old has demonstrated his consistency and reliability as a defensive midfielder, making 24 appearances in the ongoing La Liga season.
With 150 games under his belt for Mallorca’s first team Baba Iddrisu’s potential move to New England Revolution represents a significant opportunity for the Ghana midfielder to further advance his career.
Moreover, Baba Iddrisu’s performances have not gone unnoticed, earning him recognition as a consistent player in the Spanish league and a regular presence in the Ghana national team, the Black Stars.
As he looks forward to potentially joining New England Revolution, Iddrisu is also expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers with the Black Stars, scheduled for June 2024.
Ghanaian youngster Jennifer Kankam turned on the style on Friday evening in the Egyptian Women’s Premier League as ZED Football Club recorded a heavy win over Tala’ea El Gaish.
The Ghanaian scored five goals in the 9-0 win in the top flight to solidify her position as the top scorer in the league.
ZED FC played with great intent right from the first blast of the whistle. Kankam led the charge as her first-half hattrick left the crowd in awe of her goal-scoring prowess. Each strike was met with thunderous applause, as fans marvelled at her ability to find the back of the net with ease.
Back from recess, Kankam continued to stamp her authority in the game going on to grab two more goals.
At the end of 90 minutes, ZED had claimed all three points with no blemish in their performance as they scored nine unanswered goals.
Kankam’s exceptional performance, contributing five goals to the victory, was the highlight of the match.
Having played 26 matches, the Ghanaian has now scored an impressive 52 goals and provided 22 assists.
Kankam has been an exciting prospect this season and her performances have attracted the attention of Black Queens head coach Nora Hauptle who was recently in Egypt to watch her play.
