Former Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor has advised Asante Kotoko on how the club can perform better in the 2022/23 Caf Champions League.
The former Porcupines boss says the club must maintain the core of the team, especially their top scorer Franck Mbella and other key players in the team.
It looks like the club will have a hard time maintaining the Cameroonian striker who has shown class in front of goal throughout the season.
The Ghana Premier League champions will start their journey in Africa in September when they will play in the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
“Kotoko must keep their current players, especially Franck Thierry Mbella Etouga and other top players,” Akonnor told Abusua FM.
“Kotoko must keep their quality if they want to make an impact in the Caf Champions League campaign.”
The former Black Stars coach is the last Asante Kotoko coach to play in the group stage of the Caf Champions League with Kotoko in 2019.
The Porcupines will return to Africa after missing out last season. They failed at the preliminary stages in the 2020/21 season in both the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup.
All is set for the MTN FA Cup final between giants Accra Hearts of Oak and Bechem United at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Sunday, June 26, 2022.
Accra Hearts of Oak after failing to defend their Ghana Premier League title and finishing outside the top four will have another opportunity to end their season with a major silverware.
Bechem United finished 3rd on the 2021/2022 Ghana Premier League table making it one of their best campaigns in the last decade.
The Hunters after winning their maiden FA Cup trophy against Okwahu United in 2016 will have another chance to win the competition on Sunday.
However, Bechem faces a huge test against the record holders of the competition Hearts of Oak who are hoping to pick up the remaining ticket for Africa.
Ahead of the crucial final game, we take a look at six players who are expected to light up the final.
Samuel Osei Kuffour
One of the most outstanding defenders in the just-ended Ghana Premier League season and has been a top transfer target for both Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak according to multiple reports.
Bechem United conceded the third least goals in the 2021/2022 Ghana Premier League season after Asante Kotoko and Medeama and Samuel Osei Kuffour was the Marshall in that defence.
He will be key for the Hunters if they can stand the might of the Phobians in the finals.
Augustine Okrah
His outstanding performance for Bechem United earned him a call-up to the Black Stars for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and the Central Africa Republic.
The winger scored 14 goals in the season and has been the main man for Bechem United since joining them from Asante Kotoko before the start of the season.
He will be the main man the Phobians should look out for if they can grab the second ticket for Africa.
Clinton Doudo
Arguably the best teenager in the season, Clinton Doudo was a thorn in the flesh of defenders and fans will expect his firepower in the finals.
He has already started attracting interest from some European clubs and needs to use the finals against Accra Hearts of Oak to prove to his possible employers that he is the real deal.
Daniel Afriyie Barnieh
He has proven to be a big game player since joining Accra Hearts of Oak three years ago. He ended the season with eight goals and was the top scorer for the Phobians in the 2021/2022 Ghana Premier League.
Having gone five games without a win and losing the last four, Barnieh will be the one the Phobians will be counting on to put smiles on their faces as they eye a ticket for the 2022/2023 CAF Confederation Cup.
He was integral in the Hearts of Oak team that won the competition against Ashantigold at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2021.
Sulley Muntari
Experience always counts and Hearts of Oak will have the legendary Sulley Muntari in their squad as they face the Hunters in the finals.
Sulley Muntari has already won the President’s Cup against Asante Kotoko and his outstanding performance in that game was glaring for all to see. Hence, the Hunters should watch out for him.
Richard Attah
You need your goalkeeper to be on his A-Game in the final game and Richard Attah proved that against Ashantigold in 2021 by saving three penalties in the shootout and scoring the winning kick.
He hasn’t been lucky in the just-ended season as he has suffered various degrees of injuries but a full-fit Richard Attah will give you a hundred performances and Samuel Boadu will be counting on that.
Asante Kotoko forward Joseph Amoako was on the score sheet on Tuesday when his side Helsinborg IF defeated Jönköpings Södra IF 2-0 in a friendly match..
Jönköpings Södra IF started the match at Olympia but after just over 30 seconds Lucas Lingman won the ball, played until Dennis Olsson who found Joseph Amoako on the right.
The Ghanaian cut in from the right wing and caressed nicely with a fierce shot to score the opening goal before a minute was played.
After a quarter, Viljormur Davidsen’s post found Anthony van den Hurk’s forehead but the ball was saved by Felix Jakobsson in the opponent’s goal. A minute later, the forward was close again after a solo raid but his finish was headed out to the corner.
23 minutes into the match, HIF nearly took the lead, as Benjamin Acquah broke through on the right. The failed attempt, however, led to a good opportunity for van den Hurk but his finish touched a defender and went out to the corner. It was beaten by Amoako who hit Casper Widell’s forehead and the midfielder nodded in 2-0 in the net.
