Tag: Baba Rahman

Black Stars arrive in Johannesburg to face Bafana Bafana on Monday

The Black Stars touched down in Johannesburg last night to play without several key players but head coach Charles Kwablah Akonnor is optimistic of a good results

Ghana’s contingent arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa very late on Saturday as they prepare to face Bafana Bafana in second game of Group G in 2021 Fifa World Cup qualifiers at the Soccer City Sports Stadium on Monday.

After narrowly defeating Ethiopia on Friday, the Black Stars are in high hopes to secure their second victory of the qualifiers and possibly open the gap at the top before the next round of matches take place in November.

South Africa, on the other hand, need a win at all cost since they shared the spoils goalless with Zimbabwe on opening day and their coach Hugo Broos is under pressure to win at all cost.

The Black will miss the services of several key players due to COVID-19 restrictions as South Africa has been marked as on of the countries in the world with red flag due to increasing cases of the disease everyday.

Reading FC duo of Abdul Baba Rahman and Andy Yiadom did not travel with the team as well as Crystal Palace duo of Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp.

Also, Daniel Kyereh and Boadu who play in Germany were left behind.

In the other game of the group, Ethiopia will be hosting Zimbabwe with the hope that they can recover from their defeat in the hands of Ghana.

C.K Akonnor names Ghana squad to face Ethiopia without a local player

The Black Stars boss has announced his starting XI to do the job for him tonight in the World Cup qualifiers but none of them is from the local scene

Ghana coach C.K Akonnor has announced the squad that will start for Ghana against Ethiopia in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers on Friday evening at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.

Just like rumors initially having it that no locally based player will be given the chance, it has been confirmed as an all round foreign based players will represent the nation tonight.

Interestingly, only three players of the squad that hammered Ethiopia 5-0 in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers played in Kumasi in 2017 will be part of the team tonight. They include Daniel Amartey, Andre Ayew and goalkeeper Richard Ofori.

Asante Kotoko defender Abdul Ganiu who had a wonderful debut against South Africa a couple of months ago and has since started majority of the Black Stars matches was dropped for Alexander Djiku and Daniel Amartey to start in the heart of defence.

Behind them in post is Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Richard Ofori who comes in after several months on the sidelines due to injuries.

Reading new signee Baba Rahman will be on the left side of defence while Andy Yiadom takes charge of the right side.

New sensation Kamaldeen Sulemana will start alongside Wakaso Mubarak and Baba Iddrisu of Real Mallorca fame in midfield.

The team will be captained by Andre Ayew who is expected to play behind his junior brother Jordan Ayew upfront.

Ghana XI vs Ethiopia:

Richard Ofori, Andy Yiadom, Daniel Amartey Alexander Djiku, Baba Rahman, Baba Iddrisu , Kamaldeen Sulemana, Mubarak Wakaso, Jeffrey Schlupp , Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew

C.K Akonnor is wrong, Baba Rahman doesn’t deserve Ghana call up, coach Sarpong reacts

The experience gaffer believes the defender comes no where near to be given a Black Stars call up ahead of the game against Sudan

Former Asante Kotoko coach J.E Sarpong has insisted that Chelsea defender Abdul Baba Rahman shouldn’t have been named as part of Ghana’s squad that will face Sudan in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The defender has been inactive at Chelsea after he was not even registered by head coach Frank Lampard but C.K Akonnor surprisingly handed him a call up, insisting that he has been playing with Chelsea’s youth team.

“My problem with CK Akonnor’s selection has to do with that of Baba Rahman,” Sarpong said, as quoted by KYFilla.

“Has Baba Rahman been consistent with his team [Chelsea] this season? If it’s because he plays for the reserve side of Chelsea and has earned a call up to represent Ghana, then it’s a big no from my end,” he added.

Ghana will host Sudan on November 12 before they travel to Khartoum five days later for the return fixture.

Baba Rahman has been ‘superb’ for Chelsea youth team and deserves Black Stars call-up, C.K Akonnor defends

The Black Stars gaffer insists the Chelsea outcast deserves a place in his squad despite concerns raised by a section of Ghanaians ahead of the AAfcon qualifiers

 

Ghana coach C.K Akonnor has defended vehemently his decision to hand Chelsea outcast Baba Abdul Rahman a place in his 23-man squad ahead of the Black Stars double header against Sudan in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

 

The 26-year-old has been relegated to Chelsea’s youth team by Frank Lampard after he returned from his loan move in Spain and was not registered for the Blues’ Premier League and UEFA Champions League participation.

 

However, Akonnor insists he can add a bite to his defence ahead of all the players around since he has struggled to find a solution to Ghana’s woes in defence.

 

“BabĂ  Rahman was once a regular player here. Due to injury, he was taken out. Now he is back, he is fit and he is playing well with his team [Chelsea U23],” Akonnor said during the unveiling.

 

“Unfortunately, he has not had the chance to play with the first team but he has had a couple of friendly matches in August, September and recently on October 24 which he played against Liverpool’s second team.

 

“And in these matches, he has played 90 minutes. Some were 90 minutes and and lot of 90 minutes with others 70 minutes.

 

“So we have taken a lot considerations, looking at the fact that we have a little bit of weakness within that area. I mean the full backs so I thought it is necessary to bring him to compete Gideon Mensah for that position,” he added.

