Owusukrom Chief constructs sports field
Warri (Nigeria) 18
December 2002 - Dribbling magician, Adjoa Bayor, notched a vital extra time
goal which enabled the Black Queens register a 3-2 victory over the Indomitable
Lioness of Cameroon and secured a slot in the grand finale of the Third Africa
Women Cup of Nations in Warri, Nigeria.
By the victory, the
Queens have qualified as one of the two Africa representatives in next year's
Women's World Cup in China. The two sides were level with two goals apiece
after 90 minutes of uncompromising action.
Mavis Djangmah scored
the fasters goal of the tournament when she opened the score for the Ghanaians
in the second minute while substitute Nana Ama Gyemfua who came on for Memuna
Darko, capitalised on a Cameroonian defensive blunder to increase the tally to
two in the 51st minute.
Unfortunately, that
goal was to bring out the best in the Cameroonians who launched an incessant
attack on the Queens till they (Queens) succumbed. Number one goalkeeper
Memunatu Sulemans who won the most valuable player for the second time could
not maintain her clean sheet as she conceded an 82nd minute goal and
a penalty goal on the stroke of full time to put the two sides at par.
However, when referee
Adipo Constance from Uganda signaled for the commencement of the 30-minute
extra time, it was the Queens who had the better of the exchanges as they
dominated every department of the game.
The magic of Bayor was
eminent with just a minute to go, when she dribbled through the iron-clad
Lioness defence before hitting a grounder beating the Cameroonian goalie in the
process to fetch the vital goal for her side. The Queens are billed to meet the
winner of the Nigeria-South Africa match scheduled for Wednesday at Oghara.
GRi.../
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Warri (Nigeria) 18
December 2002 - Ghana's Black Queens have so far emerged as the strongest team
at the ongoing Africa Women Cup of Nations in Warri, Nigeria, but the players
are attributing the team's success to head coach, Oko Aryee and his assistant
Mike Akpe.
The Queens who on Tuesday
used a single stone to kill two birds- booking a ticket for the grand final as
well as a place in the next edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup slated for
China next year- believe the two coaches deserve all the praise.
Skipper Alberta
Sackey, told the GNA Sports that the best thing that ever happened to the team
was the presence of the two coaches. "They took us through all the
required drill to prepare us for the battle ahead, I'm not surprise that we
have gotten to this stage", she said. The Queens had to rely on an extra
time goal by Bayor to register a 3-2 win over the Indomitable Lioness of
Cameroon.
While the Ghanaian
fans went home jubilating, the Nigerians who thronged the stadium were
disappointed after the match for, according to many of them, they would have
wished that Nigeria play Cameroon in the final. The Super Falcons are billed to
play South Africa in the second semi-final match on Wednesday at Oghara.
GRi.../
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Warri (Nigeria) 18
December 2002 - Black Queens' goalkeeper, Memunatu Sulemana might have conceded
her first goals in the African Women's Soccer fiesta now in progress in Warri,
Nigeria, but that does not take anything away from her achievements and her
being voted as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice on the trot.
Sulumana has so far
remained the only player to have been voted the MVP consecutively, having
emerged the MVP in the first semi-final match between the Queens and the Indomitable
Lioness of Cameroon, and their all important encounter with the defending
champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria.
Having made countless
grand saves to keep the Queens on top, the Lioness who had not scored more than
a goal in the championship managed to put two goals into Sulemana's net thereby
making them the first country to score against the Queens in the 14-day fiesta.
They are the second to have leveled up from two goals down after newcomers
Ethiopia fought from two goals down to hold Mali 2-2 at the group stages.
Surprisingly,
Sulemana, though yet to fully recover from the countless knocks she received
from the Falcons match has proved too good and could be classified as the best
in Africa.
Because of her outstanding
show, the Nigerian press have worked hard to link the goalie's excellence to her
four month presence in the Nigerian league last year, claiming the Ghanaian’s
presence in the league provided her good goalkeeping skills.
Memunatu’s inability
to play for Lagos club side, Pelica Ladies, is linked her failure to obtain an ITC.
Nigeria’s headcoach Sam Okpudo, admits that Sulemana is a very dependable
barrier.
Mavis Djangmah, deputy
skipper of Ghana's Black Queens on Tuesday recorded the fastest goal ever since
the inception of the AWC in 1998. By her goal Djangmah has added her name to
the goalking race with two goals. Skipper Alberta Sackey is currently leading
the chart with four goals. Djangmah netted her other goal against Mali. Nana
Ama Gyemfua has also scored two goals with Adjoa Bayor having one goal.
GRi.../
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Accra (Greater Accra)
18 December 2002 - The Board of Directors of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club
Limited has corrected a publication in an Accra bi-weekly sports paper to the
effect that the club is in financial crisis due to monies it owes its creditors.
