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.
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.”
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.”
A member of Ghana’s 1982 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning team, Opoku Nti, says the benefit the squad had for winning the tournament was boarding the presidential jet.
Speaking on Prime Take with Muftawu Nabila Abdulai which will broad the on Saturday, July 27 at 7:30 pm on JoyNews, the former Black Stars forwarded recalled a stirring message from the late CK Gyamfi, the team’s coach, delivered on behalf of then-head of state Jerry John Rawlings, it was never fulfilled.
“Before the [AFCON 1982] final, we were there when the late CK Gyamfi came and said, ‘This is a message from our head of state [Jerry John Rawlings] and it reads like this: ‘If you win this Cup, we are going to honour you and this honour will benefit you and your children.’
Every step, whether eating, training, after lunch or supper, he would read this message to us,” Nti recounted.
It is believe that the message was meant to inspire the team to go all out and win when rumours in Ghana alleged that then Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi wanted Ghana to throw the match.
“We didn’t even know that in Ghana, there were rumours that [Muammar] Gaddafi wanted us to sell the match to him [for Libya to win the AFCON]. Lo and behold, we won the Cup.”
The team waited in Tripoli for several days before the presidential jet arrived to bring them home. Boarding the jet, Nti says, was the only honour they had. “Maybe, the benefit we had was being on the presidential jet,” he stated.
He added, “It took us from Tripoli, Libya and we were happy. We had to refuel when we got to Tamale, and when we got to Tema, we saw two jet planes.” The flight back to Ghana turned into a terrifying experience as the pilot performed risky manoeuvres. “While in the plane, something happened, and we were all crying in the plane.
“The pilot was flying dangerously: he would take high up and come down again… he did that a couple of times and we were all scared to death because we hadn’t seen anything like that before. We all thought we were going to die. Even those who were outside waiting for us to land were all shouting.
“If you want, go and look at the picture of our arrival carefully, no one was laughing. We couldn’t laugh because our hearts were gone.”
There was enough history for these players not to be so expectant: 1963, 1965, and 1978. Promises made to these winning teams were never fulfilled, but this group thought theirs was a different era despite a warning from some members of the 1978 group who were promised houses, but never got them.
“Some of the 1978 squad members told us there was a promise for them if they won the AFCON during Kutu Acheampong’s era. They were promised houses, but it never happened. So they told us we must ask for even cars because the state had seized so many cars at the port,” Nti explained.
They made no demands at the instruction of their technical team members, and their hopes were dashed when they finally met with Rawlings.
“The coaches, CK Gyamfi, Osam Duodu were like, ‘These boys, you are too troublesome, he [Rawlings] said he will honour us. When you’re given a car, is that honour?’ It was back and forth.
“They eventually took us from the airport to Konda Barracks and that was the first time we met [Daniel Alolga] Akata Pore . He told us the old man, he called Papa J [Jerry John Rawlings] old man, is sleeping but will join us soon.
“We were there for about 30 minutes before he came. He greeted us and spoke for a long time. It was from politics to many other things.
“He said what we blacks can do if we were given the same opportunities as the whites, we are better.
“In the end, he said Ghana has nothing to offer you, except to say ‘We salute you.’ To be honest with you, it pierced our hearts,” Nti recounted. The lack of promised rewards had a lasting impact on the players. Ghana has not win the AFCON since then and many attributes the country’s near misses to not honouring promises made to past winners.
“If Ghana is suffering… maybe some players cursed Ghana, I don’t know, but this thing got so many players to decide not to play for the nation again because the sacrifice was too much,” Nti reflected.
The disillusionment carried over into the next AFCON where Ghana, despite being defending champions had its worst outing to date. The team exited the group stage without a point.
“It’s all gone now, but you see, it didn’t augur well so from there defending the Cup at Bourke, we were eliminated because no one was willing to sacrifice again. Who wants to die again for the nation? They said a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for,” Nti concluded.
Prime Take airs every Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 11 am.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Two-time champion Eliud Kipchoge is ready to create history at the Paris 2024 Summer Games by becoming the first man to win three Olympic marathon gold medals.
Kipchoge, the former world marathon record holder, will write another chapter in his unprecedented running career in France when he becomes the first and only Kenyan to compete at five Olympics.
But he says, for him, the Olympics are about much more than just winning.
“The Olympic Games wants everybody to associate, it promotes freedom of association whereby all of us, about 100 countries will be there competing together and shaking hands at the finish line,” he says.
“You know it’s not only about winning, but the important thing at the Olympic Games is also about participation. Personally, I want to make my country a running country and make the world a running world.”
Tokyo Marathon winner, Benson Kipruto, and London Marathon champion, Alexander Munyao, will run alongside Kipchoge in the Kenyan men’s marathon.
And he has tipped them to go for an unprecedented Olympics podium sweep in Paris.
“I think my teammates actually are very good, they are high class, energetic, and disciplined athletes. I trust we will compete in a good way and make the podium for all of us,” he says.
The two-time Olympic winner is, however, wary of the threat posed by rivals, especially athletes from Ethiopia, Uganda, and runners with roots in East Africa who will be running for Bahrain, Qatar, USA, and Kazakhstan among others.
“I respect all other competitors. Everybody who is in the Olympics is an Olympian and they represent their country. I cannot underrate anybody,” he says.
Kipchoge first competed for Kenya at the Athens 2004 Olympics where he won bronze in the men’s 5,000m.
He upgraded to silver at the same race at the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, but failed to qualify in both the 5,000m and 10,000m teams for the London 2012 Olympics.
It was to prove to be a turning point in his career.
Failure to qualify for London prompted his decision to switch to road running and in 2013 he won on his marathon debut in Hamburg.
What followed thereafter is an unmatched record in the marathon with 15 victories in 18 marathons, including 12 wins in the Marathon Majors and setting the world record twice.
In Brazil, Kipchoge became only the second Kenyan after the late Samuel Wanjiru to win men’s marathon gold before returning to successfully defend his title at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021.
