Ghana's Black Queens in a bright start
Tension engulfs Ghana/Nigeria Tuesday clash
Abedi elected WAFU
Vice-President
Black Stars play Super Eagles on
15 December
Joshua Clottey subdues Ayittey
Powers
Assah-Sam
wins Farmers Day golf
Warri (
In spite of the victory, the Queens were not impressive as
they struggled to bring out their best. The players blamed the poor nature of
the pitch, which made ball control very difficult. The technical handlers of
the team were optimistic after the match that the ladies would overcome the
initial problem before taking on hosts,
The
However, whether complacency should be the word, the
After a goalless first half, Nana Ama Gyamfua gave way to
Adjoa Bayor who brought some life into the game and changed the pattern of play
entirely. She orchestrated most of the
That goal surprisingly brought the best from the Malians who
surged forward for the equalizer as they threw everything into the game. They
occasionally caught the
Goalkeeper Sulemana Memunatu was forced to save some sticky
situations to deny the Malians the needed equalizer. The Ghanaians however
regained their composure as Bayor surged forward to combine beautifully with
Alberta Sackey to set up Mavis Djangman to score the second goal in the 85th
minute. Nigerian's Falcons top group A table on superior goals after thumping
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Tension engulfs Ghana/Nigeria Tuesday clash
Warri (
The Falcons, winners of the previous two competitions and
who trounced
The Queens are also fuming with anger and determined to avenge the defeat they suffered at the hands of the Falcons two years ago in the finals. The ladies have vowed to quash the bluff of the Falcons and begin a new era of dominance on the continent.
Tuesday's encounter could be rated as the final before the
final as both teams have remained the heavyweights when it comes to women
soccer in
However, in the mist of the tension, the Nigerians are tight lipped about the scoreline, come Tuesday.
Doc Rafiu Oladipo, President General of the Nigeria Football and other Sports Worldwide Supporters Union were of the view that Tuesday's game would be between two well-drilled sides, and most motivated side would carry the day.
Surprisingly while her colleagues were optimistic of winning on Tuesday, skipper Alberta Sackey who has played in all competition and by far the most senior, was cautious when she told the GNA Sports the match could end in a draw. "Though I'm optimistic, I for see a drawn game. However, if the day becomes bright, who know, we may carry the day", she said.
The technical brains of the
The moral in camp could be said to be at its peak as the
entire players are hopeful to glitter on Tuesday. Many connoisseur of the game
have predicted Ghana Nigeria to qualify from the group and the likely sides to
represent the continent at next year's World Cup in
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Though Kotoko won 2-1 to bring the overall
score to 2-2, the Moroccans won on the cup on the away goal rule. It was a
total disbelief and consternation when Egyptian referee El-Ghandour blew his
whistle to signify the end of the game as the supporters remained glued to
their seats while the Moroccans jubilated.
In a match watched by Vice President Aliu
Mahama in which Kotoko was expected to win to give
In losing the cup, Kotoko must blame
themselves since they approached the match as if there was nothing at stake,
especially during the first half.
They appeared sluggish and allowed the
Moroccans a lot of room to manipulate and operate as they were faster and got
all the 50-50 balls and virtually forced Kotoko to play to their style.
The first half was not particularly exciting
but it was Wydad who threatened a goal in the 34th minute as Joe Hendricks
cleared the ball off the itching foot of Kassab Boujemaa. Wydad whose defensive
strategy in this half confused Kotoko, almost always took the ball away from
the homesters anytime they entered the goal area.
However, in the 41st minute, Aziz
Ansah's throw in caught the Wydad defence off guard but Shilla Alhassan could
not reach the ball as it was cleared by the defence. Two minutes later, Kwadwo
Poku who was a virtual passenger had a through pass from Shilla Alhassan, but
before he could get his foot to it the ball was cleared.
Kotoko who were gradually beginning to assert
themselves, worked the ball into their opponents goal area in the 44th
minute but Hamza Mohammed shot erratically with his left from Shilla's pass.
With a possible defeat staring them in the
face, Kotoko started the second half on a fast note and nearly got the opener
in the 50th minute but the Wydad defence cleared the ball Goalkeeper
Jarmouni Taril of Wydad was shown the yellow card in the 46th minute for
hitting Aziz Ansah after both of them had jumped for a high ball.
Two minutes later, Kotoko earned a corner
kick but wasted it. In another minute, goalkeeper Tarik denied Shilla Alhassan
a goal when he tried to flick the ball past him.
Wydad nearly broke the hearts of the teeming
Kotoko supporters when Erraji Mourad beat the offside trap and forced
goalkeeper Osei Boateng to come out to challenge him but in the process he shot
wide.
However, Kotoko were not to be denied a goal
as Aziz Ansah shot his side into the lead in the 55th minute. Kotoko
pulled out Kwadwo Poku in the 68th minute and brought in Frank Osei
while Wydad also sent in Bahafid Omar for El Janab in the 74th
minute.
These changes seemed to have benefited Wydad
who equalised in the 75th minute through Talhar Moustapha from
Kassan Boujemaa's corner kick which he directed to the blind side of goalkeeper
Osei Boateng.
Most of the fans became so downhearted after
the equaliser that they started leaving the stadium knowing that the cup had
eluded their darling club. However, Kotoko rallied round again and in the 84th
minute, Michael Osei sent the fans jubilating again as he restored Kotoko's
lead and, with that, a ray of hope appeared that Kotoko could pull the chestnut
out of the blazing fire. But their hopes were dashed as Kotoko could not find
the third goal tried as they did.
