Alejandro Garnacho, a teenage winger who is injured, has announced that he has pulled out of the Argentina team for two upcoming friendlies and will miss a number of crucial matches for Manchester United.
The 18-year-old was a substitute in United’s 0-0 draw with Southampton on Sunday and injured himself late in the game after being struck by Kyle Walker-Peters’ challenge.
In the penalty area, the Southampton defender won possession of the ball on the stretch, but Garnacho’s right ankle appeared to become wedged between Walker-Peters’ legs.
Walker-Peters and Garnacho have been friendly online since the incident, exchanging messages without any animosity, but United’s promising young player will miss some time due to injury.
“It is difficult to put into words how I’m feeling right now,” Garnacho wrote on Instagram.
“Unfortunately I will not be able to help my team and team-mates in the upcoming games in what is a very important part of the season for us at Manchester United.
“I am disappointed to also miss the opportunity to be with my team-mates of the Argentinian national team in what would have been a great and proud moment for me and my family.
“This is part of football and our profession, however, I am already focused in my recovery. God has taught me to never give up and I will make sure I am back stronger than ever!”
Garnacho left Old Trafford on crutches after the Southampton game and will miss the Europa League clash with Real Betis on Thursday,plus the FA Cup game against Fulham on Saturday.
He will also sit out Argentina’s friendlies against Panama and Curacao during the international window, missing a chance to team up with Lionel Messi and co after the Albiceleste’s World Cup triumph.
It remains to be seen whether he is fit in time for club duty by April 2, when domestic football resumes for the Red Devils with a trip to Newcastle United.
Just like to score the greats, Benjamin Pavard! In the round of 16, France defeatedArgentina with a rout thanks in large part to a goal from Pavard, who volleyed in from outside the box.
During Bayern Munich’s 5-3 thrashing of Augsburg to take the lead in the Bundesliga over the weekend, the French defender was back at it.
The defending Bundesliga champions’ goal came from Pavard, who had been rested for Bayern’s victory over PSG in the Champions League. Pavard was back in the starting lineup for this match.
In an exact replica of the Bundesliga logo, the 26-year-old defender volleyed in from the edge of the six-yard box to score Bayern Munich’s second goal of the game, astounded the crowd.
Pavard insisted that Bayern Munich is focused on the task ahead and will not get carried away with the result against Augsburg which comes after another huge win against PSG in midweek.
Pavard double sends Bayern three points clear Earlier, Sports Brief reported two goals from Benjamin Pavard and a first in Bayern Munich colours for Joao Cancelo saw the Bundesliga leaders romp to a 5-3 home victory over Augsburg.
Four of Bayern’s five goals came from defenders, calming fears the side may be toothless up front after the pre-game scratching of striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Augsburg hit the lead after just two minutes through Mergim Berisha, who scored the only goal in his team’s surprise 1-0 win over Bayern in September.
On Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks battled back from an early deficit to defeat the Sacramento Kings 133-124. He wouldn’t let his team lose.
Antetokounmpo started hot, scoring 15 points in the first quarter, after sitting out the previous three games due to a hand injury.
Despite his early heroics, the Kings still had a five-point advantage at the end of the first quarter, and they jumped out to a 49-33 lead after a 17-6 start to the second.
After that, the Bucks went on a 50-29 run to take control of the game. By the end of the third quarter, Antetokounmpo had amassed a gaudy stat line of 40 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists.
A wildly entertaining fourth period saw the teams combine for 80 points, with Khris Middleton scoring 14 of his 31 in what was his best game of the season.
The three-time All-Star’s 31 points were a season-high, shooting nine-of-15 from the field and adding nine assists.
He was the perfect sidekick for Antetokounmpo, who ended up scoring 46 points on 19-of-28 shooting, with 12 rebounds and four assists. It was his sixth game this season with at least 45 points, while no other player has more than Luka Doncic and Joel Embiid’s four.
The win is the Bucks’ 20th from their past 22 outings, improving their league-leading record to 49-19, while the 40-27 Kings fell to third in the West, overtaken by the 41-26 Memphis Grizzlies.
Didi Dramani, Ghana’s assistant coach, has provided an explanation for the exclusion of local players from the Black Stars squad to face Angola in the upcoming AFCON qualifiers.
The following are the results of a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association.
Didi Dramani claims that their choice has been based on consistency.
“I think it goes with consistency and closeness of games. It is very important not to overstate that he (Chris Hughton) releases his squad and then no local player is in there. I think when we start doing that then I think we are pre-emptying on the negativities and I think that we are paying much attention to the local league as you can see me coming out to watch lot of the games,” he said in an interview with Citi Sports.
“When you look at the team, It is made of a consistent squad and we want to remain consistent when the decision not to invite any local player.
“The Black Stars is a team in progress and so the team will continuously be consistent in their approach. The team is a work in progress and so what you find is actually what is needed at the shortest possible time. In the longest possible time, in this era, you need to look out for things that will give you immediate team structure, you don’t have time.
“The team is playing on Thursday and then on Monday so there’s no time for you to be thinking about processes where you need players to have the chance to have strong integration and then adaptation.
“This is the time to be thinking about who to bring and then immediately you are able to get what you need, there’s no time in this period. These periods are very short-lived so we need to acknowledge the importance of the timelines.”
The four-time African champions will play host to Angola on March 23 at theBaba Yara Stadium before the reverse fixture in Luanda on March 27.
The Black Stars lead Group E of the qualifiers with four points, followed by Angola who are also on four points before Central African Republic and Madagascar follow in that order.
The highly anticipated unification fight betweenTyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has encountered another difficulty. Usyk, the IBF, WBA, and WBO champion, and Fury, the WBA Heavyweight champion, are in negotiations to square off in April for the title.
Usyk isn’t happy with Fury and thinks The Gypsy King is trying to avoid a fight with him, so the anticipated blockbuster fight may no longer happen.
Usyk infuriation by Fury?
As the stakes for the fight increased after Fury released a video, a disagreement between the two developed.
The Gypsy King argued that Usyk’s team was trying to force for a rematch if they lost and requested a no-rematch clause for the fight.
Usyk then fired back at Fury, calling him Greedy Belly.Usyk’s response The Ukrainian fighter claimed that the rematch clause came from Fury’s side and urged Fury to ink the contract or vacate the belt.
He added that he was not there to play Fury’s games.
