2024-12-22

Games

Derek Boateng says Spain’s interest hindered Nico Williams from representing Ghana

Former Ghanaian midfielder Derek Boateng has criticised the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for missing out on key European-born talents, claiming that Spain’s intervention blocked the Black Stars from securing players like Nico Williams.

In an interview with Accra-based Kingdom FM, Boateng expressed frustration over Ghana’s inability to attract players such as Kobbie Mainoo, Jeremy Doku, Jeremie Frimpong, and Nico Williams. He lamented that the GFA should have acted sooner to court these talents.

“How can we lose players like Kobbie Mainoo, Jeremy Doku, Jeremie Frimpong, and Nico Williams?” Boateng asked, “Inaki Williams is playing for us, but why couldn’t we get Nico? Because he is good and talented, Spain blocked his chances of playing for Ghana.”

Boateng emphasised the importance of being proactive in engaging with Europe-based players early on. He warned that waiting until they are established players could be too late, as their parents might not be open to switching allegiance if Ghana was not involved from the start.

The 41-year-old, who had a distinguished international career with Ghana from 2001 to 2013, including a notable role in the Black Satellites’ runner-up finish at the 2001 U-20 FIFA World Cup, called for a more strategic approach in nurturing young talents.

Nico Williams, who has impressed with his performances for Spain, played a significant role in La Roja’s triumph in the 2024 European Championships. His success highlights the missed opportunities for Ghana to benefit from such emerging stars.

Chelsea hand trial opportunity to Ghana youth star Fatawu Ganiwu

Ghana youth midfielder Fatawu Ganiwu is making waves at Chelsea FC after an impressive performance for the club’s U18 side.

The technical team has taken notice of his skills and has invited him to train and play for the U21 team, a significant step up in his development.

Ganiwu, who has been on trial at several European clubs including RC Lens and RB Salzburg since last year, was part of Laryea Kingston’s team that participated in the UEFA U16 invitational tournament last year.

His current stint at Chelsea is his latest opportunity to showcase his talent, and it seems he is making the most of it.

Ganiwu’s progression to the U21 team is a testament to his hard work and potential.

Chelsea’s interest in Ganiwu is a positive sign for Ghanaian football, as the country continues to produce talented young players who are catching the attention of top European clubs.

The youngster will be hoping to earn maximum trust from the technical team and hopefully ern a place as he continues his development as a promising footballer.

Joseph Aidoo overwhelmed by teammates’ support on return after nine-month injury layoff

Black Stars defender Joseph Aidoo was visibly touched by the heartfelt support from his Celta Vigo teammates upon making his return to football after a nine-month injury layoff.
The 28-year-old made a notable comeback during Celta Vigo’s 1-0 victory over Portuguese side Gil Vicente in a preseason match.
Aidoo, who entered the game in the 74th minute as a substitute for Carl Starfelt, played 16 minutes, marking his first appearance since suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon early in the 2023-2024 season.
Following his return, Aidoo was greeted with warm embraces and congratulatory gestures from his teammates. Overwhelmed by the support, he was seen wiping away tears as he absorbed the moment, receiving applause from fans as he walked off the pitch.
Aidoo’s injury had kept him sidelined for a significant portion of the previous season, where he missed the majority of Celta Vigo’s matches. Before his injury, Aidoo was a crucial player for the team, having featured in 32 and 35 La Liga games in consecutive seasons.
The defender was also part of Ghana’s squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, highlighting his importance to both his club and national team. Aidoo’s return significantly boosts Celta Vigo as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Mohammed Kudus on target in West Ham’s pre-season loss

Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus found the net for West Ham United in their 3-1 defeat to Wolves in a pre-season friendly.

The 23-year-old scored his first goal of the pre-season campaign, giving West Ham a brief equaliser before Wolves secured the victory with two second-half goals. Kudus played 63 minutes of the match.

The game, played in front of nearly 68,000 fans in Florida, provided valuable match practice for both teams ahead of the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, Kudus insists he is battle-ready for the upcoming season in the English Premier League after magnificently announcing himself with excellent performances in his maiden campaign.

Kudus was outstanding for the Hammers last season, ending the season as Europe’s best dribbler. He also scored 14 goals.

His efforts have attracted interest from various clubs with Saudi giants Al Ittihad and Liverpool the sides heavily linked to the player.

However, Kudus is focused on his time with West Ham as preparations for the new season continue in the United States.

According to the 23-year-old, he is aware of the expectations and he is ready to give his best in the upcoming campaign.

“Definitely, the preparations has been smooth so far. We have a couple of games to get to the level we want to get to. Looking forward to tomorrow’s game but same thing like last season. Last season was good, first season to announce myself,” he told West Ham TV.

“I think now the expectation is even higher. The opponents are going to come stronger but so am I.

“So, just double my effort and the do my best to help the team finish in the best position as possible.”

“They will come strong but so am I”- Mohammed Kudus declares readiness for upcoming season

Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus insists he is battle-ready for the upcoming season in the English Premier League after magnificently announcing himself with superlative performances in his maiden campaign.

The Black Stars attacking midfielder was outstanding for the Hammers last season, ending the season as Europe’s best dribbler. He also scored 14 goals, including sensational strikes against Freiburg and Manchester City, and added six assists to his goals contributions.

His efforts has seen him attract interest from various clubs with Saudi giants Al Ittihad and Liverpool the sides heavily linked to the player.

However, Kudus is focused on his time with West Ham as preparations for the new season continue in the United States.

