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Kickoff is 8pm
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Lineups
Dortmund XI: Kobel; Wolf, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro; Özcan, Emre Can; Adeyemi, Bellingham, Brandt; Haller
??????? Chelsea XI: Kepa; James, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly, Chilwell; Enzo Fernández, Loftus-Cheek; João Félix, Ziyech, Mudryk; Havertz
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Kickoff is 7:30pm
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Lineups
??????? Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Jorginho; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah
??????? Man City XI: Ederson; Walker, Aké, Dias; Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Gündogan, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish
In an interview with Onua FM, Charles Taylor, a former striker for both Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko in the Ghana Premier League, revealed his all-time combined X1 team consisting of players who have retired after successful stints with either team.
Notably absent from his squad was Ishmael Addo, who is widely considered one of the greatest strikers to have played in the league, having set a record for the most goals scored in a single season in 2001.
Taylor’s team included players who had the opportunity to represent both teams during their careers, and he selected ex-Kotoko player Michael Osei and former Hearts of Oak teammate Emmanuel Osei Kuffuor ahead of Addo. His lineup comprised of Sammy Adjei as goalkeeper, with Dan Quaye, Jacob Nartey, Issah Ahmed, and Agyemang Duah making up the back four. Joe Ansah, Don Bortey, Stephen Oduro, and Taylor himself were also named in the squad.
Taylor also mentioned his preference for Great Olympics head coach Yaw Preko to lead his team. In his playing career, Taylor was part of the Black Satellites team that finished as runners-up in the African U-20 championship in 2001, as well as the Black Stars B side that lost to Congo in the final of the inaugural African Youth Championship in 2009.
King Faisal have been granted permission to use the Dr Kwame Kyei Sports Complex for their home games in the second round of the Ghana Premier League.
The Kumasi-based outfit will now switch from the Baba Yara Sports stadium to their new home in Abrankese.
The Dr Kwame Kyei complex is home to lower-tier side Nations FC, a club bankrolled by Asante Kotoko’s Executive Chairman, Dr Kwame Kyei.
The In Sha Allah boys confirmed the change on their official social media pages.
“The Ghana Football Association has confirmed that we will play our home matches at the Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports Complex for the second round of the 2022/23 League season. This is a result of our request to change our venue,” wrote the club.
King Faisal were in a similar situation last season, where they had to move from Kumasi to Techiman, playing the second half of the season at the Ohene Ameyaw stadium.
The club sit 15th on the Ghana Premier League table after the first round of the season.
The former Chelsea superstar has finally been awarded with a Uefa License A certificate in coaching
Former Ghana and Chelsea midfielder, Michael Essien has completed his UEFA A and UEFA Elite Youth A license after several months of studies.
He was finally awarded with his certificate on Tuesday evening and can now lead a club on his own.
The one-time box to box midfielder has been working with FC Nordsjaelland following retirement as one of the club’s youth team coaches.
“Step by step, I am learning and growing as a coach. Happy to have completed my UEFA A and UEFA Elite Youth A license. Thanks to the family, @fawales, my tutors, my mentor and RTD/FCN for the support. And big thank you to Tom Vernon and Flemming Pedersen. @FCNordsjaelland,” Essien tweeted.
The first round of the 2022/23 betPawa Premier League came to an end Monday, February 13, 2023 following the game between Accra Lions and Bibiani Gold Stars which ended 2-2 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
There was an improvement in terms of goal scoring as compared to last season – with 308 goals recorded after 153 games. The data indicates that the 2021/22 season recorded 303 goals after match day 17.
One hundred and ninety eight (198) goals were scored by home team’s whiles one hundred and ten (110) goals were registered by away teams. In terms of goal scoring, a total number of one hundred and forty three (143) were scored in the first half with one hundred and sixty five (165) goals scored in the second half – indicating that most goals were scored in the second half of matches.
A total number of forty-four (44) penalties were awarded in the first round with players converting thirty-three (33) while eleven (11) of them missed. Tamale City forward Isaac Mensah and Medeama SC defender Vincent Atinga Addae scored 4 – the most penalty goals scored in the first round. Bibiani Gold Stars were awarded the most penalties but the miners missed three (3) and converted two (2).
