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Rabiu Mohammed joins French side Paris FC

 

The box-to-box midfielder has cpmpleted his switch to the French lower-tier side in an undisclosed fee

Ghana midfielder Rabiu Mohammed has finally sealed a one-year deal with French Ligue 2 side Paris FC from Russian Premier League outfit Krylya Sovetov as a free agent with an option to extend the contract.

The 29-year-old arrived in France on Tuesday and put pen to paper on Wednesday having passed the club’s mandatory medical test.

Rabiu, who will wear jersey #13 for the new season as the club hopes to qualify to the top-flight, has previously had stints with former Ligue 1 side Evian Thonan Gillard and Kuban Krasnodor.

On international level, Rabiu has made 31 appearances for Ghana since making his debut in 2009.

Kano Pillars ready to ‘shock’ Asante Kotoko in Kumasi, says Ali

 

The Pillars skipper is full of optimism they would eliminate the Porcupine Warriors from the continent’s biggest club competition

Kano Pillars captain Rabiu Ali has promised that they would definelty score goals at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to eliminate Asante Kotoko from the Caf Champions League.

Despite the 3-2 victory for Pillars in the first leg a fortnight ago in Nigeria, the contest, however, is still wide open for both teams. Kotoko only need to at least record a 1-0 victory to progress to the next stage.

“We never expected Asante Kotoko to score two goals in Kano during the first leg but they did,” Rabiu told Fox FM.

“They should also know that what happened in Kano will repeat itself in Kumasi. We will also score in Kumasi and eliminate them from the competition,” he added.

Kotoko will be without midfielders Augustine Okrah and Jordan Opoku following the club’s inability to complete their registration while Songne Yacouba is likely to be dropped since he is yet to join the first team at training.

The winner after the two legs will square it off with Etoile du Sahel next month for a place in the group stage.

KP Boateng welcomes ‘new boy’ Ribery to Fiorentina

The Black Stars midfielder has shown love to his new teammate ahead of the new season

Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has congratulated former Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery after completing his move to Fiorentina.

The 36-year-old arrived in Italy on Wednesday morning and penned a two-year deal with the Serie A side which would see him at the city of Florence until the summer of 2021.

“He is here 💜 welcome mon frere @acffiorentina #handmade @FranckRibery https://t.co/U0LqdNUV7i,” Boateng posted on Twitter.

KP Boateng, just like Ribbery, joined Fiorentina this month from Sassuolo following his successful loan move to Barcelona last season where he won La Liga.

Ribbery left Bayern Munich after twelve seasons in the Bundesliga following his move from Olympique Marseille in 2007. He played 425 games and scored 124 goals as well as made 184 assists for the Bavarians.

He is the second player to move from Bayern to Fiorentina after striker Mario Gomez.

Hearts of Oak 0-1 Black Meteors: Akesse’s goal separates men from boys

 

The Black Meteors took a huge step towards their ambition of qualifying to the continent’s showpiece

Ghana’s U-23 male football team defeated Hearts of Oak 1-0 in a friendly at the Accra Sports Stadium on Wednesday.

After a pulsating first-half where both teams lacked precision upfront, Nzema Kotoko striker Akesse Akesse powered Ibrahim Tanko’s side into the lead by the 63rd minute.

Although, Hearts pushed men forward in pursuit of an equaliser, Heart of Lions skipper Frank Akoto led the defence of the national side to remain resolute and recorded a clean sheet.

Black Meteors are preparing to face Algeria in the African U23 Championship double-legged qualifying match next month.

The team began their preparations on August 7 at M Planza Hotel in Accra and will be reduced to 18 players in the coming days.

Kingsley Sarfo still in Prison; midfielder yet to hold talks with Kotoko – former agent

 

The Black Stars midfielder was found guilty of having sex with underage girls in the Scandinavian country and he is yet to be set free

Amid the widespread information on Friday and early showers of Saturday following the unveiling of new players and kits by Asante Kotoko that former Malmo FF midfielder Kingsley ‘Strand’ Sarfo has signed for Asante Kotoko, Ashesgyamera.com can confirm that there is no iota of truth in the reports.

The 24-year-old was sentenced to 32 months in prison in June 2018 after he was found guilty of rape and having sex with underage girls in Sweden and has since been behind bars.

Although, reports suggest his jail term will be reduced due to good behaviour, the player Asante Kotoko have rather signed is Kingsley Owusu Effah who formerly had a stint with Wa All Stars.

“Kingsley Sarfo has not been released from prision and he has not signed with Asante Kotoko so disregard such stories,” Niklas Strand, former agent of the player told AshesGyamera.com.

“Kingsley was superhot everywhere before his problems so people would definitely try to link him with clubs but the fact is that he is in jail for a reason and would take some time for him to even recover when released before he can think of returning to the field,” he added.