Usyk taunts Fury
The upcoming fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury promises to be a fight for the ages. The two boxers will clash in 2023 to unify the heavyweight titles. The trash talking between the two has since escalated, Sports Brief reported. Trash-talking between the two began after Fury beat Derek Chisora to defend his WBC heavyweight title.
Fury called Usyk into the ring and began calling him a little sausage.Fury’s ‘Little Sausage’ jibe Tyson Fury is known for getting under his opponent’s skin with some of his pre-match comments.
The WBC Heavyweight champion is not afraid to publicly call out opponents, often giving them hilarious nicknames.
When Ajax defeated Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie over the weekend,Ghanaian star Mohammed Kudus was in fine form.
The gifted young player made his team’s Sunday debut and maintained his excellent form from earlier in the year as his squad easily defeated the opposition 4-2 at the Abe Lenstra Stadium.
After just 10 minutes of the eagerly anticipated match, the visitors took the lead through Mohammed Kudus.
After connecting off a Kudus assist, Edson lvarez doubled Ajax’s lead four minutes later.
Steven Bergwijn scored Ajax’s third goal of the match in the 19th minute, but Pelle van Amersfoort scored the final goal of the first half for the home team.
After the break, Kenneth Taylor scored to extend Ajax’s lead in the encounter but Sydney van Hooijdonk find the back of the net in the 79th minute for the home team to make it 4-2 at the end of the game.
The formof Mohammed Kudus is good for the Black Stars especially as Ghana will face off with Angola in the qualifiers for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament next week.
This season, the forward has 18 goals in all competitions for Ajax and has also provided six assists.
The Black Stars players who represent their country in Europe and other parts of the world will not have the chance to say goodbye to their late teammate, Christian Atsu.
The burial and funeral service for Christian Atsu have been scheduled for Friday, March 17, 2023.
Due to the date, players who compete in European leagues will be unable to attend the ceremony because they will be engaged in club activities.
The last weekend before the international break is March 17; during this time, clubs will release any players Chris Hughton has called up.
This means that the likes of Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, Andre Ayew, and all members of the 25-man squad announced Chris Hughton will miss the chance to say a final goodbye to their fallen mate.
When asked about the development by Graphic Sports, the local manager of Christian Atsu, Abdul Haye Yartey disclosed that the decision on the date was taken by the family, in agreement with the government.
“The preparation for the funeral has not factored in a role by the Black Stars as it stands despite the GFA playing a significant role in the arrangement,” Mr Yartey told Graphic Sports.
“Preparations are at an advanced stage and I can tell you that the government is playing a major role with the family to ensure Atsu gets a befitting burial.”
Five days after the funeral, the Black Stars will take on Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
It is expected that the players and the Ghana Football Association will pay some form of respect to Christian Atsu before and during the game.
Henry Asante Twum of the FA is quoted to have said “we are in constant communication with the family of Atsu and the government in the preparation for the funeral to ensure we send him off in a befitting way.”
Referee O.B. Amoah had to flee after being pursued by rowdyManso FC players during a Division Two League match between Manso FC and Soccer for Souls FC.
According to a report by Asempa FM, Manso FC players who were dissatisfied with referee O.B. Amoah’s performance during a league game played over the weekend claimed the referee made biassed decisions.
Manso FC player is accused of picking up a broken bottle during the match and chasing the referee with the intent to hurt him.
The aforementioned player was backed by his teammates, who joined him in pursuing the referee.
The incident created chaos and brought the game to a halt as the security men present there we overpowered.
The report indicates that the police officers who were not more than ten had to call for reinforcement as they struggled to restore calm.
The police arrested five players from Manso FC but granted them police enquiry bail on Monday, March 14, 2023.
Rio Ferdinand, a former player for Manchester United, has noted that he wanted to bring Thomas Partey to Manchester United before the Ghanaian signed with Arsenal in the summer of 2020.
On the Vibe with FIVE podcast, the former English international acknowledged that Partey is a top player and that he holds the midfielder in high regard.
He referred to his earlier appearances on the show, in which he stated that he wanted Partey at Manchester United before Arsenal snatched him, in order to express how much he admires Partey.
“I rate Partey…I’ve done clips that before he went to Arsenal, I was saying Man United should buy Partey,” he said.
When the Partey-Casemiro debate popped up in the discussion, Ferdinand said the comparison is unfair to Partey.
“I genuinely believe he is a top player but if you keep mentioning Casemiro, I don’t think it will be fair on him.”
Thomas Partey has been in sublime form for Arsenal in the 2022/2023 season. He has been the masterstroke and held the Gunners down as they lead the English Premier League table.
Javier Tebas has stated his strong desire to see superstarKylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain play in the top division of Spain soon. Last summer, Kylian Mbappe was just about to sign with Real Madrid when he decided to make a stunning U-turn and sign a new contract with Les Parisiens.
The 24-year-old has broken PSG’s record for goals scored since deciding against joining Los Blancos, and the Spanish powerhouses have added another Champions League and league title to their collection of trophies.
But the head of La Liga believes that Mbappe and Real Madrid will soon work together.
“Real Madrid is the only La Liga team that could sign Mbappe. He should play in La Liga, please “Javier Tebas, the league’s president, has disclosed to Movistar as quoted by Tribuna.
This is not the first time, Tebas has suggested Mbappe join Madrid, having earlier made it clear that only the White Angels could land Kylian Mbappe and Man City goal-poacher Erling Haaland.
Perhaps, the 60-year-old administrator is sorely missing another big name in the Spanish top flight following the departures of superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Tebas eyes Mbappe-Madrid union La Liga president Javier Tebas hopes superstar forwards Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland will someday play in Spain and already knows the team they could play for.
Mbappe and Haaland are two of the most valuable strikers in world football at the moment due to their current form for Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, respectively. According to Sportskeeda, Tebas believes if both stars were to switch to Spain in the future,only Real Madrid can sign both players.
Tebas slams EPL transfer spending Sports Brief earlier reported that Javier Tebas has aimed a swipe at the English Premier League, sensationally claiming it is not a financially sustainable model.
Tebas has cut a controversial figure in European football, continually criticising Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain for their funding.
The 60-year-old’s criticism of the Premier League stems from last summer’s spend by clubs from the most marketable league in the world.
The former Chelsea winger’s body will be taken to the State House’s Forecourt for final rites before burial.
The appropriate attire for the event is black, according to the family’s announcement.
The memorial service will take place at the State House’s Forecourt on the day of the burial.
