Hearts win warm-up matches
Sportive pip King Solomon
Afienya beat Diamond Stars in crappy encounter
Khalid lose to Stay Cool
Bafana Bafana spank All Blacks
Hearts of Lions ride on
Give Stars job to
Attuquayefio or Ziese if we’re serious
A budding Ghanaian Star determine to play for Stars
Achimota Captain's Prize golf on 22 February
Cyclist ends AIDS tour at Koforidua
Hearts win warm-up matches
Kopeyia (Volta
Region)
Both clubs
presented two teams, A and B, each playing for 70 minutes with Hearts winning
the first match one nil, and the second two nil. The flair and fluidity of
Hearts mesmerised the teeming football fans that had thronged the park from
Aflao, Agbozume, Dzodze and
The match
offered Rainbow Stars the opportunity to showcase their promising stars in the
likes of strongman Dzoboku Kwabla, Evenononyo Mawuli, Aze Kodzovi and Desouza
Dotse, who provided Hearts the worthwhile test they were looking for.
Hearts' Awudu
Adamah stole the show in the 30th minute of the second match, when
he dribbled three Rainbow defenders in a roll outside the penalty area to score
the first goal. Louis Agyeman followed with the second goal in the 50th
minute. Christian Ashietey scored the lone goal of the first match.
The fans however
sorely missed Hearts' goal machine Charles Taylor and some of the team's top
players, who were said to be in camp with the Black Stars. Hearts Dan Quaye
told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a post match interview that Rainbow Stars
were a good side that could go places with discipline, resources and support.
He said Hearts was determined to win all tournaments ahead of it this year.
GRi…/
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Sportive pip King Solomon
Ho (Volta
Region)
Kamil Yunus
scored the only goal of the match barely two minutes into the second half when
he capitalised on a defensive blunder by the rear men of King Solomon to
deliver a 20-metre shot that deflected off the upright, beating goalie Raymond
Fenny.
King Solomon's
Patrick Tackie had the chance to equalise for his side in the 52nd
minute but his 25-metre goal bound shot was pushed to safety by goalkeeper
Emmanuel Adjetey. The resultant corner kick was wasted.
Real Sportive
could have increased the tally but their strikers were clumsy and delivered
feeble shots in front of goal. Sportive's Razak Jabiru 68th and 78th
minutes and Shadrack Commey in the 77th and 84th minutes
threw away begging chances. King Solomon's Dennis Amoako, Joseph Banor and
Emmanuel Ampong in the 12th, 23rd, and 36th
minutes in that order also failed to take their chances at goal.
GRi…/
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Afienya beat Diamond Stars in crappy encounter
In a match
characterised by lots of stray passes ands crunching tackles, Afienya took the
lead in the 15th minute through George Armah who blasted home a
loose ball that broke to him from a goalmouth melee.
Afienya who had
the better of the exchanges relaxed after taking the lead and allowed Diamond
Stars more into the game. Diamond Stars duly equalised in the 30th
minute through George Asumaning who finished off a well centred cross from
Awudu Amadu.
In the second
half, Diamond Stars lifted their game and dominated the early exchanges but
were stunned in the 56th minute when against the run of play Afienya
scored their second goal through Isaac Tetteh.
The game after
Afienya’s second goal, degenerated into rough play and was not helped by some
bizarre decisions by referee Mishiaguie Felix from
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Khalid lose to Stay Cool
Tema (Greater
Accra) 10 February 2003 - Khalid F/C could not stand the might of Stay Cool
when they were beaten 2-0 in their division one league match played that the
Tema Sport Stadium on Saturday.
Stay Cool took
the lead in the 8th minute through Asamosh Mensah when he received a pass from
midfield and run past two defenders before slotting the ball into the net.
Khalid defence
who could not stand the attacking machinery of Stay Cool led by Mensah who
tormented them throughout the match. In the 30th minute George Yamoah
received a pass from the right flank, dribbled past a defender and before
placing the ball at the blind side of keeper Mustapha Angba in post for Khalid
for the second goal.
GRi…/
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Bafana Bafana spank All Blacks
After a first
half that ended one all, Bafana Bafana resumed strongly and increased the tally
to 2-1 through outside right David Kudah in the 55th minute.
Inspired by this lead Bafana Bafana score two more goals through Atta Yawson
and Francis Kobbina in the 82nd and 85th minutes
respectively.