The former Anokye Stars and Golden Boot Academy graduate became the second player from Ghana to be jailed in Sweden after midfielder Kwame ‘Conte’ Bonsu who later joined Kotoko before his move to Esperance de Tunis earlier this month.

Sarfo, who almost naturalized for Sweden, made his international debut for Ghana against Uganda in the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers. He was highly tipped to be part of Kwesi Appiah’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt last month before the unfortunate incident.

Accreditation: How to get a pass for Kotoko vs Kano Pillars

Accreditation process for media houses wishing to cover the Caf Champions League return game against Kano Pillars at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday, August 25, 2019 has opened.

Media houses can thus apply for their passes from now till Tuesday, August 20, 2019. Applicants are to send their introductory letters with passport pictures to: [email protected].

Media houses (radio) in Ashanti Region will be entitled to two (2) slots each while those in other regions will be entitled to one (1) slot each. Online and newspapers nationwide would get one (1) slot each. Television stations will also be entitled to two (2) slots each.

An announcement on when the accreditation will be ready for pick up will be made in due course. The media will use the T. I. Ahmadiyya entry point at the stadium on the match day.

-Asantekotokosc.com

Okrah, Opoku, Agyemang Badu & Antwi dropped from Kotoko squad to face Kano Pillars

The Porcupine Warriors head to Nigeria for their opening of the Caf Champions League without several key players after pruning down their squad

Asante Kotoko coach Kjetil Zachariassen has officially announced an 18-man squad ahead of their Caf Champions League first leg against Kano Pillars on Sunday in Nigeria.

After an initial 23 players sent to camp last week, the team proceeded to Accra to fine tune on the Accra Academy artificial turf in order to be much ready for the task.

New captain Felix Annan will lead the players in their quest to conquer Africa alongside new striker George Abege and Richard Arthur.

However, conspicuously missing from the squad is former Ghana Premier League topscorer and goalking Augustine Okrah as well as Jordan Opoku and Martin Antwi.

The others also excluded include Ghana U-23 goalkeeper Kwame Baah and centre-back Emmanuel Agyeman Badu and the five players are expected to head back to Kumasi on Thursday.

The return leg has been scheduled for August 24 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Felix Annan, Osei Kwame

Defenders: Wahab Adams, Samuel Frimpong, Ampem Dacosta, Augustine Sefah, Evans Owusu, Patrick Yeboah, Stephen Ayiku Tetteh

Midfielders: Habib Mohammed, Alexis Didi, Justice Blay, Kelvin Andoh, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Godfred Asiamah

Strikers: Richard Arthur, George Abege, Naby Keita

Ofosu Manu eyes more playing time with PSG

 

The youngster has had chances few and far between for Les Parisiens’ senior team since but he is optimistic of a turnaround ahead of the new season

Ghanaian youngster Christian Ofosu Manu is hoping for regular playing time with French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint Germain ahead of the 2019-20 season.

The 16-year-old midfielder joined Les Parisiens at their academy following his arrival from Ghana five years ago and has risen through their youth ranks to become a promising star.

However, he has continued to be on the fringe of Thomas Tuchel’s squad and hopes to have a change of fortunes this term especially in the top-flight.

“It’s been an interesting journey for me and I thank God for everyday. I’m hoping to have a better season with PSG especially the senior side,” Manu told AshesGyamera.com.

“I was born in Ghana but left for France when I was eleven. There are a lot of challenges at PSG but I’ve been able to make a name at the youth side and now wants to gatecrash into the first team. There are many top stars [including Neymar] around which I want to closely work with and learn a lot from them to improve my career,” he added.

Aside Manu, 22-year-old defender Isaac Hemans Arday is another Ghanaian in the PSG’s set up. They will open their title defence in the top-flight with a home game against Nimes on August 11.

Bonsu advises Asante Kotoko ahead of Caf Champions League showdown against Kano Pillars

 

The shot-stopper has given clues to the Porcupine Warriors ahead of their trip to Nigeria for the Champions League first leg

Enugu Rangers goalkeeper Nana Bonsu has given tips to Asante Kotoko ahead of their Caf Champions League first leg against Nigerian side Kano Pillars next month.

The Porcupine Warriors who are making a return to the competition after a two-year absence would travel to Nigeria before hosting Pillars in the return fixture

“Kano Pillars play very matured football especially at home. They are a formidable side in the Nigerian league so I will advice Kotoko to be well prepared in their quest of causing a surprise or defeating them,” Bonsu told Light FM.

“Their pitch is slippery and the weather in Kano is very hot. I think Kotoko should find an environment which is similar in order to adequately acclimatise and be prepared for the game.

“Moreover, they shouldn’t wear boots which are not appropriate for the game since the hosts’ turf is astro-turf and requires special type,” he added.

Bonsu previously played for Ghana Premier League side Ashanti Gold before seeking greener pastures in Nigeria.