On March 19, 2023, his family will gather to discuss other crucial issues pertaining to the Christian Atsu.
President Akufo-Addo and other leading government officials are expected to attend the funeral.
Background
Ghanaians were thrown into a state of mourning on Saturday, February 18 after confirmation came that a body retrieved at a rescue site in Hatay, Turkey was that of Christian Atsu.
The rescue team had been frantically looking for Christian Atsu after he went missing following an earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria on February 6.
His body was subsequently flown to Ghana where a short ceremony was performed to welcome him into the country.
Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who was the leading government official at the ceremony said the government was going to collaborate with the family to give Atsu a befitting funeral.
Gameweek 27 of the Premier League saw goals, red cards, and excitement as league leaders Arsenal kept a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top.
Away from the Champions League, Manchester United and Liverpool lost ground on Tottenham and Newcastle while Manchester United and Liverpool gained ground in the race for fourth.
Since Everton, Leeds, Southampton, Bournemouth, and West Ham all added to their total, Crystal Palace in 12th place and bottom-place Southampton are only separated by five points.
We select five standout players who shone the brightest for their clubs after a weekend filled with drama both on and off the pitch.
Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)
Arsenal showcased their title credentials once again in the 3-0 win over Fulham and Leandro Trossard is proving to be a smart purchase for Mikel Arteta.
The former Brighton winger recorded three first-half assists at Craven Cottage as the rampant Gunners maintained their gap over the current champions.
Belgium’s 24-cap international is the first player to have a hat-trick of goals and assists in the same season since Santi Cazorla in 2012-13 and the speedster has already tallied six goal contributions in an Arsenal shirt.
Gabriel, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli were the grateful recipients as Trossard became the first player to provide three goals for team-mates in the first half of a Premier League game.
The England skipper notched twice in the 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday to take his league tally to 20 — eight behind the Norwegian.
His first was an excellent looping header from a Pedro Porro cross that sailed over Keylor Navas early on and the No10 later tapped home from the penalty spot to double Spurs’ lead.
Kane could have had a third but for a smart save from the Forest stopper, who kept the North London outfit from scoring five or six on the day.
It was a good response from Antonio Conte’s men, who were dumped out of the FA Cup and Champions League in the space of a week and will now turn their attention to a strong finish in the remaining 11 games.
Neto (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth’s win over Liverpool was a huge step forward for the Cherries, who are looking to retain their Premier League status.
Although Neto did not get a hand on Mohamed Salah’s shocking penalty, the goalkeeper played his part in putting off the Egyptian finisher and was delighted when he watched the winger’s effort sail into the crowd behind him.
The 33-year-old made five saves and kept his fourth clean sheet of the season as Gary O’Neil’s side moved to within a point of safety.
In his first season with the team, Haaland has been in sensational form, scoring 34 goals in all of his appearances across all competitions.
The international player from Norway has only scored three goals in his last nine games, raising concerns about a decline in performance.
However, De Bruyne disagrees, saying that teams are better equipped to deal with him now than they were at the start of the season.
“I think it’s a bit of everything but I don’t feel like it’s different than in the beginning,” he told a press conference ahead of the Champions League clash against RB Leipzig.
“People are maybe more anticipating to his runs, there’s always the first part of the season and then the second part. In the second part, I feel teams are a lot more organised, they play for more from both sides of the table, so people are more prepared in every sense of the way.
“Maybe he was a little bit more prolific [before] when he got the chances but I don’t think we need to complain about Erling’s output. I think he’s fine.
“If we see the Crystal Palace game, he could have scored two, I don’t think there’s any issue but obviously people are always anticipating for him to score two or three goals but his average is a goal a game. It seems fine for me.
“It’s good to have different options. In the past few years, people would maybe say there wasn’t enough presence in the box and there wasn’t enough deep runs, now people are saying the opposite.
“It works in different ways. In the beginning of the season when everything was going in, we were winning a lot of games and nothing was going wrong, but then obviously when you lose a few points it’s different.
“I don’t think there’s an issue with anything going out from the team or with Erling. I know people will judge on how we play and maybe we sometimes play a better brand of football in different games or in other years but that happens.
“Crystal Palace at home for instance,he won us the game. I think the team is really happy with him, he’s really happy playing with us, so I think we’re fine.”
As the second legs of theChampions League last 16 continue on Tuesday, there will be two closely contested matches.
Romelu Lukaku’s late goal gave Inter a slim 1-0 lead over Porto at San Siro going into the rematch in Portugal.
The Serie A giants, however, did not exactly practise well, falling to Estoril Praia 3-2 on the same day that Sergio Conceicao’s team defeated lowly Spezia 3-2 in a hard-fought victory.
Erling Haaland’s penalty helped Manchester City defeat Crystal Palace 1-0, and RB Leipzig, a Bundesliga team, moved up to third in the standings after defeating Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0.
After their 1-1 draw in the first leg in Germany, Pep Guardiola will be hoping that home advantage can keep the club’s dream alive of a first Champions League title.
We have picked out the standout Opta data to preview Tuesday’s games.
Having said that, Porto have lost four of their last six home matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League, conceding 13 goals across those four defeats.
They have, though, won each of their last four home matches in Europe against Italian clubs, beating Roma, Juventus, Milan and Lazio in succession. The last Italian side to defeat them away from home was Juventus in February 2017.
Inter have progressed from four of their five two-legged Champions League knockout ties when winning the first leg, only being eliminated from such a position in 2005-06 by Villarreal.
Porto have been eliminated from six of their seven two-legged Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, only progressing in 2018-19 against Roma.
Lukaku’s winning goal in the first leg meant he has scored eight goals in 12 appearances for Inter in the Champions League. His record of 111 minutes per goal is the best of any player to have scored five or more goals for the club in the European Cup/Champions League.
Manchester City v RB Leipzig
City are unbeaten across their last 23 home matches in the Champions League, winning 21. If they avoid defeat in this match, they will equal Arsenal’s record for the longest home unbeaten run by an English club in the competition (24 games between September 2004 and April 2009).
Leipzig are unbeaten in five matches in the Champions League (W4 D1), their longest unbeaten run in the competition since a seven-game stretch in 2019-20 when they reached the semi-final.
The last team to defeat City at the Etihad Stadium in a Champions League knockout stage match was Liverpool in the 2017-18 quarter-final second leg – visiting sides have avoided defeat just once in eight matches since.
