Ghana take in South Africa in the last game of the Group G as both sides stand a realistic chance of finishing as group winners.
Richmond Boakye Yiadom and Celta Vigo defender Joseph Aidoo have been dropped to the substitute bench following their poor performance against Ethiopia.
As it stands now, Ghana are going to qualify to the next stage of the competition.
The Black Stars need a win of any format to seal qualification to the playoffs while South Africa have to avoid defeat to pip qualify.
Andre Ayew has scored on his 100th cap for Ghana tonight and he would be hoping to further finish the game on the winning side.
If the game stays like this, Ghana will secure a place in the playoffs and face either Morocco, Algeria and others.
Ghana Starting line-up vs. South Africa
16 Wollacott Joseph 12 Kyere – Yiadom Andrew 17 Baba Rahman 23 Alexander Djiku 18 Daniel Amartey 11 Mubarak Wakaso 10 Andre Ayew(C) 21 Mohammed Baba Iddrisu 9 Jordan Ayew 20 Mohammed Kudus 22 Kamal-Deen Suleman
The Serbian has ringed changes in the squad that started against Ethiopia as the Black Stars take on Bafana Bafana in the all-important game
Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has announced his starting line up for the cliffhanger encounter against South Africa in the last round of the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Israel-based striker Richmond Boakye Yiadom and Celta Vigo defender Joseph Aidoo have been dropped to the bench after their poor performance in the stalemate with Ethiopia last week.
Strasbourg defender Alexander Djiku who missed the game against Ethiopia due to accumulated cards has returned to take his place while Mubarak Wakaso has also been handed a starting berth.
Andre Ayew will be playing as a false nine as he partners his younger brother Jordan Ayew upfront while Kudus Mohammed will provide support in a 4-3-3 formation.
Ghana need a win at all cost to win Group G and qualify for the playoffs in their bid to book a place for the World Cup to be staged in Qatar next year.
Ghana Starting line-up vs. South Africa
16 Wollacott Joseph 12 Kyere – Yiadom Andrew 17 Baba Rahman 23 Alexander Djiku 18 Daniel Amartey 11 Mubarak Wakaso 10 Andre Ayew(C) 21 Mohammed Baba Iddrisu 9 Jordan Ayew 20 Mohammed Kudus 22 Kamal-Deen Suleman
The Inshallah Boys have scored 100 per cent in their opening three games of the season as they defeated regional rivals
King Faisal continued their incredible start in Ghana Premier League with a 2-0 home win over regional rivals Ashanti Gold at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday.
After shocking Aduana Stars last weekend in Dormaa Ahenkro, Faisal added Ashanti Gold to their victims.
Coach Nurudeen Amadu made one change to the team that started the last game against Aduana as Mawuli Wayo was handed a starting place ahead of Wadudu Yakubu.
WAFA had a wonderful run of ball possession in the first half but just like Faisal, the two teams failed to make the few chances that came their way count.
On 72nd minute, Enoch Morrison shot Faisal ahead against the run of play. The midfielder latched on to a poor clearance and calmly slotted in the opener.
Eight minutes later, Wayo set up Ibrahim Osman who is on loan from Asante Kotoko to double Faisal’s lead.
Faisal, who survived relegation on final day of last season, have now picked three wins in a row and are joint leaders with Asante Kotoko.
The two Kumasi-based clubs have nine points apiece.
The Phobians could not recover from their poor start of the season as they shared the spoils with Aduana Stars
Hearts of Oak shared the spoils 1-1 with Aduana Stars on matchday three of Ghana Premier League at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
After failing to pick a win in two games and coming under intense pressure, coach Samuel Boadu could not guide his side once again to grind results when it mattered most against their bogey side.
Hearts came into the game on the back of two stalemates on a row against Legon Cities and WAFA but striker Kofi Kordzi thought he had done the most important thing on the pitch to save the blushes of his boss only to be stunned by a resilient Aduana.
The striker, who rejoined the Phobians after a short stint in the Arabian world, netted what initially proved to be the all-important goal by the 10th minute after fluffing several half chances initially.
The bulky striker combined with Afriyie Barnieh and perfectly slotted his effort beyond the reach of goalkeeper Joseph Addo.
After the break, Hearts continued from where they left and probed further for more goals.
On the 62nd minute, Kofi Kordzi was presented with a begging opportunity to double Hearts’ lead but his last ditch effort was saved by Aduana goalkeeper Joseph Addo.
Aduana, after struggling to contain Hearts, found an open in the hosts’ defence by the 79th minute but defender Mohammed Alhassan brought the Aduana Stars striker down and conceded a penalty.
The referee further compounded their woes as he sent the defender off for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. Bright Adjei scored from the resulting penalty kick.
