2024-12-23

Games

MTN promises exciting activations, calls for gender inclusivity

Telecommunications giants MTN has reiterated its commitment to the MTN FA Cup competition with exciting activations while calling for female participation in the quarter-final stages and beyond.

Aside from the GH¢1.5 million support for the competition every year till 2026, MTN has proposed to the FA to consider gender inclusivity in officiating.

“After celebrating International Women’s Day so beautifully, we propose that the FA considers using an all-female officiating team, to ensure that our ladies are not left out of the excitement,” the Senior Manager, Brands Communications, MTN Ghana Mr Germain Nartey, has said.

He made these comments when the quarter-final draw of the competition was held.

That he said, would go a long way to motivate women to participate in officiating and also attract more females to the competition.

In addition, he said, they had put in place other activities to attract a larger audience to various centres as the competition gets to its climax.

In the media space, he said MTN hopes to work with media partners on the ‘MTN FA Cup Arena,’ where there would be discussions on the game with a call-in segment for callers to answer questions and win some prizes.

“There will be street quiz for social media as well as activations that will earn participants prizes and match tickets,” he stated.

With community activations, he said, MTN would ignite community participation by forming partnerships with community-park managers, and local radio stations to visit weekend Community Game Centres to run activations.

“We will provide tents, branded panels, water stands, souvenir giveaways, discounted and complimentary tickets. We are hopeful that these activations will bring the communities closer to the FA Cup while at the same time giving us the opportunity to support community football,” he stressed.

He said these community game centres would promote discussions, create networking opportunities, and serve as a business arena.

“We want to use the games to drive progress in our communities. On match days, there would be Fan Zones at the various stadia. Fans will have the opportunity to engage in activities such as Target Shooting and Wheel of Fortune to win prizes,” he said.

He said, the 2023/2024 season of the MTN FA Cup promises to be exciting and anticipating spectacular skills and brilliant moments.

At the end of the draw defending champions Dreams FC would face off with lower tier side Soccer Intellectuals while Bofoakwa Tano would battle it out with Skyy FC for a place in the semi-finals of the competition.

It would be a premier league teams affair as last year’s semi-finalist Nsoatreman FC squares off with Karela United in a very exciting fixture while Legon Cities and Bechem Utd would fight for a place in the next round.

The games would be played between March 29 and April 1.

The Chairman of the MTN FA Cup Committee, Mr Wilson Arthur said the competition level was very high despite the elimination of top clubs including Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

He said, organisers were looking forward to an exciting round and urged families especially ladies and children to visit the venues for quality time.

African Games 2023: Yamoah Cadman captivates crowd with stunning gold in men’s high jump

Ghanaian high jumper, Evans Yamoah Cadman, was the toast of fans at the University of Ghana Stadium, as he claimed a stunning gold medal in the men’s high jump event on the last day of athletics at the ongoing African Games.

The former University of Ghana student, roared on by students of the university who had trooped to support their alumnus, scaled a height of 2.23m to claim the gold ahead of Morocco’s Hammouda Saad and South Africa’s Benjamin Links Mpho.

The height is a new Personal Best for the University of Central Missouri final year student.

After skipping 1.90m up to 2.0m, Cadman started his jump at 2.05m and barely broke a sweat as he cleared the bar barely broke a sweat as he cleared the bar 6 times, requiring only one jump in all but one height.

Cadman and Saad both cleared 2.21m in one attempt, while Mpho joined them at the 3rd time of asking.

But 2.23m was where the title was won, with both the South African and Moroccan failing to clear the bar, while Cadman scaled it on his 3rd attempt, before breaking into ‘siuuuu’ celebration, made popular by football star Cristiano Ronaldo. The gold was won, and pandemonium ensued and Cadman reeled to celebrate with the teeming fans in the stands.

He came back to attempt 2.25, but he was unsuccessful in three attempts.

The high jump gold was Ghana’s second on the track on the last day, with Joseph Paul Amoah securing the 200m title an hour before Cadman.

The men’s high jump means Ghana completed the high jump double, with Rose Yebaoh, also winning gold in the women’s event.

African Games 2023: Jerry Afriyie scores 90th-minute winner to seal gold for Black Satellites against Uganda

Ghana won gold in the men’s football event at the 2023 African Games on Friday night, beating Uganda in the final at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Jerry Afriyie scored the only goal of the game for the Black Satellites to ensure they repeated their heroics at the 2011 edition in Maputo.

Ghana started the game brilliantly and looked to have found the opening goal inside 20 minutes the referee disallowed it for an infringement inside the box.

There were a couple of decent chances for both teams in the first half but it was Ghana who came close again through Abdul Hakim Sulemana but was unable to break the deadlock.

Both teams headed into the break with nothing to separate them.

Desmond Ofei’s men continued their dominance at the Accra Sports Stadium and took the game to the Ugandans.

The final piece was still the missing link for Ghana who persisted in their press for the winner.

With just added time to go, Ofei’s side found a breakthrough.

Afriyie received a pass just on the edge of the box before firing a brilliant low strike that beat the Ugandan goalkeeper to give Ghana the lead.

The Satellites held their nerves to protect their lead and clinch gold at the end of the tournament.

Uganda settled for silver while the bronze medal went to Senegal.

African Games 2023: Ghana beat Nigeria again to clinch gold in women’s hockey final

Nearly 24 hours after Ghana beat Nigeria in the Africa Games’ U-20 women’s football final, the hosts once again defeated their West African rivals in a tense affair in the hockey final.

The Ghana women’s hockey team, Black Sticks, secured Ghana’s 12th gold medal at the 2023 African Games after defeating Nigeria on penalties in the final at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Pitch.

Initially, Ghana’s team had defeated Nigeria 1-0 en route to the final. But the Nigerian team started stronger in the finals, signalling their intent to avenge the earlier loss.