GRi…/
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Hearts of Lions ride on
The match as
heading for draw when Lawson who had a fine afternoon popped up to slice the
ball from close range into the net. It was a beautiful move initiated by team
mate Ibrahim Iddrisu who took a daring run through a host of legs but in his
bid to slot in the ball, collided with goalkeeper Wilson Dei and Lawson who was
lurking around the goal area, chipped the loose ball into the net.
Both sides came close to scoring from kick off but lacked ideas upfront while the goalies were hardly tested. But the pattern of the game changed completely after the recess and for over 15 minutes, Mariners kept the Hearts of Lions goal area boiling; however, the ironclad defence pivoted around Jacob Nettey of Accra Hearts of Oak fame, kept them at bay.
Mid-way through
the second half, the Lions begun to roar over the Mariners with most of their
moves being orchestrated by another Togolese import, Komlan Amevour,
unfortunately they had to wait until the 88th minute for Lawson's
incisive kick to fetch the winner.
Ten minutes
earlier, substitute Isaac Bekoe grazed the upright for Mariners, two minutes
after coming on for skipper Paul Gben while Atikpe Yaovi Eric who also came on
for Samuel Yeboah of Hearts of Lions, wasted a golden opportunity when instead
of shooting from a lose range, decided to give a pass which was wasted.
GRi…/
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Give Stars job to
Attuquayefio or Ziese if we’re serious
There’s
one main wish for Ghanaian soccer fans. “Get the Black Stars qualify to the
World Cup.” When current FA boss Ben Koufie took office in 2001, he’d tied that
goal of the country to the 2006 edition in
But
that’s what we seem not to be doing! Between the sector ministry (the Ministry
of Youth and Sports- MOYS) and Koufie’s FA is a tango on whether the option for
the Yugoslav’s replacement should be local or foreign brain. That, really,
should not be the stake and either party must verily appreciate this. Ghanaians
are indeed hurt at the Black Stars’ persistent lack of performance at the World
Cup qualifying stages. They want results. That quest alone should be the
hallmark for the choice of a coach for the senior national team. Really does it
not matter whether results come via a local or expatriate hand and, obviously,
a healthy result would justify any commitment that is made.
The
desire for prompt action on this, with a sure tendency for success, makes fresh
the exploits of two coaches who’d variously endeared themselves to the soccer
fraternity in
Burkhard
is remembered for bringing the smiles back to
When
Burkhard arrived he took the bull by the horn. No entertaining of player
indiscipline
or player lateness to training. He would mark the attendance register on the
training pitch and discharge prompt disciplinary charges. Burkhard will
absolutely entertain no interference from any section of officialdom. He was
interpreted as not recognising his employers but he cared least of that than
results on the turf.
And
when callers wished their idols, Shamo Quaye of blessed memory and Joe Debrah
counted among his best set of 18 players, Burkhard would not dance to the tune.
Granted that these two players were the most gifted talents of the two most
glamorous clubs, Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, who draw among them greater
than half the population of the country as supporters, Burkhard must had
treaded dangerously. He was, all the same, blunt on who he considered a good
choice of material.
Burkhard
managed to get all the set of professional players whom he required for
international engagements; the likes of Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah, Tony Baffoe,
Prince ‘Polley’ Opoku, Stanley Aborah and Ali Ibrahim he capably roped,
regularly, to help the Black Stars’ cause. Burkhard carved pride for any player
given the chance to don the national jersey contrary to the detestation that
pertained prior to his arrival.
These
were the factors Burkhard regarded to be his winning ways and he was not let
down. Although he was replaced before the Cup of Nations, he wrote his name
indelibly by successfully qualifying the nation to
If
the exploits of Burkhard Ziese are washed from memory by time, ‘Sir’ Jones
Attuquayefio’s should not. At club level in the year 2000 his exploits with
Hearts of Oak won him the
Having
demonstrated a winning character Jones ascended the technical directorship of
the Black Stars after the exit of Italian Guiseppe Dossena. But perhaps, his
appointment was not well tailored and he ran into problems with the
authorities, leading to his eventual removal. But that was after he’d bravely
let players’ egos and official interference tumble before him. Having been let
down on two occasions in the call-ups he made to the national team, he decided
to build his own team, against all odds including pressure from officialdom.