Hearts now sit tenth on the log as they have three points from three games. They are six points behind league leaders and arch rivals Asante Kotoko.
The Black Stars held their last training session on Saturday evening at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium as they fine turn to host South Africa in the last round of matches in Group G of 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
Ghana, who sit second on the log with 10 points, three points behind South Africa, need a win at all cost to top the group and qualify to the knockout stage.
The training which began in the evening if Saturday came to an end in the night as coach Milovan Rajevac used the opportunity to rehearse the game plan he hopes the players will use on Sunday to undo the South Africans.
The youngster has now bagged four goals this season as the Wonder Club moved second on the league table
Great Olympics confirmed their supremacy as they pipped Legon Cities 1-0 in matchday three of Ghana Premier League at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday.
After bagging the first hat-trick of the season last weekend, Abbey Quaye rose up to the occasion once again as he netted the all-important goal against Legon.
After failing to make any meaningful impact in the opening quarter of the game, Abbey Quaye upped his performance and slotted Olympics in front.
Although, they had several opportunities to double their lead eveb after the break, Olympics were sluggish and could not make them count.
Annor Walker’s side have now won two games in a row and sit second on the log with seven points, two points behind Asante Kotoko who are topping the chart.
The forward scored twice against the debutants as they made it two wins in a row
Dreams FC defeated Accra Lions 3-1 in matchday three of Ghana Premier League at the Theater of Dreams in Dawu on Saturday.
After shocking Elmina Sharks away last weekend, Dreams made it two wins in a row despite losing two influential players.
Forward Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and defender defender Philimon Baffour are on international duties with Ghana as they prepare to play South Africa in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
In spite of this, Dreams made it look quite easier as they despatched their opponents.
Ali Huzaif scored the opening goal of the day for Dreams after a quick break by the 12th minute before Agyemang Boateng added another goal seven minutes later.
After the break, Rauf Salifu pulled one back for Accra Lions as they pushed men forward in search of the equalizer.
However, Agyenim Boateng scored his second of the day for Dreams FC to break the hearts of the debutants very late in the game.
The defeat means that Lions are without a win in three games in the topflight after securing qualification in a controversial manner ahead of Tema Youth.
Dreams have now scored seven goals after three matches and will travel to Accra Sports Stadium to face Great Olympics before they also head to Bechem to lock horns with Bechem United.
The one-time budding talent has called it a quit in football and now serves as a military man in United States
Former Asante Kotoko striker Mark Adu-Amofah is now a member of United States of America’s military after quitting football.
The 34-year-old who was very quick and had an eye for goal played in Ghana Premier League with Liberty Professionals before joining Asante Kotoko in 2010.
Amofah scored 21 goals in all competitions for Kotoko during his stint with the Kumasi-based giants and last played for Bahrani club FC Sitra before moving to the United States.
It was in United States that he opted to hang his boots and switch attention to military work.
Amofah, who also had stints with South African Premier Soccer League side Bloemfontein Celtic, is among top former Ghana Premier League players who have now ventured into a different field in United States.
Asante Kotoko have made it three wins out of three in Ghana Premier League under new coach Prosper Ogum Narteh. The Porcupine Warriors are gradually confirming why they are title contenders despite some doubters initially writing them off but what were some of the lessons picked from the cagey encounter at the Dun’s Park in Bibiani on Friday?
AshesGyamera.com’s editor-in-chief, Evans Gyamera-Antwi, has highlighted five major talking points from the game.
Isaac Oppong is the new jewelry
Unlike Stephen Amankonah who has failed to live up to the expectations so far, youngster Isaac Oppong’s performance is in stark contrast to his counterpart further north. Sunyani Neymar, as he is affectionately called by a section of the supporters, has enjoyed a dream start since arriving at Kotoko from third-tier side Bectaro Sasana in Sunyani.
The 18-year-old has been directly involved in five of the six goals scored by Kotoko after three games. He has scored two goals including the winner against Gold Stars on Friday and provided three assists.
Isaac Oppong Neymar's goal for Asante Kotoko against Gold Stars at Bibiani in Ghana Premier League pic.twitter.com/5BwLgRx6wT
When he was handed a start in the away game against Gold Stars, many thought he may struggle but he proved doubters wrong. If Felix Afena-Gyan can be given a call up to Ghana’s senior national team for playing only two games for AS Roma in Serie A, Oppong deserves same. He is a cash cow for Kotoko now then never and needs guidance as well as protections.
Gold Stars have quality to stay up
Although, the debutants lost narrowly to Kotoko at home, it wouldn’t be a surprise to this writer and many people, who watched the game if Gold Stars avoid relegation after the season. The Bibiani-based side have quality and only need to bury the few chances they get especially against the cathedrals of Ghana Premier League.