Why Ghanaians need not to rely solely on numerology & coincidence to win 2019 Afcon

By: Evans Gyamera-Antwi (@AshesGyamera on Twitter)

There has been a sudden strange optimism among many Ghanaians that the country is destined to annex the Africa Cup of Nations amid the Black Stars’ poor showing in their opening two games at the tournament

After forging a huge reputation as one of the finest sides in Africa over the years, Ghana, without a doubt, is one of the favourites to win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations but when this feeling is currently mainly backed with superstition and sheer coincidence instead of quality football displayed by players and tactical ingenuity of the coach, it becomes a thing of worry.

According to a section of Ghanaians, the Black Stars seem to completely have similar fate, luck and trend just like during 1982 edition held in Libya, where they won their fourth and last major trophy in a fashionable manner. To even some of them, the last trophy won was on an Arabian soil and since current hosts Egypt is also an Arabian country, everything is in order.

Again, the Black Stars’ first two games in this year’s tournament (2-2 vs Benin, 0-0 vs Cameroon) have produced similar results to that of 1982 when they shared the spoils 2-2 with Libya and also had a goalless draw against Cameroon but defeated Tunisia 1-0 in the final group game and went on to win the trophy.

Also, some have argued that since George Alhassan who hailed from the Northern part of Ghana scored the country’s first goal in 1982 and with Andre Ayew having the same root equalling it as he netted the country’s opening goal against Benin, the chart will definitely repeat itself.

But without even digging deeper, a lot of incidents that happened in 1982 and few years before had several similarities in 2015 but Ghana still lost that year’s Afcon and that means coach Kwesi Appiah and his players rather have to step up their performances because what they’ve produced so far is an eyesore.

Before Ghana lifted the 1982 Afcon, Asante Kotoko had won three consecutive Ghana Premier League titles (1980, 1981, 1982) just like they won in 2012, 2013 and 2014 but the Black Stars failed to win the 2015 Afcon after reaching the final under former coach Avram Grant.

Interestingly, Kotoko during that period of conquering Ghana, had a player called Opoku Nti who later returned to the club as General Manager in 2015 but Ghanaians did not have the Afcon trophy that year despite a lot of superstitious beliefs linking his return to the club.

Furthermore, in 1982, there was a player called Kwesi Appiah (who is the current coach) in the Black Stars squad and another Kwesi Appiah (currently active) from Crystal Palace emerged in 2015 but the country ended the tournament in pain as the latter even scored against Guinea to propel Ghana into the semi-finals.

Identically to the 1982 tournament, there was also a player called Abedi “Pele” Ayew in the setup just like we had Andre Ayew and Jordan Ayew who happen to be his sons in the 2015 squad presented by the Black Stars but Ivory Coast defeated us to emerge as champions.

Once again, Andre Ayew scored Ghana’s opening goal in 2015 as many people are comparing it to Geroge Alhassan of the 1982 squad, yet we lost the title so for Ayew to score the first goal in this year’s tournament should not be a yardstick to measure anything.

Nigeria won the Afcon in 1980 and Ghana won it in 1982. In 2013, Nigeria defied all odds to win the Afcon again under Stephen Keshi of blessed memories but Ghana could not win it two years later despite several incidents repeating.

The last time Ghana won in 1982, Brong Ahafo United were in the Ghana Premier League and they returned from relegation after a decade in the lower division in 2015 but nothing better happened to the Black Stars’ quest to end the trophyless run.

Now, with only two points in the bag at the tournament and elimination starring at the faces of the Black Stars, they cannot afford dropping even a point in the crucial fixture against the Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday but must manage to score full marks.

Ghana need a victory now than ever and all attention should be on team preparation, tactics, substitutions while the game kicks off and of course winning bonuses since we have a precedent not superstition. Kwesi Appiah is expected for once to have tactics that would rip his opponents into shreds, having failed against Benin and Cameroon.

The 59-year-old gaffer is the most fortunate indigenous coach for the senior national team in the 21st century and must prove at this crucial stage why he deserves the whopping $35,000 paid into his account every month. His tactics and player selection must be apt, game management superb and substitution at the right time or he will face the wrath of Ghanaians since he is still yet to convince many even in his second coming as a coach.

In the Black Stars’ last four games under his watch, he has failed to win any and it is interesting to even know that Appiah has picked only four wins out of his last 11 games in all competitions, pathetic.

With only 21 wins in 46 games — 45.6 per cent winning rate — since his return as the Black Stars boss, it brings about the feel of pessimism among a section of Ghanaians that the ‘national project’ of winning the Afcon after going trophyless in 37 years may not be achieved.

Appiah, personified as a lion (coach) with small penis (poor game plan) must compensate with a mighty roar (improved tactics with variations) to save the blushes of the four-time champions who have made it to the semi-finals of the last six tournaments and finishing as runners-up in two of those.