Spanish-Mexican coach, Guillermo Hamdan Zaragoza, has resigned as the head coach of Ghanaian topflight team West African Football Academy, who are currently struggling in the current season.
After their heartbreaking 0-1 home loss to Accra Lions in match-week29, the ex-Real Madrid youth developer made this surprising statement.
Prior to the start of the current season, the 30-year-old joined the Sogakope-based side as a substitute for Prosper Narteh, who is presently with head coach Asante Kotoko.
Despite taking over the club early on, Guillermo Zaragoza has been unable to continue the good work of their former coach and has unable to turn the team’s fortunes around, leaving them in the relegation zone.
The Academy Boys after 29 matches, are sitting 17th on the league log with 27 points.
Asante Kotoko have written to the Ghana Football Association asking for a refund of cost incurred on their trip to Obuasi after their Premier League game against Ashanti Gold was cancelled.
The Ghana FA called off the League game between the Porcupine Warriors and the Miners over security concerns.
Kotoko at the time of the FA’s communication had already arrived in Obuasi for the game which was expected to come off on Thursday.
The Reds have hence request the FA to reimburse cost of transportation and accommodation and also postpone their remaining matches until their game against Ashanti Gold is played.
Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo is set to announce his squad for the 2023 African Cup of Nations.
According to a list revealed by sports journalist Saddick Adams, a 40-man provisional squad would be named with many new faces before trimming it down to 35.
Among the fresh names are Southampton star Mohammed Salisu and Tariq Lamptey while Bernard Mensah and Majeed Ashimeru who would be making a long return.
Ghana will begin their qualifiers against Madagascar on June 1, 2022, before playing the Central African Republic four days later.
Ghana are in Group E for the qualifiers alongside, Angola, Madagascar, and the Central African Republic.
The four-time AFCON champions will play their final game of the first round of the qualifiers against Angola in September 2022.
In addition to the qualifiers in June, Ghana will play two international friendlies against Japan and Chile ahead of the World Cup.
Below is the rumoured Black Stars squad for the upcoming international break
Goalkeepers:
Dandlad Ibrahim – Asante Kotoko Richard Ofori – Orlando Pirates David Akologo – Club Aurora Jojo Wollacott – Swindon Town Abdul Manaf Nurudeen – Eupen
Defenders:
Tariq Lamptey – Brighton and Hove Albion Dennis Odoi – Club Brugge Jan Gyamerah – Hamburger SV Enoch Kwarteng – Bordeux Jeffrey Schlupp – Crystal Palace Derrick Arthur Köhn – Willem II Baba Rahman – Reading Gideon Mensah – Bordeux Alexander Djiku – Strasbourg Daniel Amartey – Leicester City Mohammed Salisu – Southampton Patric Pfeiffer – SV Darmstadt 98 Joseph Aidoo – Celta Vigo Jonathan Mensah – Columbus Crew Stephan Ambrosio – SV Humburger Abdul Mumin – Victoria Guimereas
Midfielders:
Alfred Duncan – Fiorentina Baba Iddrisu – Real Mallorca Elisha Owusu – Gent Salis Abdul Samed – Clermont Foot Edmund Addo – Sheriff Tiraspol Majeed Ashmeru – Anderlecht Daniel Kofi Kyere – St Pauli Kudus Mohammed – Ajax Yaw Yeboah – Columbus Crew Benard Mensah – Kaysiraspor
Forwards:
Antoine Semenyor – Bristol City Kamaldeen Sulemana – Stade Rennes Andre Dede Ayew – Al Sadd Felix Afena-Gyan – AS Roma Joseph Paintsil – Genk Fatawu Issahaku – Sporting Lisbon Jordan Ayew – Crystal Palace Dauda Mohammed – Cartagena Emmanuel Gyasi – Spezia
Asante Kotoko Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nana Yaw Amponsah disagrees with the postponement of their matchweek 29 away fixture against regional rivals Ashantigold.
The Porcupines were to clash with the Miners on Thursday afternoon at the Len Clay Stadium but the game has been called off due to security reasons.
The announcement came on Wednesday night, less than 24 hours to kickoff and both teams in camp, ready to face off in Obuasi.
However, Nana Yaw Amponsah is furious with the FA’s late decision to postpone the game. He added that the timing of the decision to ban Ashantigold was wrong which could have effect on the club’s remaining games.
He believes Ashantigold will not be competitive in their remaining games because they know it will be meaningless due to their demotion.
“The timing of the verdict of Ashantigold’s ban is irrelevant and the Ghana FA should have done further consultations before releasing the ban”, he told Peace FM.