They bossed the midfield against Kotoko and caused a lot of troubles to the visitors backline. It is now not a surprise that they defeated Berekum Chelsea on opening day and shared the spoils with Medeama away.
Michael Osei is really building one of the fanciest sides in the league and apart from Kotoko and Hearts who may bully their way through in Bibiani, the rest of the clubs may not leave Sefwi with even a point.
Beside, the 25 per cent stadium capacity to be filled by supporters due to Covid-19 protocols doesn’t work in Bibiani – at least we’ve seen the games vs. Chelsea and Kotoko. Therefore, the huge spectatorship during home games will be enough to intimidate away teams since the fans are very close to the action in the facility.
Appau & Agyemang show Mubarik how it is done
Kotoko were not in pitiful shape without their captain Abdul Ganiu Ismail who is on international duties with Ghana. It all amounted to the fact that defender Yussif Mubarik who struggled against Bechem was dropped and Andrew Appau as well as Maxwell Agyemang were handed their debut game of the season.
2- Kotoko's victory over Gold Stars in Bibiani means the Porcupines have won their first two away games for the first time since May 2016, where they won 3 games on the bounce (1-0 v Dreams, 1-0 v Hearts,1-0 v Bechem)
The duo redeemed themselves and proved that Mubarik’s farcical getaways may not be tolerated by Ogum again as he has been leaning so heavily on Ganiu’s talents to cover his blushes. Kotoko never missed Ganiu nor his partner Mubarik against Gold Stars, as the new pair in central defence showed beyond a doubt how far their individual magnificence papers over the cracks.
Also, Richard Boadu ‘Agadas’ was superb in defensive midfield role. Mudasiru Salifu had been playing this position and although he was struggling, Ogum was adamant to the calls from supporters for a change of roles but when he adhered to the growing concerns, Kotoko had some stability in midfield against Gold Stars. It helped them to grind results from an unfavourable position.
Kotoko must score early goals in games
Prosper Ogum Narteh’s side is getting all the praises for winning their first three games of the season, however, they need to improve in their goal scoring records. According to those who believe in numerology, Kotoko have won their first three games of the season just like they did in 2013/14 where they went on to win the league title.
3- The last time Asante Kotoko won their first 3 matches in Ghana Premier League until today was in 2013/14 season.
They went on to win the league title and @AugustineOkrah1 won the Best player & Goal King.
That season, their midfielder Augustine Okrah had just left the club to join Bechem United and the same thing has happened this time around. Okrah left Kotoko in July and has signed for Bechem.
In spite of this, Kotoko must improve their goal scoring records as they have struggled to hit the back of the net in first halves of the games played so far.
All the six goals scored this season have been after the break and it means that should any club score first against Kotoko, they may struggle to equalise and further win the game.
From Villain to Hero
Razak Abalora came under a lot of criticisms, especially during the dying embers of last season as he conceded some ‘cheap’ goals.
He was constantly criticised by the club’s supporters because a section of them felt he was not good enough to replace former captain Felix Annan. The troubles at club side ate deep into the young shot-stopper and affected his performance at national level. In the end, Abalora lost his place in Ghana’s squad.
However, he has been one of the most important players this season for Kotoko. Abalora has made some crucial saves especially the last ditch effort from Gold Stars striker Prince Adu to win the day for Kotoko. It is not surprising that he has two clean sheets after three games and supporters are beginning to accept him as their own.
The next home game against Techiman Eleven Wonders at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium will prove whether Kotoko can continue with their incredible start or it was just a nine-day wonder.
The debutants boss says his side deserved something better than a defeat after dominating the Porcupine Warriors throughout the game
Bibiani Gold Stars coach Michael Osei believes his side were better than Asante Kotoko despite losing 1-0 in Ghana Premier League matchday three fixture played at the Dun’s Park in Bibiani on Friday.
A second half goal from 18-year-old Isaac Oppong ‘Neymar’ was all what Kotoko need to break down a resilient defence of Gold Stars.
The victory means that Kotoko have picked three wins in a row while Gold Stars have tasted their first defeat at home after almost two years.
“First of all, Let me congratulate my boys for such performance. They did their best today but we were just unlucky to concede that goal,” Osei said after the game.
“It’s very painful that we couldn’t get at least a point today [against Asante Kotoko] because it was a game that we dominated and controlled the entire duration with several goal glaring opportunities”
“Defeat is part of the game but it is very painful to lose such points to Asante Kotoko. We’ll continue to work hard for the subsequent games” he concluded.
Kotoko, who will host Techiman Eleven Wonders next, now top the log with nine points, three points ahead of second place King Faisal who face Ashanti Gold in Ashanti derby at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday.
