Seydou Zerbo has released his travelling squad for Aduana Stars clash in the MTN FA Cup round of 16.
Danlad has been dropped for the game while John Tedeku returns from injury.
The game is scheduled to come off Sunday in Dormaa.
Asante Kotoko Travelling Squad Against Aduana Stars: Frederick Asare GK Moise Poauty GK Sherif Mohammed Mohammed Sherif Mohammed Alhassan Andrews Appau Richard Boadu Richmond Lamptey Georges Mfegue Steven Mukwala Nicholas Osei-Bonsu Samuel Appiah Ernest Osei-Poku Charles Owusu John Tedeku Matheus Medieros de Souza Sarfo Taylor
League Champions Asante Kotoko face League leaders Aduana FC in the Round of 16 of the MTN FA Cup at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park on Sunday.
The game will see two of the best teams in the League face each other as tickets to the quarter final stage beckons. For Aduana FC – their chances of winning the double remains a topmost priority whilst Asante Kotoko also push hard to win their first Cup title in six years. The Porcupine Warriors last won the title 2017 following an impressive 3-1 win over arch rivals Accra Hearts of Oak at the Aliu Mahama stadium.
Asante Kotoko SC have won the MTN FA Cup title 9 times while Aduana FC have yet to win one despite annexing the Premier League crown twice.
The Reds were the first side to win the title three times on the spin in 1958, 1959 and 1960 after beating Accra Hearts of Oak and Great Ashanti’s to the trophy. Asante Kotoko won in 1978, 1984, 1990 (Were stripped of after being found guilty of fielding an unqualified player after beating Hearts of Oak 4-2 in the final on August 5, 1990), 1998, 2001, 2014 and 2017 when they humbled Hearts of Oak 3-1 in Tamale.
Aduana FC currently sits at the top of the betPewa Premier League with 35 points – 7 points ahead of Asante Kotoko who are in third place with 28 points.
The match which is scheduled for the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park at 3pm on Sunday, February 24, 2023 will be broadcast live on StarTimes Adepa channel 247.
In other pairings, Real Tamale United will play FC Samartex at the Aliu Mahama stadium in Tamale. Premier League side King Faisal host Division One side Steadfast FC at the Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports complex at Abrankese, while Nsoatreman FC welcome Debibi United to the Nana Konamansah Park.
In the Southern Zone – Liberty Professionals will travel to Dawu as guests of Dreams FC at the theatre of Dreams. The Still Believe lads who made it to the semifinal of the competition last season have the chance to make it to the last 8 after shocking Accra Hearts of Oak in the Round of 32. Agyenim Boateng Mensah’s lone goal gave Dreams FC passage to the Round of 16 having lost 3-2 to the Phobians in the semifinals last season. Dreams FC are currently on a good run after going three games without defeat in the Premier League.
Elsewhere Legon Cities have a date with Division One League side Volta Rangers at the El wak stadium in Accra.
Zone Three leaders Heart of Lions are up against Zone Two table toppers Skyy FC in the other fixture while Cape Coast Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs take on Kotoku Royals at the Robert Mensah stadium.
These matches will be played Saturday, February 25 – Sunday, February 26, 2023.
Kwesi Appiah, a former striker for the Black Stars, has revealed the origin of Christian Atsu’s nickname “Ghana Messi.”
In an interview with BBC Sports Africa, Appiah explained that the late Ghanaian winger earned the moniker due to his style of play and his crucial role in the national team during the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
“He was nicknamed Ghana’s Messi for his style and also the way we relied on him as a team,” Kwesi Appiah who is currently based in England told BBC Sports Africa in an interview.
In remembering the late Black Stars attacker, Kwesi Appiah said it was an honour to play alongside Christian Atsu to create so many special memories.
“He was a joy to be with and a great team-mate, someone who had an abundance of skill and quality.
“He was an exceptional player and I’m really honoured to have shared some special moments with him on the pitch,” he said.
Both Kwesi Appiah and Christian Atsu played for Ghana at the 2015 AFCON tournament.
Marie-Claire Rupio, the spouse of deceased Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu, recently posted a picture on Instagram of her son, Joshua Atsupie, clutching a trophy. Joshua plays in the Under-9 division for the Gosforth Football Club and his team triumphed in the challenging final of the Pro Motiv8 Tournament.
Overjoyed by her son’s achievement, Marie-Claire took to her Instagram stories to share the special moment. Her caption read,
“will make his dad proud,” followed by a crying emoji, indicating that she is still mourning her late husband.
In addition to sharing her son’s accomplishment, Marie-Claire also posted some family photos featuring her late husband.
The German dancer, singer, and author has been married to Christian Atsu for approximately 11 years. The pictures portray Atsu with their daughter, and some with Marie-Claire and their two sons.
Koforidua Suhnyen Club have confirmed their midfielder Frederick Twumasi has joined Serbian side FK Jedinstvo Ub.