Second half HIF made nine substitutions before the second half and had good energy initially. However, both teams had a hard time coming to any major dangers.
After an hour of play, newcomer Ervin Gigović lifted the ball to Amin Al Hamawi who received and shot over. A minute later, Al Hamawi protected the ball and chested it up to Armin Gigović who took it with him, overtaking and finishing just outside with his left foot.
After 66 minutes, Armin Gigović sent a free kick in high over the penalty box. This was followed by a short period in which J-Södra pushed back HIF but did not create any goal chances. The home team could instead pacify the goal and also create chances to extend the lead. Diego Fumaça was the first to reach the corner kick, but his header was blocked by the keeper.
However, there were no more goals and 2-0 was the end result.
Hearts of Oak and Black Stars legend, Mohammed ‘Polo’ Ahmed, has sensationally omitted three of Ghana’s most celebrated football stars from his all-time XI team, replacing them with legends of his era.
In an exclusive interview with the Graphic Sports Newspaper ahead of the launch of his biography in the next few months, the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations winner and 1974 SWAG Footballer of the Year named his first team without the most decorated Ghanaian star, Abedi Ayew Pele, two-time Bundesliga goal-king, Anthony Yeboah, former world best juvenile player, Nii Odartey Lamptey, Ghana’s all-time top-scorer Asamoah Gyan and Samuel Osei Kuffour who won laurels with Ghana at age-group competitions and with German giants, Bayern Munich.
Three decades after hanging up his boots, the man nicknamed Dribbling Magician’ for his bag of tricks on the ball did not consider even Abedi, whom many consider the most celebrated Ghanaian player of all-time, worthy of a place in his starting team.
Instead, Abedi — one of only five Africans named among the 125 greatest players in the FIFA 100 list to commemorate the world football body’s centenary celebrations — is in Polo’s reserve team as captured in his yet-to-be-released biography: “Polo –The Magnificent — Story of the Dribbling Magician”.
Authored by Nii Odai Anidaso Laryea, the book is expected be officially launched in Accra in the coming weeks. The football icon explained in the book that even though Ghana had produced many great players over the decades, he picked players such as himself, Robert Mensah, Dan Oppong, Akuetteh Armah (99 Styles), Seth Ampadu, Addo Odametey, Osei Kofi, Ibrahim Sunday, Abdul-Karim Razak and Dan Owusu as his all-time first team.
The reserve team comprise Ghana and Asante Kotoko goalkeeping legend Joe Carr, Haruna Yusif, Oliver Acquah, John Eshun, James Kuuku Dadzie, Adolf Armah, Abedi, Wilberforce Mfum, Edward Acquah and Yeboah.
Justifying his choices, the 65-year-old Polo explained to the Graphic Sports that it was difficult settling on his first team and reserves because Ghana had produced many great talents over the decades.
“The difficulty in naming Ghana’s all time best is that players excelled at different points in our football history. The list is endless, and this indicates that Ghana abounds in soccer talent,” he explained to the Graphic Sports.
For the goalkeeping department, Polo chose the late Ghana and Kotoko legend, Robert Mensah, with Ghana and Kotoko defender Dan Oppong, for the right full-back position, Armah (99 styles) for the left full-back position, Seth Ampadu (right-back) and Addo Odametey (centre-back).
For the wingers, Osei Kofi (right wing) and Polo (left wing) were chosen with the midfield comprising former Kotoko and Black Stars legends Ibrahim Sunday and Abdul Karim Razak, with former Bofoakwa goal machine, Dan Owusu, as the arrow-head striker.
Polo said he was of the view that goalkeepers such as John Naawu, Addoquaye Laryea, John Baker, John Botchway, Edward Ansah,Salifu Ansah, Owusu Mensah, Dodoo Ankrah, Sannie Abdulai, and Abukari Damba made big impacts to market Ghana at the international level, defenders such Frank Amankwah, Kwasi Appiah, Seth Ampadu, Anthony Dwemoh, Sampson Lamptey, Justice Moore, Dogo Moro, Michael Lomo, John Mensah, PSK Paha, Isaac Paha and Tetteh Gorleku also playing useful roles in their time.
Others greats who received mention included midfielders Kofi Pare, John Nketiah Yawson, Joe Ghartey, Tetteh Chandu and Sulley Ali Muntari.
He did not leave out forwards Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, George Alhassan, Opoku Afriyie, Agyemang Prempeh, Kofi Badu, Frank Odoi, Joe Sam, Windsor Kofi Abbrey, Emmanuel Quashie and Joe Sam for making impacts in Ghana football at club and national levels.
Division One League side, Nsoatreman FC, has qualified for next season’s Ghana Premier League campaign after they beat Tamale City FC 2-1 after extra time in the Zone One playoff which took place at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday.