The Nigerian ladies piled pressure but fine saves from Ghana’s shot stopper, Abigail Boye prevented them from scoring.

After two-quarters of an underwhelming performance, the Black Sticks began to find their rhythm in the third quarter creating chances and pinning the Nigerians at their own half.

But, the Nigerian goalkeeper Uko Martha made scoring difficult for the Ghanaian players as she came up with super saves to prevent the ball from entering her net.

After four quarters of huffing and puffing, the game had to be decided on penalties.

Goalkeeper Abigail Boye came to the rescue as her four penalty saves helped Ghana beat Nigeria 4-3 on penalties to win gold.

2023 African Games: Paul Amoah, Ibrahim Fuseini secure spots in 200m final with Ghana 1-2

he Ghanaian duo of Joseph Paul Amoah and Ibrahim Fuseini has booked their spots in the final of the men’s 200m at the ongoing 2023 African Games.

This comes on the back of a 1-2 finish in semifinal 2 on Thursday night at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.

Joe Paul won the semifinal in 20.93 seconds and again jogged his way to the finish line just like in the heats earlier in the morning.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Fuseini placed second just behind his compatriot with a time of 21.03 seconds.

However, Solomon Hammond failed to make the final after finishing fifth in semifinal 1 with a time of 21.06 seconds.

The 200m final will be competed on Friday evening at 16:50 GMT, with Ibrahim Fuseini in lane two and Joseph Paul Amoah in lane six.

2023 African Games: William Amponsah wins silver medal for Ghana in half marathon

Ghanaian long distance runner, William Amponsah, won silver in the men’s half marathon race competed on Friday morning at the ongoing African Games in Accra.

The national 10,000m record holder crossed the finish line in one hour, five minutes and thirteen seconds (1:05:13) in the event that took place at the University of Ghana campus.

His time was just nine seconds behind the eventual Amare Hailemicael of Eritrea. Zimbabwe’s Isaac Mpofu finished third in 1:05:37 to claim bronze.

William Amponsah’s compatriot, Koogo Atia, finished fifteenth in one hour, 12 minutes and 14 seconds (1:12:14).

Earlier, Amponsah set a new national record in the men’s 10,000m event despite finishing fifth. He took 2.79 seconds off his 29:53.78 he ran in 2020.

African Games 2023: Joseph Commey, Aryeetey secure boxing final slots; Takyi, others fight on Thursday

hana is set to secure more medals in the boxing competition after Joseph Commey and Mohammed Aryeetey both qualified for the finals of their various completions.

After Janet Acquah’s bronze medal in the minimum weight category on Wednesday, Aryeetey and Commey’s progress means Ghana will do one better in the men’s boxing.

Aryeetey was the first to qualify on Wednesday after winning his semi-final contest with Morocco’s Hamza Essaidi via a unanimous (5-0) decision.

All five judges scored in favour of the minimum weight boxer in the men’s 48k contest at the Boxing Arena in the Trust Sports Emporium, Bukom.

An hour later, Joseph Commey also dispatched Algerian Oussama Mordjane.
The lightweight boxer qualified with a majority (4-1) decision in the men’s 60kg event.

Later today, the following Ghanaian boxers will be involved in various semi-final contests:

  1. Theophilus Kpakpo Allotey – Flyweight -51kg.
  2. Amadou Mohammed – Bantamweight -54Kg
  3. Samuel Takyi – Light Welterweight -63.5Kg
  4. Abubakar Kamoko – Cruiserweight -86Kg

Whatever happens tonight, Ghana are guaranteed seven medals (out of the 16 presented) by the end of the boxing competition.

Ramatu Quaye, Adelaide Djabartey, Sarah Apew, Abdul Walid Omar, Alfred Kotey, Henry Malm, Abdul Baki Adam & Jonathan Tetteh, and Daniel Plange are the boxers who could not make it to the medal zone.

African Games 2023: Joe Paul, three others make 200m semis

Team Ghana will have four representatives in the semifinal of the men’s and women’s 200m event at the ongoing African Games.

Janet Mensah sealed her place in the women’s event with a time of 23.75s winning her heat.

Joseph Amoah (20.91s) and Ibrahim Fuseini (21.02s) won their respective heats in the men’s event as well while Solomon Hammond (21.32s) finished second in his heats to also book a place in the semifinal.

The women’s semis starts at 16:45 GMT while the men’s start at 17:10 GMT.

Nigeria’s Bright Osayi-Samuel faces possible suspension in Turkey

Nigeria’s Fenerbahce defender, Bright Osayi-Samuel, faces the possibility of a significant suspension following an altercation with a Trabzonspor fan over the weekend.

Fenerbahce secured a 3-2 victory against Trabzonspor on Sunday, narrowing the gap to league leaders Galatasaray to just two points.

After the match, chaos ensued as home supporters stormed the pitch.

In a viral video circulating on social media, Osayi-Samuel, the Super Eagles defender, was seen engaging in self-defence against a violent attack from a Trabzonspor fan, which involved him punching the assailant.

Reports from Turkey Leo Sports indicate that Osayi-Samuel could potentially face a suspension of up to 10 games as a consequence of his involvement in the altercation.

Furthermore, there’s a possibility he may be referred to the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) Disciplinary Committee, who will ultimately decide on the punishment.

Under Article 44 of the Turkish football discipline regulations, Osayi-Samuel could face a suspension ranging from several weeks to a year, with the disciplinary committee having the authority to make the final decision.

In an attempt to defend his actions, Osayi-Samuel is expected to plead self-defence during the upcoming hearing scheduled for Tuesday, April 2nd. The outcome of the hearing will determine the extent of any penalties imposed on the 26-year-old defender.

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