Marco Rose has taken charge of three matches in the Champions League knockout stages, with all three coming against City, after his Monchengladbach side were eliminated by the club in the last 16 in 2020-21. The only previous instance of a head coach facing the same opponent in his first four Champions League knockout stage matches is Frank Rijkaard against Chelsea between 2004-05 and 2005-06.
Haaland has scored 17 goals in 11 home matches in the Champions League for Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and City, scoring at least two goals in seven of those games. The Norwegian has scored a goal every 49 minutes on average in these matches.
Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku has scored 10 goals across his last 12 starts in the Champions League, including a hat-trick against City at the Etihad Stadium in September 2021. Nkunku is one of two players to score a hat-trick against City in the competition, the other being Lionel Messi in October 2016.
Former Ghana international, Richard Kingson, could be fired from his position as the Black Stars’ goalkeepers’ trainer according to reports.
A new goalkeepers’ trainer and video analyst could be hired by Chris Hughton, the new Black Stars coach, as a result of some technical team changes.
Chris Hughton and the Ghana Football Association hierarchy reportedly met to finalise the changes that could result in Kingson and the video analyst Awal Kamin losing their jobs, according to an unnamed source.
The GFA source told Graphic Sports, “Maybe, having been with the team for almost a year as technical advisor, I suspect Chris Hughton may have analysed the technical team and, therefore, knows its inadequacies which may have informed his recommendations to strengthen the technical department as he takes over.”
The source also mentioned that Ameenu Shadow, General Manager of Dreams FC, is likely to replace Henry Mantey as the new Team Manager of the Black Stars.
GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum confirmed that Hughton has made recommendations but refused to comment further on the reported changes to the technical team.
Twum said, “I’m aware he has made some recommendations in his technical department but I can’t say anything until he is unveiled. I believe every concern would be addressed at his unveiling so I think we must wait for that day to know everything about the team.”
Chris Hughton is set to be unveiled on March 20 in Kumasi ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola.
Just two months after declaring that he was ill as a result of the death of his wife, Ismaila Mabo, the former head coach of the Nigerian women’s national team,Super Falcons, passed away at 78.
The captain of the Mighty Jets of Jos and former international passed away early on Monday morning at his home in Jos. He is scheduled to be buried soon after, in accordance with Islamic customs.
After guiding the Super Falcons to the quarterfinals of the 1999 tournament shortly after his appointment, Mabo is regarded as one of the most successful Nigerian coaches in women’s football.
It is Nigeria’s best performance at a Women’s World Cup to date, and he also led the team at the Australian Summer Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000.
He left the team in 2002 but returned two years later to leadSuper Falcons at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games in Greece.
In Pocatello, Idaho, there is a public research universitycalled Idaho State University (ISU). Idaho State, which was originally known as the Academy of Idaho, was established in 1901 and now has campuses in Meridian, Idaho Falls, and Twin Falls in addition to its main campus in Pocatello. It is classed as belonging to the “R2: Doctoral Universities – High Research Activity” group.
Idaho State enrols more than 12,000 students, with 57% of them being female and 43% male. At Idaho State, there are 13 students for every teacher, and 58 percent of students enroll.in full-time courses.
2. University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas, is a public research university located at Little Rock, USA. It was founded by the Little Rock School District in 1927, and in 1957 it changed its name to Little Rock University to reflect its status as a private, four-year institution.
3. California State University
California State University is located in Fresno, California. It belongs to the network of California State Universities. The university had 25,341 students enrolled for the fall of 2020.
4. Oregon State University, Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon is home to the public land-grant Oregon State University. OSU offers a wide range of graduate and doctoral degrees in addition to more than 200 undergraduate degree programmes.
5. University of Houston
University of Houston, located in Houston, USA was founded in 1927.It is the largest public research university in Houston and the third largest university in Texas.
6. University of Michigan
The university is the oldest in Michigan and was founded in 1817 as the Catholepistemiad, or the “School of Universal Knowledge,” 20 years before the territory became a state and it’s labelled as one of the best universities in the world is the University of Michigan.
7. University of Texasat San Antonio
In San Antonio, Texas, there is a public research university called the University of Texas at San Antonio.
UTSA is the largest university in San Antonio and the eighth-largest university in Texas by enrollment, housing more than 34,000 students across its four campuses, which span 758 acres.
Thegreatest African goalkeeper of all time, according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), is former Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.
From 1987 to 2022, the IFFHS ranked goalkeepers from the continents of Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia.
Enyeama, a former captain of the Super Eagles, has received recognition for his valour while playing for club and country.
Enyeama, now 40, played for NPFL teams Ibom Stars and Enyimba FC, where his impressive performance attracted widespread attention.
He played for Enyimba FC for a century, making 10 penalty kick goals in that time.
He also won two CAF Champions League titles with the most successful Nigerian club.
While in Europe, Enyeama had spells with Hapoel Tel Aviv, an Israeli club where he netted 9 goals in 113 appearances.
The highlight of the 40-year-old’s club career was in the French Ligue 1 with Lille where he plied his trade from 2011 to 2018 making over 143 appearances.
At Lille, Enyeama chalked an astonishing feat of keeping 11 consecutive clean sheets by going 1,062 minutes of Ligue 1 football without conceding.
On the international level, he is the second most capped Super Eagles player with 101 caps only behind Ahmed Musa.
Thomas Partey has struggled to translate his strong club form to the international stage, according to George Afriyie, a former vice president of the Ghana Football Association.
When Partey plays for Arsenal compared to when he represents Ghana, there is a noticeable difference in his performance.
Due to criticism over his underwhelming World Cup performance, the 29-year-old was made the scapegoat for Ghana’s early exit.
George Afriyie mentioned to 3FMin a conversation that Partey might be experiencing the same issue that Michael Essien did at one point in his career.
He explained that Partey’s starting position in Ghana’s team could be a factor because the nation has yet to establish a position for him
“It’s a combination of factors. compare him to Michael Essien. What we saw him in the Chelsea jersey cannot be compared to what we saw in the Black Stars. Essien delivered when it mattered most. I remember we played Congo in Brazzaville and Partey was pushed up front in more of a No.8 or No.10 position and he scored 3 goals,” he stated.
“Against Nigeria in Abuja, he also scored a very important goal that qualified Ghana for the World Cup. So where it matters most, he delivers,” he said.
