Black Satellites coach Desmond Ofei remains unperturbed despite Ghana’s stuttering start in the men’s football competition of the Accra 2023 African Games.
The Satellites were held by Congo to a goalless draw on Friday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana went close on two occasions; first through Aziz Misibau’s long-range effort that cannoned off the crossbar with 15 minutes to go.
Ten minutes later, substitute Michael Epson’s tap-in was ruled out for offside.
When asked if he was worried about the result, Ofei expressed confidence in his team’s chances of progressing.
“I am not worried about the result. It does not change much for us. We played quite well and created enough chances to win,” Offei insisted.
“I know we have the quality in the squad and with different profiles. In the second half, we showed that and significantly improved. So I believe we will qualify” he concluded.
Ofei has been in charge of the Black Satellites since he was promoted from his role as assistant coach in September 2023.
He had previously served as assistant to Samuel Boadu for nine months at the Black Satellites.
Ghana’s next match is a clash with The Gamba on Wednesday, March 12, 2024, at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Uganda Football Association (UFA) has announced an imminent friendly between the Cranes and Ghana’s Black Stars in the upcoming international break.
The game, which is scheduled for March 26, will be held at the Stade Grande Marrakech in Marrakech, Morocco.
According to the Uganda Football Association, the friendly match is part of Uganda’s preparations for the impending 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Before the game against Ghana, Uganda will also face Comoros.
The Black Stars have been without a head coach since their disappointing campaign in Cote d’Ivoire which saw Chris Hughton dismissed after another group-stage exit at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The GFA has been looking for a new coach since Hughton’s dismissal but no replacement has been named thus far.
The friendly against Uganda provides an opportunity for Ghana to assess their strength and readiness ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic in June.
The recent edition of the President’s Cup held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium was marred by poor organization and missed opportunities. Despite being a free event, the stadium failed to attract a full crowd, and the overall ambiance and publicity surrounding the games were severely lacking.
This article aims to address the concerns raised by the disorganized event and shed light on how the organizers missed a chance to promote Ghanaian football and boost struggling clubs in the country.
Missed Opportunities:
One of the missed opportunities during the President’s Cup was the failure to mobilize supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the stadium.
With effective organization, the event could have been an excellent platform for showcasing support for President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Ivorian counterpart.
The absence of a passionate crowd impacted the overall atmosphere and enthusiasm around the games.
Another disappointing aspect was the overcrowding of media personnel around the president and their bodyguards. This unprofessional scene gave the event a disorganized and chaotic feel.
A more structured approach should have been taken to ensure that the media coverage was well-coordinated and that the focus remained on the football action rather than the prominent figures present.
Local Participation:
It is worth questioning the decision to invite a Togolese referee and an Ivorian team, ASEC, for the event. Ghana boasts talented referees and football clubs that could have been given an opportunity to showcase their abilities.
Inviting a local team would have not only strengthened the bond between the government and the local football community but also provided financial support to struggling clubs in the Ghana Premier League.
Financial Implications:
The money spent on inviting the foreign club that ultimately secured the trophy could have been utilized to support domestic clubs in financial distress. Ghanaian football has seen its fair share of struggles, with clubs often grappling with financial woes.
By diverting funds towards supporting these clubs, the government could have made a tangible impact on the state of football in the country.
The anticipation was that, His Royal Majesty, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was coming to grace the occasion together with the two heads of state.
However, the Asantehene made no mistake by declining the invitation on traditional grounds. It could be very embarrassing if Otumfuo was at the poorly organized event.
Thanks to Kumasi-based musicians Kwaku Gyesi, Amenado and reggae artiste African Child whose presence electrified the ambiance in the stadium with their hit songs, the whole place was unentertaining.
The organizers of the event must thank the various Senior High Schools in Kumasi for showing up to watch the football game else the stadium could have been partially empty.
This is the first time I have seen Kumasi Asante Kotoko playing against a top club like ASEC with a free gate, yet the thousands of noisy Kumasi Asante Kotoko supporters in Kumasi had no interest to watch the game.
This truly confirms that something wasn’t right in Kumasi.
