ghana black stars Archives - Page 2 of 3

February 8, 2011February 8, 2011

Ghana Black Stars Crushes Togo

Michael Oti Adjei

Scorers: Adiyiah, Jonathan. Mensah, Own Goal, Inkoom

Goran Stevanovic’s tenure as Ghana boss got off to the best possible start with a 4-1 victory over Togo in Antwerp, Belgium.

Dominic Adiyiah scored only his second goal in a year-and-a-half to hand Ghana the lead over its eastern neighbors, but Togo fought back with an equalizer via the penalty spot at the start of the second half.

However, the Black Stars fought back to claim victory and the bragging rights with goals from defender Jonathan Mensah and an own-goal after good work from midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah.

Samuel Inkoom who replaced striker Prince Tagoe finished off a perfect move by in-form Dominic Adiyiah to seal the deserved victory.

Stevanovic set out his side in an attacking manner, playing the Adiyiah and Prince Tagoe up-front and the attack-minded midfielders Sulley Muntari and Kwadwo Asamoah behind them.

The result is likely to ensure Ghana retain their place as the top-ranked side in Africa and for Stevanovic it will buy him precious goodwill as he embarks on one of the most difficult jobs in African football.

And for a coach who promised to win and win with style, Stevanovic could not have wished for a better start.

Ghana line-up

Richard Kingson; John Painstil, Isaac Vorsah/Jonathan Mensah, John Mensah/John Boye, David Addy; Anthony Annan/Emmanuel Agyeman Badu, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari/Nana Kwesi Asare, Bernard Kumordzi/Derek Boateng; Dominic Adiyiah, Prince Tagoe/Samuel Inkoom

February 8, 2011

John Painstil: The King of Own-Goals

Nicholas Mc Anally

It’s operation open net at Fulham! Out of four bitter own goals registered since the beginning of the season, three have emanated from the legwork of John Paintsil. The Ghanaian international defender is on his way to setting a record in the Premier League.

Is John Painstil a double agent? That’s what Mark Hughes, Fulham’s Welsh coach, must be wondering as the Ghanaian defender scored his third own goal this season against Aston Villa.

A record for the highflying performing 29 year-old Paintsil who since joining the Cottagers in 2008 has become a real joy to opposing forces! After Blackpool (2-2) and Liverpool (1-0), Aston Villa (2-2) has become the recent benefactors of the heroic Black Star international’s largesse.

And surprisingly, Fulham is never able to recover from the shock every time Paintsil’s legs carry a ball into the team’s own net. It is no secret that the Ghanaian international’s unrelenting blunders have undermined any hopes of a good start for the Cottagers.

Out in June

But Hughes has run to his defender’s rescue. “John was disappointed at half-time. It was affecting him so I made the early decision to take him off (…) It was a difficult ball for him to deal with but he got it wrong and it can affect your confidence (…) You always review every goal you concede to try to erase any little defaults (…) We picked ourselves up from the own goal and restricted Villa to very few opportunities in the first half.

Paintsil, whose contract expires in June, has a difficult task to stop sending goals flying into his own net. He has become the second player in the history of the Premier League to have scored three times against his own team since Jakobsson (Southampton) during the 2005-2006 season.

January 7, 2011January 14, 2011

Serbian Goran Stevanovic Will Be The New Coach For Ghana Black Stars

Nyarko Benso

The new coach for the Ghana Black Stars will be Serbian Goran Stevanovic. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) will make the official announcement by next week.

The Serbian is expected in Accra by next week to discuss his terms of the contract and salary.

On Wednesday, the GFA had announced that the new coach will be known within two weeks.

GFA board members met with sports ministry officials on Wednesday to discuss their plans of naming a new coach of the Black Stars.

The GFA, according to sources, told ministry officials that Stevanovic was the best coach they have agreed on after interviewing three coaches.

Other contestants were Portuguese Humberto Coelho and Ghanaian Herbert Addo.

A GFA official announcement is expected by next week.

The Black Stars have an international assignment next month and it is certain that the new coach will be named in time.

January 5, 2011January 16, 2011

Ghana Is Not Moved by Nigeria, Coach

Ghana Black Satellites (bottom) and Nigerian Flying Eagles (top)

Seth Appiah

THE coach of the Ghana Black Satellites, Orlando Wellington has told Goal.com he is aware of the pressure that comes with it to lead the defending champion to the upcoming African U-20 Championship in Libya.

“It’s not going to be easy but we’re ready for it. We have been there before and we know how it feels to get to the top and we’re ready to repeat history,” he said.

Ghana is in Group B described as the ‘Group of Death’ that comprise Nigeria, Cameroun, and Gambia while host Libya has been paired in Group A alongside Mali, Egypt and Lesotho.

Wellington noted he is aware of the capabilities of his opponents but the challenge spurs his side on to go for laurels.