A statement issued in
Accra on Tuesday and signed by Ernest Thompson, Board Secretary said, the fact
that the club owes, does not mean it is facing financial crisis adding, "since
we are not the only club in the country owing individuals and
organisations".
The statement said
there is no controversy over the transfer fee of Stephen Appiah a former player
of the club as stated in the Tuesday's publication and added that Hearts has paid
part of the amount owed to Mighty Victory, Appiah's colts club.
It said the delay in paying
of the rest of the transfer fee is due to the fact that there are several
factions within Mighty Victory who are demanding the same amount. Sequel to
this, the Board held several meetings with solicitors of the Mighty Victory and
agreed on terms of payments. Hearts subsequently filed a motion for a stay of
execution for payments by instalment, which the court agreed, the statement
said.
The Board described as
unfortunate an attempt to exaggerate the issue to the extent of inciting
supporters of Hearts against both management and board. The statement also
denied that the board has paid $20,000 as "thank you" to a board
member from the transfer proceeds of Sam Johnson also a former player of the
club and said, "all monies from that transfer were paid by electronic
transfer into the accounts of the club".
On the purchase of the
clubs new secretariat, the statement said, an independent valuation by renowned
valuer was commissioned and completed by the board before the purchase was
effected. "All payment were made to the solicitors of the vendors; at no
point did $800,000 came up", it said.
The statement said
anybody aware of the property market and having had the chance to value the
property "will not seriously dream of mentioning $80,000 as the price
money for the property". It said the frozen of the Pobiman project is not
a reflection of crisis in the club.
The statement said no
property of the club has been frozen and the secretariat is under close police
protection due to threats by a dismissed faction of the club to take over. It
said there is no problem of player uprising in the club adding "Hearts players
are given the best treatments in the country".
GRi.../
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Accra (Greater Accra)
18 December 2002 - Raymond Narh, national Super-Featherweight champion has said
his decision to break with his long time British manager Al Hamilton is due to
cheating, non-payment of his enticement fee and other benefits, maltreatment
and lack of respect for him by the manager.
Speaking to the GNA
Sports, Narh said "I have tolerated the misdeeds of Hamilton for so long
and its time to quit with him in order to have my peace". He said his
manager never gives him any monthly allowance and does nothing to ensure his
welfare adding that, he has been doing everything by himself and only gets
peanuts from him, "once in a blue moon".
Explaining further,
Narh said in one of his fights in London, Hamilton deducted 20 pounds from his
appearance fee with the reason that his opponent hit him during the fight,
which Narh described as outrageous.
The national champion
added that Hamilton only paid half of his return airfare to Ghana recently and
he had to add the rest himself in order to get back to Ghana even though it is
the responsibility of the manager to shoulder the full cost of his trip.
Narh also alleged
that his manager has denied him the opportunity to have a try at international
championship bouts with the reason that he is not yet ripe but said "I am
ready to face any boxer in my division and I believe I can win a world title
when given the chance ...... why is he preventing me"?
According to Narh, he
had a quarrel with Hamilton before he gave him an amount as his three-month pay
recently and reiterated his desire to part company with him after the 26 December
fight. The Champion said, "whether the fight comes on or not there is no
way he would continue with his manager despite the agreement with him".
Commenting on his
impending fight with Malik Jabir, he said,"I am ever prepared to take on
Malik anywhere and any time and I am going to teach him a boxing lesson". Narh
predicted a knock out in the fourth round adding that it time he puts Malik to
sleep forever.
GRi.../
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Nsawam (Eastern
Region) 18 December 2002 - Otto Fister Babies of Anoff drew 2-2 with Kora Stars
of Otoase, near Nsawam in their Eastern Region division three football match
played at Otoase public park last Sunday.
Inside Obuaba Samuel
scored the first goal for Kora Stars in the 25th minutes of the
first half through a header. Skipper Kwame Ayeh increased the tally to two in
the 56th minute through a freekick.
Otto Fister Babies
reduced the scores to 2-1 through centre forward Michael Amoako in the 80th
minute through a solo effort and skipper Michael Okai brought them on level with
a minute to go from a goal mouth scramble.
GRi.../
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Coaltar (Eastern Region)
18 December 2002 - Amegah Kwami Sogboge, chief of Owusukrom near Coaltar in the
Eastern Region, has constructed a sports field at the cost of about 1.2m cedis
for the people of Owusukrom.
Conducting the GNA
Sports round to inspect the field on Monday, Amega Sogboge said the
construction of the field is his personal contribution towards sports
development in the area.
He said some of the
sports clubs to benefit from the field include Marfokrom Shining Stars,
Akotuakrom Mighty Babies, Awereso Flamingo Sporting club, Abiesi Stars and
Obowunsu Liberty Stars.
GRi.../
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