“It depends on how a coach wants to parade his players. It depends on the set of players he brings around him. It would be very difficult to compare Partey in Arsenal to Partey in Ghana because you need to consider the materials around him at Arsenal and compare that to Ghana. So for me, it is the way we position him and the roles we assign him. Partey has always had the desire and shown commitment that he wants to play for Ghana,” he added.
Partey is likely to be in the starting team when the Black Stars host Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium on March 23. The Arsenal man could be in action again when Ghana traveled to Angola, four days later.
In 43 appearances for Ghana, Thomas Partey has scored 13 goals including the one that sealed qualificationfor the 2022 World Cup.
The future of Jude Bellingham’s football career is still uncertain. The youngster from Borussia Dortmund has been linked with a transfer away from the German team, with Real Madrid and Liverpool the front-runners to sign him.
Bellingham should stay with the team for another season, according to a club legend, as Dortmund are also eager to hold onto their star player. Stefan Effenberg thinks the young star would be better off remaining with the Bundesliga team, as reported by BVB Buzz.
“I would advise Bellingham to stay in Dortmund; he is still young and can still sign three of four top contracts in the future,” he said.
Contrary to Haaland, he thinks Bellingham has a closer relationship with the club and enjoys their trust and support more.
Effenberg cited Jadon Sancho as an example for his recommendation to the star to remain in Germany. “I hope he decides to stay for the sake of his own growth.
There is also no assurance in other places. The prime example of this is Sancho.
Sancho was one of the many gifted young players for Dortmund who was expected to have a promising future.
According to Transfermarkt, he scored 50 goals in 137 games for the German team but just 10 in 61 games for the English team.
Effenberg is concerned that Bellingham might suffer the same fate as the Red Devils player, who fell short of expectations after moving.
Bellingham is unsure of the club’s future. According to a previous report from Sports Brief, Borussia Dortmund is eager to learn if Bellingham will be returning for another year.
According to news reports, the Bundesliga team wants to keep the player, but he is unsure of his position.
Bellingham has been linked with moves to clubs like Liverpool and Real Madrid, though his current club still wants him.
No matter how many times his team wins thePremier League, Pep Guardiola acknowledges that the success in the Champions League will define his time as manager of Manchester City. Tuesday’s second leg of City’s Champions League last-16 tie against Bundesliga powerhouse Leipzig will be played with the goal of reaching the quarterfinals for the sixth consecutive season.
Despite being held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Guardiola’s team is expected to advance in front of their home crowd at the Etihad Stadium.
The quest to end City’s wait to win the top club competition in Europe for the first time inspires and frustrates Guardiola at the same time.
The 52-year-old has won the Premier League four times, four League Cups, and FA Cup during his remarkably successful seven years in Manchester.
Yet for all his domestic glory with City, it is the Champions League that remains the holy grail. .
Guardiola won the Champions League twice as Barcelona boss, in 2009 and 2011, but failed to repeat that success in his three years with Bayern Munich.
City lost to Chelsea in the 2021 final but have also endured a series of agonising exits from the knockout stages, with last season’s astonishing late collapse against Real Madrid in the semi-finals an especially bitter blow.
Asked if his time at City would be judged solely on his European achievements, Guardiola told reporters: “Yes. It doesn’t mean I agree with that but absolutely we will be judged by this competition.” However, he believes City’s gradual progress from outsiders to established members of Europe’s elite under his leadership deserves more respect.
“Since day one when I arrived, sitting here for the first time, they (the media) asked me ‘Are you here to win the Champions League?’” he said. “I said ‘What? If you are manager of Real Madrid maybe I accept that.’
But I accept it here. It’s not going to change.” ‘Try again’ City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is adamant the Guardiola era should still be deemed a success despite the failure so far to land the Champions League title.
“Every year we have been close, quarters, semis, final. We just haven’t done the last bit. We are going to try again,” he said. “If you care about the noise then obviously it’s going to annoy you. I know we haven’t won it but we have done really well. “I know people only judge on if you win it, but there have been a lot of circumstances.
” With City trailing five points behind leaders Arsenal in the Premier League, the Champions League is even more important for Guardiola’s team this season.
For City to win the Premier League or Champions League, they will needErling Haaland at his best. Haaland scored the penalty winner at Crystal Palace on Saturday to reach 34 goals in all competitions this season.
There are still critics of Haaland’s lack of involvement in City’s build-up play and Guardiola believes the Norway striker can improve that side of his game. “I don’t like one player just to be in the box to score goals. Of course that is important, it is the main thing, but it is not all we need of him,” Guardiola said.
“When we are away from the opponent’s box he cannot score a goal. We need him to be involved and to be active. “He has improved a little bit but on this he can do better.”
The 2023 award is in danger of being rocked by allegations of favouritism and daylight robbery because previous events like 2013 and 2010 are still being questioned.
Lionel Messi remains the front-runner to win a record eighth title when the ceremony goes down sometime in October this year. His World Cup heroics with Argentina have given him a perfect head start.
Second on the list is Kylian Mbappe, who nearly led France to a lone World Cup victory.
All of this occurred prior to Bayern Munich’s merciless elimination of Paris Saint-Germain from the Champions League.
The World Cup dilemma
Even though the Ballon d’Or award is frequently decided by individual merit, the Champions League typically has a significant impact on the outcome.
In the case of a World Cup year, the once-in-four-years competition takes precedence over any other trophy – Luka Modric is a witness.
Questions have already started streaming in on how this year’s award will be determined by a ‘seven-game tournament.’
Ghanaian international Thomas Partey has explained that his parents have a significant influence on his life and career, much like a coach would.
Partey, who has been in excellent form this year, has made a significant contribution to Arsenal’s success in the Premier League season thus far.
Partey claims that his parents’ support, who serve as his coaches, is the key to his success.
He emphasised how important his parents have been in helping him analyse games and improve as a player on the pitch.
“Both of my parents are like a coach. They said if I have a chance to shoot, I have to shoot. They are like you have to chip this ball behind the goalkeeper. They are like a coach,” Partey told Super Sports.
The Arsenal player disclosed that he is in constant touch with his parents, thanks to technology. “They’ve learnt how to send me a lot of voice notesso I listen to them every time and I call them when I am free,” he said.
The appointment was questioned by Scott Geelan, who is well-known for sharing scouting data and information about Ghanaian athletes. He called the FA “shameless corrupt” and questioned the appointment.
“Surely not? On what basis was this appointment made? Apparently just another friend of Kurt Okraku given some bizarre role within the FA with no clear scope, no evidence of a competitive process & no track record of success. Shamelessly corrupt, if true.”
