Badminton squad ready to glitter at Manchester
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2002 - The Black Satellites, Ghana's Under 21 national soccer team are through to the next round of the African Youth Championship qualifiers without kicking a ball as their first round opponents from Guinea Bissau have pulled out.
Mr Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary of the GFA said on Tuesday that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had relayed the withdrawal of the Satellites' first round adversaries to them without giving reasons. He said the Satellites would therefore wait and play the winner of the fixture between Tunisia and Libya scheduled for 19 July and 2 August in Tunis and Tripoli respectively.
The Satellites would play the first leg away on 27 September 2002 and host their opponents in either Accra or Kumasi on 20 October. Eight teams would qualify to participate in the African Youth Championship slated for Burkina Faso in the first quarter of next year, with the first four teams gaining Africa's slot at the World Youth Championship.
The Satellites were runners up to Angola at the last edition of the tournament, which took place in Ethiopia, and also placed second at the World edition held in Argentina and won by the host country.
Meanwhile the Satellites, who have been in camp for about two months continue their build up to the championship under new coach E.K. Edusei with a test match against Obuasi Golddfields at the Len Clay Stadium on Tuesday.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2002 - Kenya under 17 have sailed through to the first round of the 2003 Africa under-17 Youth Soccer Championship qualifiers after thrashing their Eritrean counterparts 3-1 on aggregate following a brilliant display at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Kasarani. They will now face former world champions, Ghana, in the first round, first leg match in Nairobi in December.
Kenya and Eritrea settled for a scoreless draw in the first leg of the preliminaries in Asmara two weeks ago. But the Kenyans were in a class of their own on Sunday taking an early lead in the ninth minute through Abdulahi Aden and Hilar Omondi fired in the second in 24 minutes. Joshua Ochuka headed home the third on the stroke of half time with Eritreas’ Enrias Debsay fetching a consolation after the break.
It will be the first time that Kenya will be meeting Ghana at the junior level and the might of the Ghanaians would certainly be brought to bear on their opponents.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2002 - The Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) is holding talks with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Accra-based Tudu Mighty Jets, a division one club, to settle their prolonged legal tussle to allow the commencement of the division one league.
Mighty Jets brought a legal action against the GFA after the country's football governing body handed a three-year match ban on the club for withdrawing from last year's middle league citing financial reasons. The first division club alleged that the GFA did not give it a hearing before the ban. The club was therefore compelled to seek redress at the law court, which ruled in its favour but the GFA has appealed against the ruling.
Mr Kodjo Fianoo, Administrative Secretary of GHALCA told the GNA Sports in Accra on Tuesday that GHALCA's move follows a mandate given to it by its General Assembly to find an amicable solution to such matters. He said sequel to this, GHALCA held a preliminary talks with Jets, at which the club expressed its willingness to withdraw the case on condition that it be allowed to participate in the league.
Officials of GHALCA were scheduled to meet the GFA on their views so that the league could kick-start. Mr Fianoo has called on the two parties to tackle the case dispassionately because it could either set a good or bad precedence for similar cases in future.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2002 - The national badminton team gearing up for the 17th Commonwealth Games in Manchester, from 25 July to 4 August, is hopeful of putting up a good show at the 11-day championship.
Mr Shamo, Head Coach of the team told the GNA sports in Accra on Tuesday that preparations have been excellent and all rough edges have been smoothened setting a stage for a good showdown.
A visit at the camp epitomised the coach's assertion as both the team and its handlers of Frank Shamo and Jacob Evans Wilson were in high spirit. Mr Shamo said although the team was aware of the presence of three of the top four Badminton countries in the world- England, Indonesia and Malaysia- the Ghanaian team would cause an upset. "We are ready to match these dreadful three boot for boot in order to get to the medal zone", the coach said.
The five players, Noah Ayim, Issah Mohammed, Martin Owusu, Mary Ennoo and Theresa Tetteh, told the GNA at separate interviews that they were optimistic of winning medals for the country. They said although this was their first major international assignment, they have been psyched up to meet the challenges ahead.
The team will participate in both the males and female's singles and doubles. Mary Ennoo and Theresa Tetteh would represent the country in the doubles whiles Noah Ayim and Issah Mohammed would represent the men.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com