Also, a total number of 8 own goals were recorded in the League with clubs like King Faisal scoring the first own goal of the season in week 5 against Accra Lions in the 41st minute of the game. The other clubs who scored an own goals included Bechem United, Dreams FC, Accra Great Olympics, Karela United FC, Medeama SC, Tamale City and Berekum Chelsea.
With regards to the top scorers chart, Berekum Chelsea forward Mizack Afriyie scored 9 goals in 16 games for the club and ended the first round as the League’s top scorer. Interestingly, Mizack scored 6 away goals – making him the highest goal scorer on the road. Ugandan Steven Mukwala Desse has scored 8 in 17 games for Asante Kotoko and has recoded double brace in the League. 2015 MTN FA Cup top scorer Abednego Tetteh who switched camp from King Faisal to Bibiani Gold Stars, netted 2 goals in 11 games at King Faisal and has so far scored 5 goals for Gold Stars in 4 games making him the 3rd player with most goals in the League.
Two Hat Tricks were recorded in the first round – Cephas Kofi Maantey of Bechem United scored the first hat trick against Nsoatreman FC in week 8 – he scored the goals in 14 minutes (2’ 4’ 15’_. Hafiz Konkoni also scored the second hat-trick in the League for Bechem United against Real Tamale United to make him the second player to score a hat-trick this season.
Of the one hundred and fifty-three (153) games played, there have been Eighty-five (85) home wins, Twenty-eight (28) away wins and Forty (40) draws.
The indications show that there were more wins at home most home. Two-time Champions Aduana FC top the League log with 32 points after 17 matches. With a total number of 9 wins – the most wins in the League. Kotoku Royals are the team with most defeats in the League – 13 losses, whiles Asante Kotoko have scored 25 goals – and comes across as the clubs with most goals so far. New boys FC Samartex 1999 have the most draws (8) in the League.
The NASCO Man of the Match award has added more excitement and increased competition among players. Asante Kotoko forward Steven Dese Mukwala has won it 4 times (Most wins). Seth Kwadwo of Bechem United, Agyenim Boateng Mensah, Jonah Attuquaye, Stepehn Anokye Badu, Nurudeen Abdulai, Kwame Adom Frimpong, Abass Samari and Seidu Yussif have all won it 3 times.
In terms of Officiating, 45 center referees have officiated in the 153 games played in the betPawa Premier League with a total number of Five Hundred and Eighty-five (585) yellow cards shown thus far. Twenty-two (22) red cards have been shown as well.
Referee Rustum Gameli Senorgbe has officiated 7 games – the highest so far. Julian Nuno, Alfa Ba Adey, George Mawuli Vormawor officiated 6 games each in the first round of the League.
The second round of the League will kick start on Friday, February 17, 2023 when Medeama SC face off with Legon Cities at the Akoon Park in Tarkwa.
Find the Statistics below:
©GFA
Five outstanding Goalkeepers have been nominated for the Goalkeeper of the Month award for January, 2023.
Hearts of Oak SC’s Richmond Ayi, Aduana FC’s Joseph Addo and Benjamin Asiedu Kwesi of King Faisal FC have been nominated for the award for their performances for their respective betPawa Premier League sides last month.
Other nominees are Lawrence Ansah of FC Samartex and Dreams FC’s Augustine Koomson.
The award scheme for goalkeepers was introduced by the GFA in collaboration with the National Ex Goalkeepers Union to recognize and encourage shot-stoppers in the topflight league to put out their best.
Dreams FC’s Lord Bawa was first to win the award in September with Lawrence Ansah also winning the November edition.
Here are statistics for last month’s nominees:
Former Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Felix Annan believes that when he lost his position, the club abandoned up on him.
The former captain of the Porcupine Warriors, following his departure from camp to marry his longterm girlfriend, lost his position in the starting eleven.
Annan’s decision to leave while the season had just began reportedly angered then coach Maxwell Konadu.
However, the goalkeeper denies such claims, insisting those reports were false.