According to the 23-year-old, he is aware of the expectations and he is ready to give his best in the upcoming campaign.

“Definitely, the preparations has been smooth so far. We have a couple of games to get to the level we want to get to. Looking forward to tomorrow’s game but same thing like last season. Last season was good, first season to announce myself,” he told West Ham TV.

“I think now the expectation is even higher. The opponents are going to come stronger but so am I.

“So, just double my effort and the do my best to help the team finish in the best position as possible.”

Midfield competition can take Arsenal to Premier League title – Thomas Partey

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is confident the competition for places within the club’s midfield position could be a positive thing for them.

According to the 31-year-old, the quality of the players available at the disposal of Mikel Arteta in midfield could propel the club to greater heights.

Partey is determined to reclaim a spot in the team after another troubling season marred by injuries. He missed 29 games as the Gunners missed out on silverware at the end of the 2024/25 season.

However, he believes the availability of all midfielder options could be the turning point as he praised the quality of his teammates.

“We have a lot of players in that position. Jorginho is playing well, I am playing well. Dec (Rice) is there, Martin (Odegaard) too,” said Partey in an interview with Hayters TV.”We also have other players who can come in and make a difference. We have to compete against each other and at the end of the day it is the Mister (Arteta) who decides.

“With this kind of competition, we can get to the level that we want to be at. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who plays. I think the most important thing is the team achieves their objective.”

Arsenal missed out on the Premier League title by just two points last season and would be hoping their can end their drought at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

FIFA suspends Canada’s Bev Priestman for 1 year, docks Olympic team 6 points for drone spying

FIFA suspended Canada women’s soccer coach Bev Priestman for one year, deducted six points from the team’s Olympic group stage total and issued a fine on Saturday in response to Canada flying a drone over New Zealand’s training sessions before the start of the Games.

The user of the drone in the incident that kicked off a large-scale investigation into Canada Soccer, team analyst Joseph Lombardi, was suspended for one year, as was assistant coach Jasmine Mander. The chairman of the FIFA appeal committee issued the decision Saturday.

FIFA found violations of article 13 of its code of conduct and article 6.1 of the Olympic football tournament regulations, both related to fair play. FIFA also noted that the decision was made — very quickly — because of its impact on the outcome of the ongoing Olympic tournament. Canada, in Group A, won its opener against New Zealand 2-1.

Beach Soccer 2024: Ghana’s Black Sharks books AFCON slot after win over Cote d’Ivoire

The national beach soccer team, the Black Sharks, will compete in the 2024 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations after beating Cote d’Ivoire in a two-legged game.

The qualification to the main tournament comes following their 10-5 aggregate win over their counterparts.

Ghana came from behind to win 2-5 in the return leg of the fixture on Saturday, July 27, having won the home game in Keta 5-3 a week earlier.

The Ivorians led 2-1 at halftime in the second-leg encounter. However, the Black Stars scored four goals in the second half to turn the tie around. Wise Nyamadi scored the equaliser after the break before captain Alex Osah and Precious Torgbor got on the scoresheet to make it 4-2.

Jude Akile netted the fifth goal of the day for the Black Sharks to ensure they put the game beyond the reach of the Sand Elephants.

Paris Olympics: Fanzone celebrates African cultures and athletes

Africa Station is the place to be to celebrate African athletes and cultures during the Paris Olympics.

The fan zone is located in the north of the French capital and will host locals and tourists.

In addition to keeping up with the competition, visitors will enjoy African music, food and art and discover works by African craftsmen and women.

All 54 African countries have sent delegations this 33rd Olympiad.

Ivorian participant Okeleye akin Yao hopes many African athletes will win medals: “In the Olympic Games we know that Africa has a special particularity with lots of trophies and medals and Ihope we’ll have more medals like European and American countries and others. This is our wish.”

The Stade Robert Cesar has been transformed into an African village. Stalls shine a light on dozens of countries from the continent including the DRC, Cote d’Ivoire and Morocco.

The initiative is championed by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the city of Ile-Saint-Denis.

“We are here to share with visitors the Algerian heritage and culture which are of abundance. We want to show our “kaada” (traditional evenings) where all our families gather,” Khoudri Hakima said.

According to ANOCA, it is estimated that Africa Station will welcome more than 1,300 visitors daily.

All entertainment will be free of charge, although some concerts will be ticketed.

The Africa station will host shows, exhibitions, and meetings with athletes throughout the Olympics. Special events will also be held during the Paralympic will also be held.

Olympic flagbearer Gauff ‘nervous’ of meeting LeBron

Tennis star Coco Gauff will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.

“I’m truly in shock and I don’t take it for granted,” Gauff said on Thursday during a press conference in Paris.

Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, is set to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games and will be the first tennis athlete to carry the U.S. flag.

“Most excited…I think meeting LeBron James, that’s the most exciting part about it. Most nervous, I’m just hoping is not too hot. You know, I know we’re going to be in the water and we’re going to be in those blazers. So I’m just hoping I don’t, you know, sweat too much. And and I look a little bit, distressed in the photos,” said Coco.

The U.S. player mentioned her admiration for legends Serena and Venus Williams.

“I almost feel like I’m having a little bit of imposter syndrome (for being chosen as U.S. flag bearer), but I am going to try to just take it in and be happy for myself.”

The 20-year-old Gauff made the American team for the Tokyo Games three years ago as a teenager but had to sit out those Olympics because she tested positive for COVID-19 right before she was supposed to fly to Japan.

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