Sports
writers disappointed with camping facilities for Stars
Japanese
government to present Sports Council with gym equipment
Accra (Greater Accra)
11 October 2002 - The senior national team the Black Stars on Thursday defeated
Kumasi Asante Kotoko by two goals to one in a trial match played at the Accra
Sports Stadium.
Olympiakos of Greece
striker Peter Ofori Quaye signed in the first goal in the 36th minute when he
trapped the ball from mid air in between goalkeeper Osei Boateng and his
defender Abbas Inusah, resulting in a collision between the two Kotoko players,
before leisurely rolling the ball into the net. The goal had a touch of class.
Kotoko responded in
the second half with a Joe Sam penalty in the 56th minute after Joe
Hendrix had clumsily tackled Frank Osei in the box. The Black Stars restored
their lead with 15 minutes remaining through a well-taken penalty kick by
Daniel Edusei when Michael Osei was infringed upon in the vital area by a
Kotoko defender.
The Stars started the
match with a sense of urgency and Don Bortey had the first chance of the day
but he scratched the ball and failed to find target. In the second minute,
Shilla Alhassan fired over the bar at the other side to announce Kotoko's
preparedness for a tough combat as the Porcupine Warriors earned the first
corner of the match three minutes later.
Before the quarter
hour mark, Ofori Quaye and Charles Taylor who was captain of the Stars had
missed clear chances and keeper Osei Boateng was forced to palm a threatening
shot to corner to deny the national team.
The competitive
nature of the game manifested in the manner in which the tackles came from both
sides, forcing referee C.M. Atsatsa to caution a player from each side.
The shinning point in
the Stars attack was Ofori Quaye as he dazzled again in the 43rd minute and
made mince meat of Kwaku Duah before setting up Augustine Arhinful with an
aerial ball but the veteran striker failed to connect his header home.
In the second half, Coach
Emmanuel Afranie introduced seven new players and this allowed Kotoko to
dictate the pace resulting in their equaliser. The second string Black Stars
soon found their rhythm and carried the game to the African Cup Winners semi
finalists and deservedly snatched the winner.
In all it was a very
competitive match and a fitting trial for the Black Stars who play Rwanda in an
African Nations Cup qualifier at the same venue on Sunday.
GRi…/
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Sports
writers disappointed with camping facilities for Stars
Accra (Greater Accra)
11 October 2002- The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has expressed
their disappointment with camping facilities for the senior national team,
Black Stars as they prepare for their crucial African Cup elimination match
against Rwanda on Sunday.
Mr Ebo Quansah,
President of SWAG said this during the presentation 100 chairs to the association
by Strong Plastics, manufacturers of Gye Nyame plastic chairs on Thursday. The
Stars are currently camped at Kingsby Hotel at Achimota.
Mr Quansah said a
hotel is not the best place for turning the minds of young men gearing up for
such a crucial national assignment. "We are in this situation because
after 45 years of independence the nation has not constructed any fitting
hostel from where Sports men and women on national duty could prepare"
He said SWAG is
serving notice to the authorities to consider upgrading the hostel facilities
at the Winneba Sports College to serve this purpose or construct a decent
facility for camping elsewhere.
"One of the excuses
given for not upgrading facilities at Winneba to Standard is that the field is
not adequate for effective training, but we believe that it is possible to provide
this basic facility without breaking the bank.
"We are also
disappointed by the lack of political will to use the power of sports as an
important tool in nation building since sports have the potential to propel the
nation to grater heights if proper directed and facilities provided"
On the Stars Sunday's
match against the Rwandans, Mr Quansah said SWAG believes that the Stars are
capable of scoring an emphatic win to signal a revival in the fortunes of the
team internationally.
He cautioned the
press to be circumspective in their reportage to build unity in camp and
appealed to football fans to turn up in their numbers and cheer the Stars to victory.
GRi…/
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Japanese
government to present Sports Council with gym equipment
Accra (Greater Accra)
11 October 2002- The Japanese Government through the Japan
International
Co-operation Agency (JICA) is to provide the country with gym equipment worth
400, 000 dollars to help in the training of sports men and women.
Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah,
Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council disclosed this at a press
briefing to lunch a one-day Judo tournament scheduled for the Accra Sports
Stadium Sports Hall on Saturday. He said the total weight of the consignment,
which is about 10 tonnes, would arrive soon.
The tournament is
being organised to mark the 20th Anniversary of the arrival of the first Judo
Instructor posted to the Ghana Judo association through JICA's volunteer
programme. Dr Owusu-Ansah said Ghanaian athletes are very skilful but what they
lacked is the basic strength, which comes from gym work to help them push
through internationally.
He said a similar presentation of Gym
equipment worth 300, 000 dollars in 1986 helped sport development tremendously
and it was from the use of such equipment that great boxers like Nana Yaw
Konadu and Ike Quartey who later dominated the world in their respective weight
divisions emerged.
The NSC Boss said
Judo apart from being a competitive sport helps to develop other virtues like
courage respect and discipline in athletes and thanked the government and
people of Japan for their help in sustaining the spirit of the sport in Ghana.
Mr Humphrey Kumah,
Programmes Officer of JICA, Ghana, said Judo helps players develop their reflexes
and thereby making them alert at all time.
He said the
involvement of Japan in the Judo development in Ghana started in 1974 when
Japan Foundation sent a Judo Coach to Ghana for a two year programme and it was
through this that a number of Ghanaians including Mr
Andy Mensah,
currently the Technical Director of the Judo Association went to Japan for a
ten month training course. Mr Kumah said since the signing of the first
bi-lateral agreement between Ghana and Japan which saw the first instructor
arrive in this country in 1982, Japan has always had an instructor in Ghana and
currently Mr Koichi Kamohara is the coach of Ghana.
He said with the help
of JICA judo has spread to other parts of the country where they have held
demonstrations. This include places like Tamale,
Kumasi, Peki and Tema
"Japanese
volunteers have helped the national team win many laurel including a bronze
medal at the 7th Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland and silver and two
bronze the Burkina Faso International Competition this year.
“We want Judo to
become a top sport in Ghana since the potential to of the sport is great and we
are also ready to support it by bringing down more volunteers to teach the
sport".
GRi…/
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