Conclusion:
The 2024 President’s Cup highlighted a lack of organization, missed opportunities, and a failure to utilize the event to its full potential.
By ensuring the involvement of NPP supporters, inviting local teams, and redirecting funds towards struggling Premier League clubs, the event could have fostered a stronger sense of unity and support for Ghanaian football.
It is imperative that future editions of the President’s Cup prioritize local participation and focus on empowering Ghanaian clubs to elevate the overall standard of football in the country.
The Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, has promised the rest of Africa that Ghana will deliver a competition that will be difficult to forget.
Ghana is hosting the 13th edition of the African Games with 53 other countries joining the West African nation for the continent’s flagship competition.
This also happens to be the first time the competition is being held in Ghana.
Despite the Games commencing earlier this week, the opening ceremony was held on Friday, March 8, at the University of Ghana Stadium.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister said, “Today, thanks to the 13th African Games, courtesy His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ghana can boast of the finest multi-sporting discipline facilities in the sub-region.”
“These facilities will continue to be useful not only to Ghana but to the entire sub-region for training and competition purposes.
“This is a unique opportunity for Ghana and we are privileged and ready to deliver unforgettable games for Africa and the rest of the world.”
The games will continue on Saturday, March 9, with swimming among a host of sports getting underway.
The 13th African Games commenced with a vibrant and colourful opening ceremony that captured the hearts of many around the globe.
Held at the University of Ghana Stadium on Friday, March 8, the event featured sports officials and athletes proudly adorned in their respective country colours, representing nations from Ghana to Ethiopia, Tunisia to South Africa, Brundi, and more.
All sports disciplines of the various countries made a symbolic grand entrance, showcasing the diversity and unity of the African continent.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, underscored that the 13th African Games symbolises a celebration of unity, sportsmanship, and excellence across the African continent.
He emphasised that the event serves as a beacon of hope, reminding Africans of their shared heritage and common aspirations.
The opening ceremony was further enriched by dazzling performances from top Ghanaian musicians, including Dancehall artiste Shatta Wale, King Promise, and South African sensation Kamo Mphela among others.
Myjoyonline’s photojournalist, David Andoh was present at the ceremony and captured these captivating scenes.
Ghana’s Black Satellites were held to a goalless draw in their opening game of the 2023 African Games on Friday, March 8.
The game at the Accra Sports Stadium saw Desmond Ofei’s side fail to take all three points in Group A against Congo.
The Satellites had a great start to the game and were presented with several decent chances but failed to convert them.
Ghana enjoyed the majority of ball possession and had their Congolese counterparts at bay in the entire game.
Both teams headed into the break with nothing separating them.
The return from recess saw Ghana continue from where they left off as they continued to press for the game’s opener.
They had a goal disallowed for offside minutes into the second period of the game but that was the closest the team would come to breaking the deadlock.
The opening fixture in Group A ended 0-0 with each team taking a point at the end of 90 minutes.
The Gambia will play Benin in the other group game with three points at stake.
Real Tamale United (RTU) head coach, Abdul Mumin Abdulai, has revealed that his players boycotted Wednesday’s training session over five months unpaid salaries.
Abdul Mumin also disclosed that he has not been paid for nearly a year now and called for urgent help to salvage the situation of the club.
RTU are currently bottom of the Ghana Premier League after 19 matches into the season, winning just one of their last seven matches.
“The players boycotted yesterday’s training because they haven’t received their salaries in nearly five months, plus some unpaid,” he told Kumasi-based Akoma FM.
“Me, as the coach, I have not been paid in nearly a year. Our situation is dire, and we require immediate help.”
The Northern Blues will next take on Heart of Lions on Sunday in match week 20 of the Ghana Premier League at the Kpando Sports Stadium.
It is unclear at the moment whether the players will honour the match if their salaries are not paid.
With three days to the opening ceremony of the 2023 African Games, the Theodosia Okoh Hockey pitch is without a hockey turf.
The stadium is earmarked to host the hockey competition of the African Games but work is progressing slowly at the facility and time is fast running out.
Twenty-nine (29) sporting disciplines will be in action at the 2023 African Games, with eight disciplines serving as Olympic qualifiers for Paris 2024.