“That question is becoming boring but I will answer the question concerning whether the coach warned me not to have my wedding. I can tell you it’s a big 200% no. He never said anything like that,” Annan told Accra-based Angel FM.
The ex-WAFA goalkeeper has advised the club to not treat players the way they did with him.
“They [Kotoko] shouldn’t repeat it because in Europe club protects players. How many times has De Gea gone through difficulties but they would never give up on him?,” he added.
“I was unfortunate but I will never wish anyone goes through something like this again. It was painful.”
Management of Hatayspor winger, Christian Atsu has released a press statement on his search.
Christian Atsu is amongst thousands of people who were affected by an earthquake that struck some cities in Turkey and Syria in the morning of Monday, February 6, 2023.
A day after the sad incident that has killed over 33,000 thousand people so far, news went swirling that Atsu, who was reportedly missing alongside Hatayspor Sporting Director Taner Savut has been found. However, the reports turned out to be untrue.
In the latest development, the management of the former Chelsea and Newcastle United winger has pleaded with the Turkish government to provide them with more resources to aid their search for the player.
The statement read:
It has been 9 days since the earthquake and we still have not located Christian.
I am at the quake site in Hatay with Christian’s family. The scenes are unimaginable and our hearts are broken for all the people affected.
During my time here we have been able to locate Christian Atsu’s exact room location, and we have found two pairs of his shoes.
Yesterday we received confirmation that thermal imagery was showing signs of up to 5 lives, however, I am told that the only real confirmation of life is through sight, smell and sound, and unfortunately we were not able locate Christian.
This is a difficult situation and we are extremely grateful to all the Turkish and foreign rescue teams, local civilians and volunteers for their efforts and response in rescuing survivors.
However, we urgently need more resources, including a translator, on the ground. Things are moving incredibly slow and as a result of that many rescues are being delayed, and lives are being lost due to the lack of resources available to the workers.
It is unfortunate that the club is not on the ground with us, side by side, in the search for Christian. Their position and influence, accompanied with their local knowledge would be extremely helpful. We implore the President of the club and mayor of Hatay, Lütfü Savaş to provide additional resources to speed up the rescue efforts as a priority.
Trésor Mputu Mabi, 37, has retired from football; the former DR Congo international has confirmed.
On Thursday, 9 February, Mputu, who spent most of his playing days at TP Mazembe announced the end of a playing career which spanned more than two decades.
The double TotalEnergies CAF Champions League winner quits on the eve of the start of 2022/23 CAF interclub competitions Group stage matches.
Mputu, who spent all of his career on the continent won everything during a 19-year stay with ‘The Ravens’.
He joined Mazembe from Kin City in 2002 and never looked back. Though he sandwiched his 19 seasons at Mazembe with a brief spell at Angolan side Kabuscorp, his best days were in DR Congo.
The native of Kinshasa inspired Mazembe to their first TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title in 2009, scoring nine goals and winning the Golden Boot that season.He was therefore named the CAF African based Player of the Year .
He skippered the club in another triumph in 2010 and retained the TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup for the second season.
Mputu retires as the all-time top scorer of the CAF interclub competitions with 41 goals to his name.
In the international scene, Mputu was part of the DR Congo squad at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.He featured for his country during the 2006, 2013 and 2019 AFCON tournaments.
The CHAN 2009 winner and player of the tournament also won seven domestic league titles for Mazembe.
He scored 14 goals in 53 caps for his country during an international career that lasted 14 years, from his debut in 2004.
In all, Mputu scored 198 goals in 356 games for club and country.
The 2010 FIFA Club World Cup deputy champion will join Mazembe’s staff with immediate effect.
Mputu’s achievement
2x CAF Champions League
2x CAF Super Cup
1x CAF Confederation Cup
9x Linafoot
1x Angola Super Cup
▪︎CAF Interclub Competitions All-Time Top Scorer
▪︎CAFCL All-Time Top Scorer (together with Aboutrika)
▪︎2009 African Nations Championship Player of the Tournament
▪︎2009 CAF’s Best African Player on the continent
▪︎2007 IFFHS World’s Top Goal Scorer
▪︎2007 CAF Champions League Top Scorer
▪︎4x Linafoot Top Scorer