“We’re in a tough group but with deter-mi-nation we can scale over them. I have confidence in my boys and they are ready for the task,” he assured.

The semi-finalists will represent the continent at the FIFA U-20 World Cup slated for Colombia later in the year.

January 4, 2011

African U20 Draw Complete

The next generation of Ghana players want to emulate their 2009 double winning colleagues.

Defending champions Ghana have been paired with Nigeria, Cameroon and Gambia in the draw for the upcoming African U20 championship in March.

Hosts Libya are in the other group, along with Mali, Egypt and Lesotho.

The tournament takes place from 18 March to 1 April and the four semi-finalists will qualify for the U20 World Cup later in 2011.

Ghana are also defending World champions and the Black Satellites are determined to hold on to both crowns.

“It’s very important for us,” coach Orlando Wellington told the BBC before the draw was made.

“It’s a big challenge for me and the players – we have to work very hard to go to the World Cup. It’s not easy but financially and physically we are prepared.”

Wellington insisted that his crop of youngsters have even more potential than their double-winning predecessors.

“When you talk about technique this team is far ahead of the past champions,” he told the BBC’s African sports programme Fast Track.

“These people are tactically and technically [more] sound than the other team. The others play more aggressively but this team can play very good football.”

The four teams in each group will meet in a round robin format, with group winners and runners-up progressing to the semi-finals – and a place at the World Cup in Colombia in July.

December 31, 2010January 16, 2011

Transfer rumour: Kingston for Blackpool?

Prof. Emmanuel Boakye

Blackpool Football Club an English Premier League side wants to finalize a deal for Ghana midfielder Laryea Kingston ahead of the January transfer window.

The Club Manager Ian Holloway is desperate to bolster his squad after an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League and Kingston is close to a switch to Bloomfield Road.

The 30-year-old, who is the brother of Seasiders keeper Richard Kingson (despite the different spelling), is available on a free having terminated his contract with Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem and Holloway is ready to offer him a deal at Blackpool.

November 11, 2010January 6, 2011

Ghana FA Rejects Government Request on Abedi Pele

Nyarko Benso

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has rejected a request by government to

present Abedi Pele as a candidate for a Caf executive committee position.

The GFA has reported the latest development to football’s world governing body, Fifa and Caf.

The GFA chose its president Kwesi Nyantakyi three months ago to contest next year’s elections.

Nyantakyi filed his nomination papers and has been confirmed by Caf to contest the post.

But in a dramatic twist of events, the Ministry of Sports wrote to ask the GFA to name the ex-Ghana captain for the position.

But a stern reply from the GFA, signed by all the 22 members of its executive committee, told Sports Minister Akua Sena Dansua that her directive will not be carried out.

“The executive committee of the Ghana Football Association finds this latest twist as unfortunate and clearly confusing,” the statement signed by the general secretary of the Ghana FA Kofi Nsiah read.

“We write to inform you that the Executive Commitee of this FA is unable to act or take any further action on your request.”

Making its case on the independence of football associations from governmental interference, the GFA quoted Article 18 of the Caf statutes to buttress its point.

“The decision of the GFA is in pursuant of Caf statutes that state that names of candidates for membership of Caf and Fifa executive committees shall be submitted by the relevant national associations,” the statement added.

Under Fifa rules, national football associations must not be subject to government control.

Similar actions by the governments in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Kenya have resulted in bans from international football.

Ghana’s last executive committee member was the late Sam Okyere but it has been more than two decades since.

Abedi Pele lost in his bid to get on the committee in 2004 when he lost to the Nigerian Amos Adamu.

The latest directive is likely to increase growing tensions between the Youth and Sports Ministry and the GFA over what executives of the football association feel is undue interference from government in the way they run their affairs.

Thursday, 11 November 2010

BBC Sports

November 9, 2010January 24, 2011

Thank you, Sir

Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has thanked manager Steve Bruce for handing him the opportunity to impress in the 2-0 win against Stoke City on Saturday.

Gyan’s two-goal haul earned a vital three points for the Black Cats, following the 5-1 derby defeat by Newcastle United the previous weekend.

“I waited patiently, and he gave me my chance, and I feel I proved myself,” Gyan told BBC Newcastle.

“We came back from a big defeat and we’ve put smiles on everybody’s face.”

Gyan’s contribution was made all the more important given the absence of the club’s top scorer, Darren Bent, with a hamstring injury.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has started with Bent and Gyan in a front two just once since the latter joined the club from French club Rennes in August, in a 2-1 Carling Cup defeat by West Ham United.

With Bent now ruled out for three weeks, Gyan is set for an extended run in the side.

However, the Ghanaian is disappointed he will not be able to forge a partnership with the England international.

“I was a bit disappointed, Darren has done so well for the club, and I was given a chance to play with him, but he had a few problems [with the hamstring injury],” Gyan continued

The Ghana international has made nine appearances since arriving on Wearside, scoring four goals.

(BBC Sports)