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SAD NEWS: Former Asante Kotoko, Medeama striker Kabiru Moro has died

Former Ghana Premier League striker Kabiru Moro has tragically passed away after collapsing during a football match.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening during a community football game in his hometown of Akwatia in the Eastern Region.

Moro, who was a prominent figure in the Ghana Premier League a few years ago, played for Real Tamale United, Asante Kotoko, and Medeama SC. He was part of the Medeama SC squad that secured the MTN FA Cup title in 2013 and also participated in their CAF Confederation Cup campaign.

The news of Moro’s passing was confirmed by a family member in an interview with Accra-based Angel FM. The cause of his collapse and subsequent death is yet to be determined.

Kabiru Moro’s untimely demise at the age of 35 has left the Ghanaian football community saddened, as they mourn the loss of a talented player who made a significant impact during his career.

Hearts of Oak target Sampson Eduku joins Iraqi giants Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya

Ghanaian footballer Sampson Eduku has completed a transfer to Iraqi giants Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.

The talented striker showcased his goal-scoring abilities throughout the 2022/23 football season while playing for Tamale City Football Club. His impressive performances caught the attention of several top clubs in the Premier League, but no local move materialized.

Now, it has been confirmed by African football expert Nuhu Adams that Sampson Eduku has officially joined Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya. The 27-year-old has signed a one-year renewable contract with the Iraqi club.

During the previous season, Eduku netted an impressive tally of 14 goals and contributed three assists for Tamale City FC, establishing himself as a key player for the team.

His move to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the squad and contribute to the team’s success in the upcoming season.

2024 Olympics Qualifiers: Black Queens whitewash Guinea in Accra to progress to second round

Ghana’s national women’s football team, the Black Queens, achieved a resounding victory over Guinea in the African qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games.

The intense women’s qualifiers on the continent have commenced, with countries competing fiercely to secure a coveted ticket to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris, France next year.

In the second leg of the first round of the African qualifiers, the Black Queens hosted Guinea at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The hosts took control of the game, with attacker Evelyn Badu scoring the lone goal in the first half. In the second half, the Black Queens continued their dominance as Princella Adubea and Fridaus Yakubu found the net for Ghana. Evelyn Badu completed her brace by adding another goal, resulting in a comprehensive 4-0 victory at the end of the 90 minutes.

The triumphant performance secured Ghana a convincing 7-0 aggregate win, propelling them to the second round of the African qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games.

In the next round, the Black Queens will face either Guinea Bissau or Benin, depending on the winner of their tie, as they continue their pursuit of a spot in the prestigious Olympic Games.

GFA ExCo member George Amoako ‘unimpressed’ with Chris Hughton’s work as Black Stars coach

George Amoako, a member of the Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council, has voiced his concerns about Chris Hughton’s performance as the head coach of the Black Stars.

Since taking charge in February 2023, Hughton has only overseen three games with the national team and is yet to suffer a defeat. However, Amoako believes that the former Newcastle United manager has not met the lofty expectations set for him after replacing Otto Addo.

“He [Chris Hughton] has not been impressive, I watched the Madagascar game and went to Angola against Central African Republic, but in all the games we’ve played under him, I’m not impressed”, George Amoako told Takoradi-based WestGold Radio broadcaster George Kuntu Blankson in an interview.

He emphasized the importance of qualifying for the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast and stressed that securing qualification for the World Cup is also crucial, as Ghanaian fans are eager to see their team compete on that global stage.

“Let’s pray we qualify for the next AFCON in Ivory Coast and as for the World Cup, we have to qualify and go to America because Ghanaians want to travel to America but so far a lot have to be done”, he added.

The upcoming critical match against Central African Republic in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers will determine whether Ghana secures a spot in the main tournament in Ivory Coast. Amoako highlighted the significance of a successful qualification campaign for the team’s aspirations.

Nsoatreman FC appoint Maxwell Konadu as new head coach

Maxwell Konadu, the former assistant coach of the Black Stars, has been named as the new Head Coach of Nsoatreman Football Club in the Ghana Premier League.

The experienced coach has inked a two-year contract with the club, subject to an official announcement on Tuesday, July 18.

