Accra (Greater Accra) 29 November2001 - Guinness Ghana Limited, sponsors of the senior national team, the Black Stars, on Thursday presented a sponsorship package of
450 million cedis towards the team's preparation for the African Cup of Nations competition scheduled for Mali in January.
At a brief ceremony at the Accra Sports Stadium which had Michael Power, the hero of Guinness commercials as the guest of honour, Mr Fredrick Blasu, marketing manager said of the total sponsorship package 200 million cedis would go to the Stars whiles the rest would be used for television coverage of matches of the tournament.
He explained that of the 200 million cedis, 100 million cedis would be spent on preparation of the team while the balance would be used to cover bonuses of the players based on the performance of the team.
Mr Blasu said Guinness would give the team 25 million cedis if they win their semi final encounter and another 75 million cedis if the win the cup.He said in addition to the financial contribution, the company would also clothe the team throughout the tournament.
Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, Minister of Youth and sports thanked Guinness for its efforts in promoting sports in the country especially the Black Stars. He commended the package, which, he said, has seen a remarkable increase as compared to pervious years.
In a training match, the Black Stars beat Alhaji Maikano's African Stars 3-1 with Ishmael Addo, Prince Amoako and Charles Taylor scoring for the national team.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 November 2001 - The Executive Council and the Management Board of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) have sent a message of congratulations to Samuel Osei Kuffuor, deputy skipper of the Black Stars on winning the World Clubs' Cup with his German club, Bayern Munich.
In a message signed by the Mr Alex Asante, Protocol Officer on behalf of the General Secretary, the GFA lauded Kuffuor for lifting high the flag of Ghana by his achievement and hoped he would win the African footballer of the year title this year.
The message expressed optimism that the success of the deputy skipper at club level would inspire the Black Stars to win the ultimate prize during the 23rd African Cup of Nations in Mali next year.
Osei Kuffour scored an extra time goal to give Bayern the trophy when they played Boca Juniors of Argentina in a World Clubs' match in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday.
The competition is played between the champions of Europe and South America annually.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 November2001 - Kumasi Asante Kotoko stopped the giant killing trial of Cape Coast Dwarfs when they spanked them 5-0 in a one sided F A Cup semi-final match played at the Accra Sports stadium on Wednesday.
Playing before their passionate supporters, Kotoko gave the division one campaigners no room to manoeuvre as they ran over them from start to finish.
Kotoko first exhibited what they had in stock for the Cape Coast lads in the 9th minute when mid-field dynamo Stephen Oduro's curling shot from the edge of the box hit the cross bar to the relief of Dwarfs players.
Joe Okyere opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he scrambled the ball in from a corner kick taken by Oduro to set the tone for a goal harvest. Dwarfs retained their composure after the early setback but could not do any damage to Kotoko as they were content, playing the ball among themselves in the midfield rather than making incursions to get the equaliser.
In the second half Dwarfs midfield was virtually non-existent as Kotoko had a field day and dictated play, earning the second goal when skipper Godwin Ablordey's cross was coolly connected into the net by Okyere for his personal second in the 49th minute.
Substitute Charles Asamoah made it three in the 67th minute when he capitalised on an error by Jacob Coffie who mistimed a cross and missed, thereby allowing the player to tap the ball into the empty net.
Dwarfs tried in vain to hold the rampaging attackers of Kotoko at bay by passing the ball around to slow down the tempo of the game but were caught when Oduro broke through their defence to lay a pass for Aziz Ansah to put his name on the scoring sheet, just a minute after the third goal.
Certain that the match has been won, Kotoko pulled out skipper Ablordey for young Osei Kwame in the 71st minute and two minutes after coming on, Osei scored the fifth goal when he squeezed his shot under keeper Coffie to set a final date with Alhaji Grunsah's King Faisal.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 29 November 2001 - King Faisal gave Obuasi Goldfields a real drubbing, spanking them to the incredible tune of 4-0 in their FA Knockout semi-final match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium on Wednesday.
Goldfields, the pre-match favourites, found King Faisal unyielding in all departments of the game particularly, goalkeeper Samuel Okyere who saved an 89th minute penalty kick.