 

Ghana, who are table toppers in Group C, will host Sudan on November 12 at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium before they travel to Khartoum five days later for the return encounter.

 

South Africa will also lock horns with Sao Tome and Principe in the other group game.

C.K Akonnor names Boye, Wakaso & inactive Baba Rahman in Black Stars squad for Sudan clash

Ghana new coach C.K Akonnor has welcomed defender John Boye,  Harrison Afful and midfielder Wakaso Mubarak back to the Black Stars roster but left out Spezia forward Emmanuel Gyasi ahead of the double header against Sudan  in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

 

However, Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Razak Abalora maintained his place in the squad together with Richard Ofori whi recently joined Orlando Pirates from Maritzburg United.

 

Interestingly, Baba Rahman who is yet to kick a ball for Chelsea this season made the squad ahead of several active players.

Akonnor,  who lost 3-0 to Mali but defeated Qatar 5-1 in friendly games during the last international break, will be playing his first competitive game as Black Stars coach since replacing former boss Kwesi Appiah in August.

 

Ghana are leaders in Group C with six points after defeating South Africa 3-0 and Sao Tome 1-0 in their first two games.

 

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates FC), Razak Abalora (Asante Kotoko SC), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen)

Defenders: Baba Abdul Rahman (Chelsea FC), Gideon Mensah (Vitoria de Guimaraes, Afful Harrison (Columbus Crew FC), Anang Benson (MSK Zilina), Djiku Alexander (Strasbourg FC), John Boye (FC Metz), Nicholas Opoku (Amiens FC), Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo)

Midfielders: Partey Thomas (Arsenal FC), Baba Idrissu (RCD Mallorca), Mubarak Wakaso (Jiangsu Suning FC), Emmanuel Lomotey (Amiens FC)

Forwards/Wingers:

Andre Ayew (Swansea City FC), Tariq Fosu (Brentford), Samuel Owusu (Al-Ahli Jeddah) Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace FC), Caleb Ekuban (Trabzonspor), Jamie Leweling (Greuther Furth), John Antwi (Pyramids FC), Jeffery Schlupp (Crystal Palace)

Baba Rahman explains why he joined Schalke 04 again

 

Ghana international Abdul Baba Rahman has insisted that he chose to return to German side Schalke 04 amid interests from other clubs including Everton because he believes in the club’s direction.

The 23-year-old who initially joined Schalke in 2016, signed an 18-month loan deal from Chelsea on Monday after completing his medical, and believes he is fully fit after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained last year while on national duties with Ghana.

“I am feeling very good and elated to be at Schalke again. This is a club that I know much [about] and believe in their philosophy and ambitions [that’s why I came back],” Baba told Footballmadeinghana.

“We can go in the same direction and achieve greater things together. Personally, my ambitions here is to to play more games for a start after the long lay off. I believe I can learn more and be good more than I was before my injury,” he said.

“I am fully fit and ready for the challenge, is all about determination, hard work, believe in God and self believe.” he added.

With Emerson Palmieri joining Chelsea from AS Roma to add up to Marcos Alonso, Baba’s chances of playing actively for Antonio Conte’s side was limited.

The former Asante Kotoko left-back is expected to play his first game for Schalke against Werder Bremen on Saturday at the Veltins Arena in the Bundesliga.

Chelsea confirm Baba Rahman’s 18-month loan deal to Schalke

Baba Rahman has today joined Schalke on loan until the end of the 2018/19 season.

The Ghanaian defender, 23, re-joins the Bundesliga side, where he spent the first half of last season before sustaining a knee injury during the Africa Cup of Nations.

Baba signed for Chelsea from another German side, Augsburg, in the summer of 2015 and made 23 appearances during his maiden season at Stamford Bridge.

Schalke are currently third in the Bundesliga.

In another loan move, Nathan has joined Portuguese side Belenenses until the end of the season.

The Brazilian attacker, 21, spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Amiens in France and has now moved to the Portuguese top flight.

Nathan, who signed for Chelsea from Atletico Paranaense in 2015, spent last season with Vitesse Arnhem and helped the team win the Dutch Cup, their first major trophy.

_Cfc

Baba Rahman joins Schalke 04 until 2019

 

The Ghanaian has completed an 18-month loan switch to the Bundesliga side after recovering from his anterior cruciate ligament.

Ghana defender Abdul Baba Rahman has joined German side Schalke 04 in a one-and-half-year loan deal from Chelsea.

The 23-year-old who recovered from a knee injury he sustained in January 2017 while on national duties with Ghana during the Afcon, arrived at the Veltins-Arena on Thursday and passed his medical on Friday afternoon.

Baba was linked with a loan move to Premier League sides Everton and Newcastle United as well as Turkish outfits Galatasaray and Fenerbahce but he opted to return to German after he was promised more playing time by Domenico Tedesco.

With Kenedy joining Newcastle on loan last week, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte was left with only one Marcos Alonso as the only left-back option but with Emerson Palmieri likely to join the English champions from Serie A side A.S Roma, Baba opted to leave for Schalke.

The former Augsberg star initially joined Schalke in a loan deal during the 2016-17 season and made 21 appearances for the German side, scoring one goal and providing one assist in the process.