Ameenu Shadow responded to Scott Geelan’s tweet by attempting to expose him for attempting to once serve as the team’s scout.
“It is the so-called ‘shamelessly corrupt’ process that you wanted to benefit from when you begged me to put in a word for you to land a job with the national team. Why don’t you go begging people within the UK federations for work? Why are you so obsessed with Ghana?” he questioned.
But Geelan bounced back, displaying details of a conversation he had with Shadow who disclosed to have recommended him for an appointment as a Black Stars scout.
“Hilarious, someone tell @alooameenu to unblock me. This is a lie but not a surprise that he’d stoop to “go find a job in your country” & this rubbish. I was contacted first, had already worked on a project (free of charge) for the GFA (2021 AFCON U20) & NEVER asked for a job, he tweeted with a photo of the chat.
On March 23, 2023, the Black Stars’ match against Angola at the Kumasi Sports Stadium will serve as Shadow’s debut as team manager.
Later in March, the 2023 AFCON qualifying matches resume with a doubleheader between Ghana and Angola.
The Black Stars will play the Palancas Negras (Black Antelopes) in their own backyard four days after the match in Kumasi.
For full transparency, Ameenu followed me & subsequently contacted me to discuss national team players for Ghana. We had a few calls, over Zoom, whilst he was at university & I said I was happy to talk to other people about the players. Never asked for a job – I had one.
The disagreement occurs after Enzo’s masterful performance helped Chelsea defeat Leicester 3-1, while Partey, as he has been all season, made quick work of Fulham as Arsenal defeated them 3-0.
The Blues supporters argued that they would not want to talk much about their midfielder being superior to Partey because Enzo had just won the World Cup.
The Gunners supporters countered that Partey, who is more seasoned, the superior version of everything Enzo does, and whose level is significantly higher than the 22-year-old, is being disrespected by the comparison.
Enzo Fernandes joined Chelsea in the 2023 winter transfer window for a British record fee of £105m and seems to have settled in Chelsea’s system quickly.
Partey, on the other hand, is in his third season with Arsenal since joining in the summer of 2020.
The Ghanaian has been superb for League leaders Arsenal and as such has been in all arguments regarding who is the best defensive or central defensive midfielder in the Premier League.
George Afriyie, a former vice president of theGhana Football Association, has expressed his belief in Chris Hughton’s ability to lead the Black Stars.
After serving as the Technical Advisor for the Black Stars, Chris Hughton was named head coach by the GFA.
George Afriyie thinks Ghana’s Irish-born coach can lead Ghana to better results in games because of his extensive experience.
“Chris, for me, should have taken us to the World Cup. Because you have a manager who has managed a top English football club. You and I know that there is no argument about this, that the English league, the Spanish and German leagues are the best three in the world,” he told 3 Sports.
“So if you have a coach who has managed in the top three leagues in the world coming into your country as the national team coach, if he can’t do it, trust me nobody can do it. For me I have enough confidence in Chris Hughton,” he added.
According to George Afriyie, there is a possibility that Hughton might endure a difficult spell just like many other top coaches.
” Yes, coaches can come and fail but let us do our part, appoint the right personnel and say we did our best. I have confidence in the coach,” Mr Afriyie said.
Anthony Davis referred to his own performance as “terrible” and took full responsibility for the Los Angeles Lakers’ Sunday loss to the New York Knicks.
Due to the narrow loss, the Lakers are now 33-35 in the race for a playoff spot in the West, missing the opportunity to get back to.500.
Davis struggled to lead the team without LeBron James, managing just 17 points and 16 rebounds while making just one of five free throw attempts.
In addition to his eight-of-18 field goal shooting, Davis had four assists, two steals, a block, and four rebounds. The power forward claimed that “my play” was to blame for the team’s defeat.
“I played terrible,” Davis told reporters. “Couldn’t find my shot: free throws, layups, everything. The guys did their job. I didn’t do my job.”
Davis had little impact down the stretch with the game up for grabs, shooting one-of-four from the field.
“I just missed a lot of shots,” he said. “I don’t think they did anything special. A lot of times one-on-one, they doubled a couple of times.”
The Lakers’ three-game winning streak may have been halted, but there was some good news with James, who was out of a walking boot and rejoined the team.
The four-time MVP has not played since February 26 and will be re-evaluated next week, potentially offering the Lakers a major boost in their push for the playoffs if they can stay in contention in the meantime.
“It’s also good for him to unplug a little bit,” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said about James’ break. “Not be detached necessarily, but just mentally get a little bit of a calming to everything that’s transpired over the year.
“It’s not just about him getting healthy, it’s about him being in a good place mentally and spiritually, so we get the best version of him when he returns.”
The event has been scheduled for July 29 to coincide with the yearly Ga Homowo Festival, according to Medivents Consult, the event’s organisers.
The event is a part of the festivities commemorating the annual festival, according to a statement from Mr. Henri Senyo Penni, General Manager of Medivents Consult, because it has been approved by the Ga Traditional Council (GTC).
In order to make the event exciting and appealing for everyone to participate in, it was stated that plans are in place to add more activities.
The statement said, apart from the 21-kilometre race which is the flagship event, they would also introduce 10 and 5-kilomters for interested participants.
“In addition, we shall introduce a special Sports Expo for sponsors and other corporate bodies, to have add more value to their sponsorship.
“Unlike the previous year where we started at the Spintex Road, the 2023 edition would commence at the Accra Sports Stadium and end at Mantse Agbona, James Town,” it added.
The statement said organisers would seek to improve the 2023 edition in terms of prizing, security and safety of athletes among others.
The Accra Inter-City Marathon was initiated last year by Medivents Consult in partnership with the Ga Traditional Council as part of activities marking the2022 Homowo Festival.
It attracted close to 1000 athletes and was won by Martin Tirop from Kenya.
Mohamed Ameenu Shardow, the administrative manager atDreams FC, has reportedly been named the new Black Stars team manager.
The report states that Shadow will begin the aforementioned position with immediate effect as Ghana gets ready for the upcoming 2023 AFCON qualifiers against Angola later this month.
In a pair of games this month, Ghana and Angola will compete for a spot in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which will take place in Cote D’Ivoire in January of that year.
The Black Stars of Ghana will play Palancras Negras on March 23, 2023, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, and then travel to Luanda for the rematch on March 27, 2023.