The Africa Hockey Federation initially announced that Hockey would kick off on March 15 and run till March 23. However, new information suggests the hockey start date has been moved to March 17 due to the unreadiness of the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium.
According to Joy Sports sources, the hockey turf, which is being imported, will arrive in Ghana on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
With the start of hockey pushed to March 17, it means Ghana has 12 days to fix the turf, test it and make sure it reaches the International Hockey Federation (FIG) standard for the games.
Ghana’s hockey teams themselves were underwhelming in South Africa in the 2024 Olympic qualifiers in November 2023. Both the men’s and women’s teams missed out on qualifying for the Olympics with the Men coming third while the Women placed fourth.
The authorities at the Ghana Hockey Federation have struggled to prepare the team for the African Games, with playing surfaces hard to come by.
Theodosia Okoh Hockey pitch was given a pass to host the African Cup for Club Championship (ACCC) in 021 and the Hockey Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 despite the playing surface not being up to International standard. Who do we blame for this embarrassment?
Since the African Games is a unique event, the Local Organizing Committee are in charge of making sure the hockey pitch is ready for the tournament. So far, they have not delivered.
The Cameroon international joined the club from Inter Milan in July in a £47.2 million ($60 million) deal but a string of costly errors put him under huge pressure.
Onana, 27, said it had been tough to adjust to life in Britain.
“It took me six months or seven months not to play good, just to feel good,” he said.
“It was a difficult time for me. Now I’m feeling a bit better because everything was new. It was difficult for me to feel at home because of so many reasons, a new country.
“But now I’m feeling good. I don’t want to talk about my performance because I know the goalkeeper I am and I have done much more than what I just did.
“So, for me, the most important thing is to be set, to be happy and I will shine.”
Onana spoke openly about his challenging start to life in Britain ahead of United’s match against Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday.
The goalkeeper’s errors during United’s short-lived Champions League campaign were costly but his performances have since improved markedly and he believes he is now on an upward curve.
“I think I had a turning point, but not on the pitch because, like I said, more mental because everything was different,” he said.
“Of course, I moved last season from Amsterdam (Ajax) to Milan, but that adaptation was quite easy.
“But it took me seven, eight months here. It was just time to learn and just go game by game. I hope we will end on top.”
Onana said he had received support from his teammates as soon as he arrived at Old Trafford.
“They always believed in me, they told me from the beginning, ‘Andre, listen, the quality is there, it’s just a matter of time,’ he said.
“I am very happy, especially with the supporters, the fans. They were nice with me even in difficult periods and I’m very thankful. I can only thank them.
“I think everything is behind me. Now we have to move on and I think together a great time will come.”
Member of Parliament for South Dayi constituency, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has alleged that former Black Stars forward, Asamoah Gyan’s penalty miss at the 2010 FIFA World Cup was deliberate.
The former Ghana international missed from the spot in the last minute of extra time of the quarterfinal game against Uruguay after Luis Suarez stopped a goal-bound ball with his hand.
But the National Democratic Congress MP said that Gyan’s crucial missed kick, which would have made Ghana the first African country to play in the semi-final of the World Cup, was politically influenced.
Speaking to Radio XYZ, Dafeamekpor alleged the former Black Stars captain has been a lifelong supporter of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and did not want glory for their rivals.
“I am of the opinion that Asamoah Gyan intentionally threw away that penalty because it was under NDC. It’s today that I’ve come to the realisation that he threw away the penalty in the 2010 World Cup and the Africa Cup because the glory would have come to the NDC.
“Asamoah Gyan is now part of the Bawumia campaign team. There is everything wrong with that because when you are a national figure and you become partisan I can reasonably say that it’s because of politics you threw that penalty away so that the NDC government will not get the glory. I am telling you that I feel the pain,” he said.
His comments come after Gyan showed interest in serving on the manifesto committee for the NPP 2024 elections candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Dafeamekpor condemned the former Legon Cities man’s choice to accept the position.
According to him, Gyan should not have accepted the post because he is a national figure with widespread respect and admiration from both main political parties.