Konadu’s appointment comes on the heels of Mumuni Sokpari’s resignation, who steered the team to the semi-finals of the 2023 MTN FA Cup and ensured their position in the league.

With an abundance of experience in the domestic league, Konadu is expected to bring his expertise to propel Nsoatreman FC to greater achievements.

Having previously served as the head coach of Asante Kotoko on two occasions and having stints with Legon Cities FC, as well as coaching the Ghana U-20 and U-23 teams, Konadu’s credentials are impressive.

He was also a member of the coaching staff for the Black Stars during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nsoatreman FC is optimistic that Konadu’s leadership and tactical acumen will guide the team to accomplish their objectives in the upcoming season. With his guidance, the club aims to reach new heights and make a mark in the Ghana Premier League.

Nurudeen Amadu joins FC Samartex as new head coach of the club

Ghana Premier League side, FC Samartex 1996 have secured the services of Nurudeen Amadu as the club’s new head coach.

The 52-year-old tactician is comes in to replace Annor Walker, who departed from the club at the end of the 2022-23 season to rejoin Great Olympics FC.

The experienced trainer has penned down a two-year deal with the Samreboi-based club and is expected to guide the Timber Boys to greater heights in the upcoming season.

A club statement read, “We’re extremely delighted to announce an experienced tactician, Amadu Nurudeen as our new Head Coach.

“The experienced gaffer joins us on a 2-year deal.

“He last coached Future Stars and did stupendous work for the Division One side.”

FC Samartex ended their maiden campaign in the Ghanaian top-flight by placing 10th on the league log after 34 matches, amassing 46 points in the process.

Amadu last coached Future Stars FC and did incredible work for the Division One side last season.

He managed King Faisal Babes in the Ghana Premier League from June 2021 to April last year when he resigned from his position.

He has previously been in charge of clubs like Wa All Stars, Bolga All Stars, and Aduana Stars.

Amadu has also worked as assistant coach of the Ghana U17 and U20 national teams.

OFFICIAL: Ghana to play International friendly with Mexico

The Ghana Football Association has signed a contract with the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) for an International friendly against 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup champions Mexico in the United States as part of the 20th anniversary of the MexTour.

This fixture comes off on Saturday, October 14, 2023 at a venue yet to be announced.

This International friendly forms part of Ghana’s preparations for important competitions such as the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November and the Africa Cup of Nations in January next year.

Ghana will later play the US National team at GEODIS Park in Nashville on October 17 before wrapping their tour of the United States.

History of Mexico vs. Ghana

  • Total matches: 3
  • Record: 3 wins, 0 losses, 0 draws
  • Total goals scored: Mexico 4, Ghana 1
  • Last match: June 28, 2017

Media Accreditation:

Media accreditations for the match are not yet available.  An alert will be sent to media when the process opens.

About Soccer United Marketing

Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the commercial arm of Major League Soccer, is the preeminent commercial soccer enterprise in North America, overseeing the commercialization, marketing, promotion, and operational execution of the region’s most successful soccer entities. SUM holds the exclusive rights to Major League Soccer, the Mexican National Teams for the U.S. market (MexTour and MexTour W), Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup, Copa Angelina and Concacaf Properties (including Concacaf Gold Cup™, Concacaf Nations League Finals, Concacaf Champions Cup and Concacaf W). In addition, SUM held the promotional and commercial rights to the highly successful 2016 Copa America Centenario.

www.SomosLocales.com

WATCH: Mohammed Kudus scores brace, provides assist in Ajax’s pre-season friendly win over Shakhtar Donetsk

Ghanaian sensation Mohammed Kudus showcased his exceptional skills as he played a crucial role in Ajax’s resounding 3-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in a pre-season friendly.

The dynamic Black Stars midfielder started the match and made a significant impact before being substituted at halftime. Kudus opened the scoring for the Dutch giants in the 19th minute with a well-taken penalty. He then turned provider, setting up Steven Bergwijn to double Ajax’s lead in the 32nd minute.