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Abedi elected WAFU
Vice-President
The elections were held at the just ended
WAFU congress held in
According Mr. Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary
of the GFA, it is the hope of the association that he would bring his rich
experience and youthful zeal to bear on the activities of WAFU.
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Black Stars play Super
Eagles on 15 December
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 December 2002 -
Twenty one members of local Black Stars, the national soccer team, have been
invited to start camping from Tuesday, 9 December to prepare for a friendly match against the Super Eagles of
Nigeria on 15 December.
A statement issued by the Ghana Football
Association copied to GNA Sports said the players should report at the Accra
Sports Stadium at
The invitees are Sammy Adjei, Kwabena Boafo,
Don Bortey, Charles Taylor, Dan Opong all of Accra hearts of Oak, Yeboah
Godfried, Aziz Ansah, Isaac Boakye, Stephen Owusu, Hamza Mohammed, Joe
Hendricks, Michel Osei all of Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
The rest are Kankani Abukari (Goldfields)
Daniel Yeboah, Mustapha Essuman, John Paintsil, Pappoe Emmanuel (Liberty) Kwame Agbadu Kasimi (RTU) Bernard Forjour
(King Faisal) Michel Asante (Olympics) and Baba Musah Power FC.
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Joshua Clottey subdues
Ayittey Powers
The fight, which had generated a lot of hype
because of the verbal salvos both boxers had fired in the build up, was clearly
dominated by the lighter boxer, welterweight Clottey who dictated the pace
throughout against his super welterweight opponent.
As early as the first round the trend became
conspicuous when Powers failed to connect a single punch and was hit at will,
with jabs and hooks by Joshua. The second round was not different from the
first as Joshua chased Powers around, bombarding him with some good jabs and
quick body punches.
Powers kept on smiling as if the shots from
his opponent did not hurt but when he tried to fight back Joshua pedaled
backwards and avoided his shots and stunned him with quick counters in the
process.
It remained a one-way traffic and Powers
appeared zapped in the third when he was caught on the head in a neutral corner
by a barrage of solid hooks from Clottey who failed to go in for the kill.
Joshua continued amassing points and frustrated Powers by clinging anytime the
latter corked to fire.
Early in the fifth round Powers appeared
rejuvenated as he forced Clottey back with some powerful punches but the more
experienced Joshua soon regained the offensive, piercing through the guard of
Powers with right uppercuts and pulping his body with right and left bombs.
There was no doubt in the minds of the fans
as to where the fight was going as the sixth and seventh rounds fitted the
status quo, with the lagging Powers failing to increase his pace and instead,
he contended himself with some clowning to the consternation of his supporters.
The two boxers had a point deducted from
their haul in the eighth when Powers was adjudged by referee Bob Sackey to have
butted Joshua who was also penalized later for persistent pushing.
Powers tried to open up in the ninth round
but Joshua exhibited his better knowledge of the sport by clinging and holding
to slow down the pace and flexing back swiftly at the box command after each
break.
Joshua danced from corner to corner in the
tenth, which saw little action and raised his right hand in jubilation at the
sound of the final bell and indeed, there was no question about his victory.
The real star of the bill, which was dubbed
"The Three Stars," was Beninnois lightweight Ange Adjaho who pummeled
home boy Sarfo Tyson into submission via a sixth round technical knockout in
their 10 round international contest.
Ange who is the African Boxing Confederation
(ABC) champion did everything right as he jabbed, hooked and connected a
variety of punches anytime he wanted to. His defensive skills were also super
and he easily bobbed and ducked punches or parried them away while his ability
to counter punch was a marvel to watch.
The Beninnois' stance and display drew cheers
from the large crowd, which patronised the promotion and some fans thought
Sarfo had done very well to last five rounds with him.
James "Hot Ice" Toney increased his
fight record to 14 wins in as many fights when he recorded his 13th knockout
against Jean Thomas of
In a super featherweight contest, Abdulai
Amidu won a third round TKO over Fustin Rustan, the Ivorian national champion
who failed to respond to bell for round three. Welterweight Philip Kotey won a
unanimous verdict against Ishmael Tetteh when they fought over six rounds and
Mustapha Appiah made a successful professional debut when he won a six round
decision over Alfred Odai.
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Assah-Sam wins Farmers
Day golf
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 December 2002 - Yaw
Assah-Sam scored 40 points to win this year's Farmers Day golf championship
played at the Achimota Golf Course in Accra on Friday.
Mawuli Ababio came second with 39 points,
while Michael Aggrey was third with 38 points, beating Paul Briggs and Samuel
Adetola on countback. Beatrice Hampton won the Ladies event with 38 points,
Francisca Vandyck placed second with 37 points while Elizabeth Essel Koomson
took the third position with 35 points.
The 18-hole Stableford competition, which was
sponsored by the club, forms part of activities marking the 18th annual Farmers
Day celebrations. Samuel Adetola, Captain of the Club, praised the participants
for their response, to the competition and urged them to keep it up by
participating in all activities of the Club.
Meanwhile, Achimota Golf Club failed to turn
up for their second inter-club match against Tema Golf Club at Tema on
Thursday. A spokesman for Tema Golf Club told newsmen that a new date would be
fixed for the match. Tema won the first match played at Achimota by 22 points
to 18.
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