Jones’ team, infact drew 0-0 with
So
far, Jones and Burkhard have justified themselves, in their earlier romance,
that the Black Stars coaching job is something they have the guts for. How they
handled matters during their tenure gives a conviction that they would provide
results given the opportunity.
When
the national coaching job was advertised, twelve coaches filed to be allowed
the opportunity to handle the Stars job. The list includes the Ghanaians E.K.
Afranie, Mohammed Polo, Abdul Razak, Nana Kwaku Agyemang and James Adjei. The
foreign components are Burkhard Ziese (
On
the short-list, Burkhard’s name features, unlike that of Jones. But Jones’
absence from the list of applicants is understood given the circumstances in
which his exit from the job was shrouded. That is not to say he’s lost bite for
the job. Rather he’d need a kind of approach from the authorities which would
demonstrate an accordance of the necessary respect and appreciation for his
coaching role. Regarding Burkhard, his continuous pursuance of the job that
shot him to limelight in
The
argument for Jones Attuquayefio or Burkhard Ziese is not to say those that have
put in applications are not cut for the job. With other applicants however, it
will be another experiment. Jones and Burkhard had contrarily, well advertised
themselves already of what they can do. And, as the stakes are, Ghanaians can’t
go for another two-year adventurous treading. Visibly, this attitude of
frequent introduction of new faces to the job is among the big banes that
robbed the country of international laurels. It’s about time we’re seen
learning and acting differently. We definitely must be getting serious in
effecting the right decisions if our want is nothing but a 2006 World Cup
appearance.
GRi…/
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A budding Ghanaian Star determine to play for Stars
He said it was
sad that players who plied their trade in the sub-region were not monitored and
offered the chance to compete with their counterparts from
In an S.O.S
message sent through a Ghanaian Businessman, Frank Obimpeh, the player
expressed optimism of a good performance when given the chance, which he
believes, could serve as an eye-opener to the handlers and probably, urge them
to cast their net wider.
To authentic his
story, the agent presented the February 1, 2003, edition of the "Sports
Souvenir", the biggest selling sports paper in Lagos to the GNA Sports,
which featured prominently the Ghanaian and his new move to League Champions
Enyimba of Aba in the Abia State.
Frimpong moved
from El-Kanemi after his former club was relegated to the Professional Division
One League even though he netting 16 goals.
Officials of his
new club Enyimba, which represents
When given the
chance, Frimpong would become the third top Ghanaian player from
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Achimota Captain's Prize golf on 22 February
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 February 2003 - The Achimota Golf Club Captain's Prize
competition tees off at the Achimota Golf Course in Accra on Saturday 22
February. A spokesman for the club who announced this on Saturday, said the
one-day 18-hole stableford competition which is open to members of the club, is
expected to attract over 150 participants.
He
said the event, which is being sponsored by Jeoff Fisher, the Captain of the
Club has very attractive prizes, and added that preparations are feverishly
going on to put the Course in good shape for the competition.
Sammy
Adetola, John Sam, Nick Smallman, Mike Ezan, Professor Mike Ben-George and
Michael Aggrey are some of the players who have signed up for the event. The
Ladies section will feature crack golfers like Mona Captan, Mary Asafu-Adjaye,
Elizabeth Ezan, Helen Swanepoel and Beatrice Vetsche-Bempong. Dr S.K.B.
Quartey, President of the Club, will present the prizes to the winners.
GRi…/
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Cyclist ends AIDS tour at Koforidua
Koforidua
(Eastern Region)
Addressing
a gathering at the Koforidua lorry park, he urged the people to be sensitive to
the efforts of the government through the National AIDs Commission and to take
issues relating to the disease seriously. He said some people have made
mistakes and contracted the disease and have become liabilities to their
families and the community.
"This
is the more reason why we must be responsible and guard against all acts that
could land us in that grave situation", he said. Adabunu called on the
youth to abstain from any sexual activities in order to stay clear of the
disease. The cyclist used the death of a close friend who died from AIDS as an
example to prove the reality of the HIV/AIDS disease.
In
an address read on his behalf, Nana Agyei Boateng, the Municipal Chief
Executive, commended Adabunu for such a noble expedition to campaign against
the deadly disease. He asked the public to take a cue from his patriotism and
spread the message of the disease in every part of the country.
GRi…/
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