Not content with just an assist, Kudus found the back of the net himself just two minutes later, capitalizing on a pass from Bergwijn to make it 3-0 for Ajax. The team headed into halftime with a comfortable three-goal advantage at the Sportpark De Toekomst.

In the second half, there were no further goals, and Ajax cruised to a convincing victory over their Ukrainian opponents.

Kudus, who enjoyed a remarkable campaign last season, scoring 18 goals and providing 5 assists across various competitions, will be aiming to maintain his excellent form in the upcoming season for the Dutch outfit.

Watch the goals below

https://youtu.be/n9Oc_pV5GMc

Hearts of Oak ordered to pay former coach Slavko Matic $50,000 by FIFA

According to Ghanasportspage.com, Accra Hearts of Oak, the Ghanaian club, has received a directive from FIFA to compensate Serbian coach Slavko Matic with a payment of 50,000 US dollars for a breach of contract.

Matic lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, alleging unfair treatment that ultimately led to his departure from the club during the previous season.

He claimed that following their 1-0 loss to Great Olympics, he was forced to distance himself from the team after being expelled from training.

Upon receiving the complaint, FIFA advised Matic to maintain his distance from the club before he left Ghana.

In response to the matter, FIFA has instructed Accra Hearts of Oak to make a substantial payment of 50,000 US dollars (equivalent to 568,425.00 cedis) within 31 days to avoid facing further consequences.

Despite facing challenges during his tenure, including being attacked and barred from conducting training sessions prior to their match against Asante Kotoko, Matic managed to oversee 16 games in the Ghanaian league since his arrival as the head coach, taking over from Samuel Boadu.

Burkinabe coach Seydou Zerbo fingers Abdulai Gazale, Najahu Issa as the architects of his failure at Kotoko

Former Asante Kotoko coach, Seydou Zerbo, has attributed his failure at the club to his former assistant, Abdulai Gazale, and goalkeeper’s trainer, Issa Najahu.

Zerbo, a Burkinabé, was appointed as the Head Coach of Asante Kotoko for the 2022/23 football season, taking over from Prosper Narteh Ogum, who had led the club to win the Premier League title in the previous season.

During his tenure, Zerbo faced difficulties and ultimately, he was dismissed from his position. Some football experts had opined that Zerbo’s inability to communicate effectively in English was a significant factor in his failure.

However, Zerbo strongly disagrees with this opinion and instead points the finger at his former assistant and the goalkeeper’s trainer.

The Burkinabé coach expressed his belief that Abdulai Gazale and Issa Najahu played a role in undermining his efforts and contributing to his downfall at the club. Despite the challenges, Zerbo’s communication skills were not the primary issue in his view.

“Communication was not that a problem for me but you know it was a bit complicated but when I arrived at the club there was Moise Pouaty who did the translation for me and later physical trainer Nasim Islam arrived too from Algeria and he also facilitated the communication as he spoke English too. So the communication with the players went well. There was no problem with that,” Seydou Zerbo told Kumasi-based Fox FM.

He continued: “But the biggest problem I faced at Kotoko was Abdulai Gazale and Issa Najahu who did not accept my arrival at all. They did everything to make sure I fail. They are enemies of progress who plotted my downfall. They spent their time to make things difficult for me and Islam Nazim at Kotoko.

Abdulai Gazale

“When I tell them [Gazale and Najahu] something to tell the players , they intentionally tell the players different things entirely. They were not professional at all in my opinion.” , the expatriate trainer lamented.

Issa Najahu

Seydou Zerbo went on to reveal that he at some point informed Nana Yaw Amponsah of the situation, hence the reason why Orlando Wellington was appointed.

“Yes. I informed Nana Yaw Amponsah and that is why they brought Orlando Wellington to help me. Now when Gazale was sent away from the team , he was still in touch with some players who were on his side and were doing his bidding and don’t forget Najahu was still there,” he added.

The Burkinabé Coach also revealed that the club has failed to fulfill its obligations to settle his three months salary arrears as agreed upon following the termination of his contract, a situation he’s looking to report to FIFA.

Per information gathered, Seydou Zerbo was on $3,000 a month salary at Asante Kotoko, amounting his three months salary arrears to $9,000.