Although details of the deal were not revealed, it is clear that Twumasi’s move to the Serbian side marks a significant step forward in his career.
Twumasi is seen as a player with tremendous potential. His move to FK Jedinstvo Ub is expected to provide him with a platform to further develop his skills and compete at a higher level.
It remains to be seen how Twumasi will fare in Serbia, but his former club, Koforidua Suhnyen, expressed their confidence in his ability to succeed. In a statement announcing the transfer, the club wished Twumasi the very best of luck and praised him for his hard work and dedication.
We are pleased to announce that our striker Frederick Twumasi has joined 🇷🇸Serbian club FK Jedinstvo.
Manchester United produced a memorable second-half comeback to reach the Europa League last 16 and knock out Barcelona in the process.
Brazilian duo Fred and Antony, who came on as a half-time substitute, both drilled home low first-time shots in front of an ecstatic Stretford End.
It was a victory that looked so unlikely at half-time as Barcelona led thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s 18th-minute penalty after Bruno Fernandes’ needless foul on Alejandro Balde.
But Antony’s arrival for struggling forward Wout Weghost changed the course of the tie as it injected more pace into United’s attacks, which the La Liga leaders failed to deal with.
Erik ten Hag’s side now move on to Wembley, where they will look to collect their first silverware since 2017 when they face Newcastle in the EFL Cup final.
For Barcelona, it was the first time they have been eliminated from European competition without reaching the last 16 since 1998-1999, which is not quite what president Joan Laporta had in mind when he pulled all those economic levers last year.
Ahead of the “Kotoko Fan Fest” scheduled to take place on March 1, 2023, Asante Kotoko’s management has met with supporters to plan and ensure a successful event.
Various supporters’ groups, including NCC, Porcupine Tertiary, Kum Apem, Ultras, WeTalk AboutKotoko, VIP Projects, and other stakeholders, were involved in the discussions.
A statement released by the club reveals that all parties involved in the planning of the event have been tasked with contributing to its implementation to ensure its success. The management has also urged all supporters to participate in the organization process to help achieve the set targets.
The “Kotoko Fan Fest” holds significant importance in the club’s calendar, as it offers supporters the opportunity to interact with officials and other stakeholders.
Read the full statement below:
“Management of our club today February 23, 2023 met with supporters leadership including NCC, Porcupine Tertiary, Kum Apem, Ultras, WeTalk AboutKotoko, VIP Projects and other stakeholders across board to discuss issues related to the organisation of the “Kotoko Fan Fest” slated for 1st of March 2023,” the club said in a statement.
“It was resolved that, all groups will come together to ensure a successful organisation of the event.
“All parties have been tasked to contribute in the implementation of plans to make the event a successful one.
“Management by this notice is entreating all supporters of the club to get involved to help achieve this target.”
The Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Professor Peter Twumasi is advocating for more professionalism in Ghana sports in order to generate more wealth for the country.
According to the NSA boss, scores of financially successful sportsmen such as former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan and current Black Stars captain Andre Ayew could serve as the backbone of the national economy and save the country from returning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for bailouts during an economic crisis.
Speaking at the inauguration of a Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Under-18 African Baseball5 Youth Championship in Accra, Prof. Twumasi argued that sports today was big business.
“Today the sports is money, it’s business and I tell you if we’re to have 20 Asamoah Gyans we would not need to go to the IMF, it’s true,” Prof Twumasi said.
He continued: “If Ghana has 20 of the Asamoah Gyan’s or Dede Ayew, do you think Ghana will go to the IMF? They can find the money that we need from them and that should be the target”.
Prof Twumasi said although sports was seen as an instrument for entertainment, health improvement and national cohesion in Ghana, its potential for wealth creation must also be fully explored.
“If you have five of Azumah Nelson matches going on, Ghana will go to them for loans, not IMF loans. So this talent and potential that has been left untouched has to be unleashed and the economic impact of it is so great”.
On Saturday, March 4, a One-Week Observance will be held to commemorate the memory of the departed Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu.
As a Ghanaian rite, the One-Week Observance offers a chance for the family and key stakeholders to deliberate and come up with dates and timelines for the burial or final funeral rites of a deceased loved one.
An agreement on the date was reached after talks between Atsu’s family, the Ghana Football Association (GFA), and the Sports Ministry took place at the home of the player’s family.
Deputy Sports Minister Evans Bobie led the GFA and Sports Ministry representatives in offering their condolences to the grieving family.
Atsu had been playing in Turkey for Hatayspor since last summer but met his untimely death in an earthquake that occurred on February 6. He was officially confirmed as one of the victims of the dreadful incident 12 days later – Saturday, February 18.
The body of the footballer, 31, was returned to his native Ghana the following day.
Christian Atsu had 65 caps with the Ghana senior national team. The winger helped the Black Stars reach the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final. He was named player of the tournament.
