Media Partner

Serie A side Fiorentina set to release former Black Stars midfielder Alfred Duncan

Former Black Stars midfielder, Alfred Duncan, is set to be released by Serie A side Fiorentina after four years of playing for the club.

His imminent departure from the club comes following the expiration of his contract at the end of the season.

Despite managing 41 appearances in all competitions last season, including a substitute appearance in the Conference League final defeat to Greek side Olympiacos, Fiorentina have decided Duncan’s services will not be needed for the next campaign.

The midfielder first began his career at Inter Milan after signing for their academy in 2010 at 18 years of age. He enjoyed fruitful stints at fellow Serie A sides Sampdoria and Sassuolo before moving to Fiorentina in January 2020.

He flourished in his first three seasons at the club, but after a difficult start at the beginning of last season, he gradually fell out of favour with manager Vincenzo Italiano and has now decided with the club not to extend his contract further following its expiration.

Duncan began his international career in 2012, but retired from international football 10 years later at the age of 29 due to what he termed as “humiliation and discrimination by the Ghanaian Federation.”

Many clubs will be closely monitoring his situation, including Cagliari, for whom he had a stellar loan spell during his first season as a Fiorentina player.

World Cup 2022: We can make things better in our next game – Ghana captain Andre Ayew 

Ghana captain Andre Ayew says the team will be able to sail through its difficult situation following ahead of their second group game against South Korea on Monday.

The Black Stars lost 3-2 to Portugal at the Stadium 974 in Doha on Thursday.

Portugal took an early lead through Cristiano Ronaldo from the penalty spot before Andre Ayew equalized for Ghana.

Joao Felix and Raphael Leao score both goals for Portugal to win the game before Osman Bukari grabbed a consolation for Ghana.

Speaking at the post-match conference, the Al Sadd captain is optimistic the team will return good in their game against South Korea on Monday November 28.

“We qualified for the world from a very difficult group and conditions. I know this team we always get out of very difficult conditions.

“I am convinced we would return good in the next game. We showed good character in the game against Portugal, and we can make things better in the next game,” Captain Ayew stated.

He admitted the team paid for its mistakes made in the first game.

“In football you would always pay for your mistakes, and that is what happened to us.

“We made some errors, and they punished us for that. The last two goals from Portugal were so quick we could not recover, but we have always survived difficult conditions and we would come back good,” he explained.

VIDEO: Watch Ghana newboy Ransford Yeboah’s brace for Hamburg against Bayreuth

New Ghana forward Ransford Konigsdorffer scored a double as Hamburg eliminated SpVgg Bayreuth in the German DFB Pokal. 

he 20-year-old forward climbed off the bench in the second half to inspire Hamburg to a string co0meback to beat Bayreuth.

Konigsdorffer replaced Filip Bilbija in the 46th minute with Hamburg a goal down. The German-born Ghanaian levelled the scored with seven minutes remaining to send the game into extra time.

The Bundesliga II side shot in the lead seven minutes into extra time through Sebastian Schonlau before the youngster wrapped up victory with a 111th minute.

Konigsdorffer joined Hamburg in the summer transfer window from Dynamo Dresden and has been in blistering form, scoring his first two competitive goals for the club.

Compatriot Aaron Opoku also came off the bench in the second half.

Ransford Yeboah Konigsdorffer switched nationalities in June to represent Ghana, the country of his father.