“Banning Ashantigold in the middle of the season for match-fixing is not a good idea and if they [FA] thinks that’s what the club is doing then the ban will urge them to engage in more match manipulations”.
According to him, the Kotoko team arrived in Obuasi on Wednesday ahead of the Thursday clash and the decision to postpone the game at the eleventh hour is a bad thing to do.
“We were only informed on Wednesday evening about the postponement of the match against Ashantigold on Wednesday evening and that has destructed the team because we prepared adequately for the match and now the FA has spoiled everything and our plans.”
“So is the FA going to postpone all Ashantigold games from now on, if so then what was the essence of postponing our clash and I think they didn’t do due diligence on the release of the ban”.
“They should have waited for the season to end because we’re left with six matches to the end of the season.”
FC Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has announced his retirement from international football.
Auba was forced to miss Gabon’s last African Cup of Nations through medical issues with the player now confirming that he wont be part of the team in future assignments.
“The captain of the Panthers will no longer be with the national team for the next qualifiers, the final phase of which is scheduled in Cote d’Ivoire. The FC Barcelona striker has decided to end his international career and sent a letter to the Gabonese Football Federation (FEGAFOOT) on May 17, 2022,” Gabon’s Football Federation said in a statement.
On his part, the player noted: “After 13 years of pride in representing my country, I announce that I am ending my international career. I would like to thank the Gabonese people and all those who have supported me in good and bad times.
“I will keep a lot of good memories, like the day I made my debut or the day I came back from Nigeria with the African Ballon d’or. Sharing it with all the people was an unforgettable moment.”
Having represented France at youth level, the former Arsenal striker switched allegiances for senior football and became the Panthers’ record scorer, finding the net 30 times in 72 appearances since his first cap in 2009.
The 2021/22 Ghana Premier League continued with matchday 29 fixtures across the venues on Wednesday.
Former Black Stars defender Samuel Inkoom scored from the penalty spot to help Hearts of Oak defeat Bibiani GoldStars 1-0 in the Ghana Premier League on Wednesday.
Samuel Boadu had 16 players available after a strange disease struck the Hearts of Oak camp, causing many players to be hospitalized 48 hours before the match.
Experienced duo Sulley Muntari and Inkoom were among the 16, with the latter scoring the decisive goal in the 11th minute to secure the Phobians’ victory.
The victory moves Hearts of Oak up to third place, increasing their chances of finishing in the top four. WAFA’s survival hopes suffered a huge blow as they were beaten by Accra Lions by a solitary goal in Sogakope. WAFA, who finished second last season, are five points from safety with five games remaining.
Aduana Stars’ poor run continued with a goalless draw at home against bottom-placed Elmina Sharks. As a result, Aduana have dropped out of the top four.
Real Tamale United and Bechem United drew 2-2, while Medeama and Berekum Chelsea ended goalless.
King Faisal moved out of the relegation zone with a hard-fought win over Eleven Wonders, Karela United defeated Great Olympics, and Legon Cities earned a 2-1 win over Legon Cities.
The match between AshantiGold and Asante Kotoko which was postponed by the GFA due to security concerns was played on Thursday, June 2, 2022, and it ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Scores at a glance:
EL-WAK: Legon Cities 2-1 Dreams FC
Scorers: Michel Otou (pen), Youssifou Atte | | Sadat Mohammed
The Ghana Football Association has postponed the Premier League match between Asante Kotoko and AshantiGold due to security concerns.
The announcement came on Wednesday night, less than 24 hours to kickoff and both teams in camp, ready to face off in Obuasi.
This comes after AshantiGold were demoted to Division Two last season for their involvement in a match manipulation.
The former league champions were found guilty and have been demoted to the third tier, as has their accomplice Inter Allies, and fined 100,000 Ghana cedis.
Dr Kwaku Frimpong, President of Ashgold, and Emmanuel Frimpong, Chief Executive Officer of the club, have both been banned from football.
Although the decision has been lauded, some have questioned why the club is still permitted to compete in the league this season.
Although, the punishment will take effect from next season, it’s been speculated that fans of Ashanti Gold have threatened to deal with the players of the club for dragging the name of the club through mud.
A section of the fans are aggrieved to the extent that they are ready to go to the extreme and vent out their anger.
It is reported that some of the fans have even plotted to physically attack members of the top hierarchy of the club as well as destroy some of the properties owned by the club.
Therefore, the Municipal Police Commander of Obuasi, DSP Martin Assenso, is believed to have written a proposal to Ghana FA to postpone the game since it could lead to a serious blood bath in Obuasi.
The FA has however, heeded to the proposal and has called off the game.