Ghana is joint top of Group E with four points from two games, having won 3-0 over Madagascar and drawn 1-1 with Central African Republic in June of last year.
The Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of the team’s failure to upgrade its facilities has been vindicated by a viral video of Old Trafford restrooms that are overflowed.
Twelve years after his return to the Reds, Ronaldo criticised the club in an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in 2022, saying that “nothing has changed” and that the facilities still needed to be updated.
Prior to Man United’s game against Southampton on Sunday, March 12, 2023, the handle @ste conlon posted a video to Twitter that showed the bathroom area being flooded while the fans detestably walked through to relieve themselves.
“Just arrived at Old Trafford and not for the first time the toilets are overflooded with an inch of urine all over the floor. Disgusting to see. This is what the Glazers don’t want you to see. It’s that bad and has happened so many times I had to video it,” he captioned the video.
The tweet which has gained over 3 million views has seen wild reactions from united fans applauding Ronaldo for calling out the club.
Ronaldo in his interview said: “Nothing changed since I left.”
“The pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym, even some technology. Even the chefs who I appreciate, lovely people. I thought I would see new technology, infrastructure. I saw things I saw when I was 20!”.
The interview which saw Ronaldo criticise the club in plain words fuelled his exit from the club two seasons after his return.
Former player, Jesse Lingard echoed Ronaldo’s concerns during an interview in the Diary of a CEO podcast. “They’re so behind on everything,” he told the Diary of a CEO podcast.
Aziz Zakari was hailed by Asafa Powell as “one of the great” sprinters of his generation who literally gave him a run for his money.
Asafa Powell relived the time he spent competing against Aziz Zakari in an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV.
When Asafa Powell made a reference to Aziz Zakari, he was discussing the lack of athletics facilities in the nation.
He asserts that because Ghana is known for producing excellent athletes, it must perform well in order to secure the necessary training facilities.
“To be honest, I’m very disappointed. You guys had excellent sprinters back in the day. I remember competing against Aziz Zakari. When I went to the field and heard that I was going to compete with I will go like this guy was coming to pressure me. He was one of those great sprinters so coming here and not seeing the real professional track is very disappointing. What if I came here and I wanted to come to work out or something? This is an area that Ghana needs to improve,” he said.
Asafa Powell who is married to a Ghanaian was in the country for a 10-day working tour, facilitated by the Ghana Olympic Committee.
He disclosed during the interview some of his children have taken interest in athletics and that he will not be a hindrance to the wishes of any of them to compete under the Jamaican flag instead of Ghana.
Aziz Zakari
Aziz Zakari represented Ghana at the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
He won silver and bronze at the World athletics final.
He was also a bronze medalist at the All-African Games and a two-time gold medalist at the African Championship.
Real Madrid was upset with Iturralde Gonzalez after he criticised the La Liga champions for making videos of frequent refereeing errors against them.
Real Madrid’s actions, which come after Barcelona was accused of paying referees by Spanish prosecutors, were described as “gross and indecent” by the former referee, according to SB Nation.
Real Madrid responded by releasing a video of the former referee’s errors against them over the course of more than 17 years. Iturralde has also defended Barcelona in the Negreira case.
Real Madrid in their post revealed Iturralde as a referee who has finally taken off his mask and is now dedicated to attacking the club from the media.
Real Madrid to be involved in Barcelona’s refereeing case
Meanwhile, Real Madrid has revealed they will be involved in legal proceedings of the Barcelona referee payments scandal after the Catalan club was charged by Spanish prosecutors, Goal reports.
Los Blancos issued a statement revealing their stance after discussions between president Florentino Perez and the club’s board of directors after their board meeting on Sunday, March 12.
An investigation revealed Barcelona had made payments to former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
Barcelona unhappy with Real Madrid Earlier, Sports Brief reported Barcelona and Real Madrid may be bitter rivals on the field of play, but at a boardroom level, they’re not against working with each other.
Presidents, Joan Laporta (Barcelona) and Florentino Perez (Real Madrid) have worked together in the past, despite the animosity between the two sets of supporters.
The Catalan club are deeply upset by Madrid’s latest statement. Los Blancos have since put out a statement that they will be present against Barcelona in the upcoming hearings.
In a recent video,Emmanuel Adebayor, a former Premier League superstar, flaunted some aspects of his opulent lifestyle, leaving many of his fans gushing about how wealthy he is online. Without a doubt, Adebayor has made a substantial sum of money from his time playing football, particularly when he was a member of Premier League teams like Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham.
The Togolese has now demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a wealthy football player by showcasing the grounds and interior of one of his mansions.
Adebayor owns residences in the UK, Ghana, Togo, and other countries.
According to a video the former African best footballer of the year shared on his Instagram page, a Rolls Royce, Cinema and a Gym can all be seen in the mansion of Adebayor. Adebayor however explained that success can be achieved with hard works.
Statement made by Adebayor ”This house represents more than just luxury. It’s a reminder that with hard work, discipline, and faith in a higher power, anything is possible. May my story inspire you to never give up on your dreams, no matter how big they may seem.”
Meanwhile, Adebayor currently plays for Togolese Champion National club Semassi. Adebayor shows dance skills Earlier, Sports Brief had reported how Emmanuel Adebayor might not be on the pitch to display his football skills, but the former Arsenal striker has showed off silky dance moves.
The former Togo international was spotted in a Kenyan night club having a good time. In a video that went viral on social media, Adebayor is seen with a female fan displaying his dancing skills.
While he was dancing with the fan, others who had recognised the footballer chanted his name and praised his moves.
While Olivier Giroud might not be as flashy as Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski, Sergio Aguero, or Luis Suarez, he is unquestionably one of the best and most productive strikers of his generation.
The French international has won significant trophies, but he has never won the Premier League. He won Ligue 1 with Montpellier, Serie A with AC Milan, the UEFA Champions League, and the Europa League with Chelsea.
His career has been remarkable; he was a key member of Didier Deschamps’ France team that won the 2018 World Cup, advanced to the finals of the Euro 2016 and 2022 World Cups, and won a Puskas award.
Giroud named the world’s best
The former Arsenal striker is France’s all-time top scorer, surpassing Thierry Henry during the World Cup in Qatar, as reported by ESPN.
He is also one of the few players to have won the World Cup and the Champions League.
His elder brother, Romaine has hailed the former Chelsea striker as the best player in the world in an emotional TV segment on Telefoot. ”For me, you are the best player in the world. I never told you, but through you, I made the career that I never managed to make,” the 45-year-old said.