The miners fell to a big disadvantage from the 43rd minute when Aminu Musah was red-carded and the numerical imbalance appeared to have disorganised their game plan.
King Faisal took the lead in the 20th minute through Ishak Debrah who easily tapped the ball into the net after Goldfields goalkeeper Rashid Campaore had failed to make a first time save.
Goldfields who were slightly on top at this stage of the game made a dash for the King Faisal goal with Abu Philip beating the offside trap in the 21st minute and racing into the box but goalkeeper Okyere came out to intercept.
Then in the 43rd minute, Abu was penalised for rough-play but he flared up and in the process was sacked for dissent, leaving his side to play the rest of the game with 10 men.
On resumption Goldfields surged forward towards King Faisal's goal but goalkeeper Okyere again cut off the move. The miners missed again in the 50th minute from Daniel Nortey's header.
King Faisal sent in Frank Osei for injured Debrah in the 50th minute and his inclusion transformed the game as he raised the tally to 2-0 in the 64th minute after sneaking through an offside trap to beat on-rushing goalkeeper Rashid Campaore.
Frank Osei was on hand again in the 69th minute after ghosting past the Goldfields defence to bang in the third goal. Goldfields tried to redeem their shattered pride and got a penalty in the 89th minute but again goalkeeper Okyere saved Isaac Boakye's kick.
Just when the game was cruising to a close and everybody thought the scoreline would remain at three - nil, Joe Agyemang Junior added the fourth goal on the stroke of full time to complete the rout.
King Faisal have thus qualified to meet city rivals, Kumasi Asante Kotoko in the grand finale of the 2001 edition of the FA Knockout Competition. The winner will represent Ghana in the African Cup Winners' Cup competition next year.
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Maestro Abedi Ayew Pele is happy the rumpus and furore which erupted a few weeks ago following the Port Harcourt governor’s gift of $25,000 to the Black Stars is over after the world governing FIFA ruled that the money could not be deemed as bribery although it raised ethical and legal difficulties.
The maestro, now a special ambassador and responsible for liasing between the FA and Ghana’s professional players in Europe is happy the focus can now be on our preparations for the nations cup scheduled for Mali in January.
Abedi has a totally different opinion from all those who believe Ghana will make no impact in Mali because she finds herself in the same group as South Africa, Morocco and Burkina Faso.
“Nobody should underestimate the potential of our own boys. Once we get the right blend of youth and experience, the Stars will make a bigger impact than expected,” he said.
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Kamoko predicts early KO on Friday
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 November 2001 - Briamah Kamoko, alias ‘Bukom Banku’, who is scheduled to fight ever impressive super-middleweight, Sabou Ballogou of Togo on Friday for the West Africa diadem, is predicting an early knockout over his opponent.
Talking to The Ghanaian Times on Wednesday, Kamoko made it clear that his opponent has picked on the wrong choice for a ring showdown. “Any tow or three punches that he throws will be answered with a bone cracking punch from me which will be enough to stop him from going beyond the sixth of our scheduled 12 rounder,” he said.
According to the ex-Black Bomber boxer, his focus is on more lucrative titles and as such, “to allow the likes of Ballogou to go on with their devilish plans means aborting dreams. Something I will never allow,” he expatiated.
Kamokou, who took on heavyweight Ibrahim Marshal in a catch-weight contest and decisioned him about a month ago, therefore called on lovers of the sport to come and judge for themselves why scores of fighters are not willing to sign up.
Meanwhile, the contestants for Friday’s main bout, Laatekwei Hammond and Moro Tijani are keeping a low profile for their national and West Africa super-lightweight diadem.
The three championships and five challenge contests on the Despite Promotions bill dubbed “Akuturuku Night III” comes on at the Kaneshie Sports Complex.
Osmanu Adama battle Machiano Commey for the vacant national West Africa super-welterweight belt. Others on the bill include the Clottey brothers, James “Hot-Ice” Toney, the “Golden Boy” Osmanu Akaba and Galley Cudjoe.
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