The two teams could not be separated during the regular season after they were tied on 71 points and head-to-head after they both won their league meetings by a single goal.
After a goalless first half at the Accra Sports Stadium, Nsoatreman took the lead in the 56th minute through Samuel Ofori but Tamale City responded seven minutes later with a penalty from Bismark Asare and it stayed that way at full time.
In the 98th minute, Charles Asante found the net for Nsoatreman to make it 2-1 and that was how the match ended.
The result sent Nsoatreman to Ghana’s top flight division for the first time in their history. They will join Samartex FC and Kotoko Royals as the new entrants for next season’s Ghana Premier League campaign.
Ghana international, Osman Bukari has sealed a permanent transfer from Belgian side KAA Gent to Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade.
The swift-footed winger enjoyed the 2021/22 season on loan at FC Nantes in France where he registered two goals and four assists in 26 matches across all competitions.
Bukari’s performances – which helped Nantes clinch the French Cup – attracted the interest of the Serbian powerhouse who have successfully signed him for a reported €2 million fee.
On Tuesday, the 23-year-old was unveiled as the second summer signing for coach Dejan Stanković’s side.
The 2021/22 Ghana Premier League ended with matchday 34 fixtures across the venues this weekend.
Champions Asante Kotoko ended the season with a 1-1 draw against Accra Lions on Saturday.
Real Tamale United were able to celebrate their Ghana Premier League survival after producing a stunning performance to defeat Hearts of Oak 4-1 in Accra on Sunday.
The Northern giants knew that a win would be enough to keep them from being relegated, and they delivered by far their best performance of the season to stun the Phobians at Accra Sports Stadium.
RTU got off to a shaky start, falling behind after nine minutes when Hearts of Oak’s Seidu Suraj put them ahead, but it took them ten minutes to respond, with Ronald Frimpong equalising in the 19th minute.
In the 30th minute, David Abagna converted from the penalty spot to give RTU the lead, and by halftime, they were up 3-1 thanks to Frimpong’s second.
They came back from the break to score the fourth goal, sealing a famous win and their safety. It is their first victory over Hearts of Oak since 2011.
Hearts finish the league season outside of the top four, but they have a trophy to fight for next week when they face Bechem United in the MTN FA Cup final.
Eleven Wonders did their job, defeating Aduana Stars at home, but since RTU won, the Techiman-based club have been relegated. WAFA’s relegation was confirmed on Sunday with a 1-0 loss to Karela United, who finished the season in fourth place.
Wonders and WAFA join Elmina Sharks as the relegated teams this season.
With a final-day brace against Bibiani GoldStars, AshantiGold forward Yaw Annor snatched the golden boot from Asante Kotoko’s Mbella Etouga.
Annor scored his 21st and 22nd goals of the season in a 2-2 draw to surpass Etouga and tie Ishmael Addo’s record for most goals in a single season. Addo set the record in 2002 when he scored 22 goals for Hearts of Oak.
Bechem United and Berekum Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw, Dreams FC beat Medeama 2-0, Elmina Sharks fought back to draw 2-2 with Great Olympics and King Faisal beat Legon Cities 2-1 in Kumasi.
Scores at a glance:
ACCRA: Accra Lions 1-1 Asante Kotoko
Scorers: Abass Samari | Samuel Boateng
Man of the Match: Imoro Ibrahim(Kotoko)
ANYINASE: Karela United 1-0 WAFA SC
Scorer: Umar Basiru
Man of the match: Umar Basiru (Karela United)
NDUOM PARK: Elmina Sharks 2-2 Great Olympics
Scorers: Yusif Chibsah, Francis Oteng | | Varney Sando, Samuel Ashie Quaye
Man of the match: Nii Tetteh Obuobi (Elmina Sharks)
KUMASI: King Faisal 2-1 Legon Cities
Scorers: David Oppong, Enoch Morrison(pen) || Hans Kwoffie
Man of the match: David Oppong Afrane (King Faisal)
ACCRA: Hearts of Oak 1-4 RTU
Scorers: Suraj Seidu | | Ronald Frimpong (2×), David Abagna (pen), Mohammed Alhassan (OG)
Man of the match: Ronald Frimpong (RTU)
TECHIMAN: Eleven Wonders 2-1 Aduana FC
Scorers: Michael Yeboah (2×) || Bright Agyei
Man of the match: Michael Yeboah (Eleven Wonders)
DAWU: Dreams FC 2-0 Medeama
Scorer: ssah Ibrahim ( 2×)
Man of the match: Issah Ibrahim (Dreams FC)
FOSU GYEABOUR PARK: Bechem United 1-1 Berekum Chelsea
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