As reported by Sun UK, Romaine now works as a nutritionist and claims his younger brother inspired him to take up the career.
On Sunday, March 13, Barcelona and Athletico Bilbao played in La Liga, and the San Mames Barria was filled with hostile Athletico Bilbao supporters. The game was marred by Barcelona fans who chanted for the club to be demoted as a result of their refereeing scandal, despite the Catalans’ hard-fought 1-0 victory over their hosts.
The reaction of the Bilbao fans, according to Barcelona manager Xavi, saddened him after the game because, in his opinion, the Catalans are being judged even before they are found guilty.
“I was surprised at the hostile atmosphere towards Barca. It was sad to see. [Barca] are being judged before time, which I don’t think is good for society.
Everyone is free to [air their opinion], and I respect all opinions, whether I agree with them or not, but it made me sad.”
Barcelona has been charged by Spanish prosecutors for paying around €7million to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira’s company between 2001 and 2018 while he was the vice president of Spain’s referees’ committee.
Laporta assures Barca fans of club’s innocence Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has assured the club’s fans worldwide that the Catalans are innocent of all allegations made against them, Vanguard reports. Laporta made the claim on Twitter following corruption allegations levelled against Barcelona over payments made to refereeing committees in Spain.
Barcelona’s ex-presidents, Sandro Rosell, and Josep Maria Bartomeu allegedly paid the former refereeing committee chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira over €2.9m between 2014 and 2018 which led to the accusations of sports corruption and unfair administration being made.
Supporters stage protest against Barcelona Earlier, Sports Brief reported Barcelona are at the centre of allegations that they paid the former vice-president of the Referee’s Committee, and their fellow La Liga clubs are not happy about it.
Athletic Club Bilbao’s supporters were the latest to voice their unhappiness at the allegations and made their feelings known during their side’s clash with Barcelona.
At the half-hour mark, Bilbao fans threw fake money from the stands onto the pitch as a mark of protest against the Catalan club.
Ghanaian international football player, Andrew Dede Ayew, has received criticism once more for missing a penalty.
When Nottingham Forest faced Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, losing 3-1 on aggregate, the Black Stars captain was given the chance to save his team in the final seconds.
The 33-year-old striker, however, blew the chance to increase his team’s goal total and reduce the goal difference.
The striker for Nottingham Forest was reliving his terrifying World Cup 2022 experience.
The Black Stars forward lost a penalty at the crucial stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup when Ghana clashed with Uruguay in the last group-stage match of the competition.
It was an opportunity presented to the Black Stars and Ghanaians who were looking forward to seeking revenge against their South American rivals.
Uruguay in 2010 denied Ghana victory on her way to making history in South Africa.
On Twitter, many football fans have expressed displeasure with his latest penalty miss with most comments suggesting the sun may have set on the football career of the Black Star skipper.
Dede Ayew is a curse or what? 😂how can you be missing penalties like you don’t have bones in your legs pic.twitter.com/eQ7Bpd3daP
This thing erh Dede Ayew and Jordan want to do some but the time they wi score a goal then ebi Atsu ein 1 year celebration 😂 pic.twitter.com/WxwP8PPafz
After scoring twice in the thrilling 5-3 victory over Augsburg on Saturday for the Bundesliga leaders, Julian Nagelsmann is eager to keep Benjamin Pavard at Bayern Munich.
Mergim Berisha scored the opening goal for Augsburg early on, but Bayern quickly jumped out to a 4-1 lead by halftime thanks to goals from Joao Cancelo and Leroy Sane on either side of Pavard’s hat trick.
Alphonso Davies’ goal allowed Bayern to win for the fourth time in a row with relative ease, despite Berisha completing his own hat trick after the break and Irvin Cardona also scoring late.
The France international’s contract is set to expire next year, and Pavard has been linked to Barcelona, Inter, and Manchester United. In November, Pavard discussed the possibility of leaving Bayern for a new endeavour.
Having seen the 26-year-old mark his 150th competitive Bayern outing with his first double for the club, Nagelsmann said: “Of course I want to keep Benjamin at Bayern.
“Playing in that position that he loves as a centre-back… he played very well today. So yes, I’d love to keep him.”
“I’m happy with the result. It’s job done today, that was important,” Nagelsmann said.
“It was very similar to the game in the DFB-Pokal against Augsburg [a 5-2 win in October], it was a bit chaotic right from the start. We conceded the goal right away.
“Then we played really well for 30 minutes, everything was done well on our offensive side. In the second half, we did not have as much control or pressure any more.
“The game was a little bit too open in my opinion, we could have scored a couple more goals, but the result is above everything.
“Not everything was perfect on the offensive or defensive side, but all in all, it’s all about the three points.”
2.4 – FC Augsburg had an Expected Goals value of 2.4 – it was the highest Expected Goals value for an away team against FC Bayern in a competitive match since Julian Nagelsmann took charge of the Munich side. Brave. #FCBFCApic.twitter.com/d168lYObyz
Contrary to President Akufo-Addo’s assertion that debts accumulated under the previous administration were to blame for the economy’s downturn, he claimed that the current administration bears a major share of responsibility for the dire state of the economy.
According to statistics on the nation’s debt accumulation, a sizable portion of it was contracted under the current administration, he claimed.
“If you look at the statement again that the President made that it is worth noting that the debts that we’re servicing were not only contracted during the period of this administration – yes that is true but if you look at it in the final details, a lot of it actually have been contracted during this administration,” he said.
Explaining his assertion, Dr. Acheamong disclosed that the current government has borrowed three times as much as the Mahama administration and “almost about ten times” as much as former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration. This, he says defeats the President’s claim during his delivery of the 2023 SONA in parliament, where he explained that a chunk of the borrowed funds had been channelled into “the unprecedented road construction.”
But Dr. Acheampong has questioned the quality of the roads said to have been constructed with such a huge amount of borrowed money.
“So what is the quality of the roads that have been constructed,” he quizzed.
According to the expert, borrowing is done to also service debt but currently, the country is broke to the extent that “we cannot service our debt.”
He reiterated that data clearly shows that the country has been “on an unsustainable path that has led it down this way,” however, he said there are some positive sides to consider.
He explained that when he takes into account state indicators such asGDP growth, inflation, lending rates, harmony on labourfronts and general sense of security, amongst others currently, he would rate the government 5 out of 10.
He disclosed that in the last couple of years, the country has been exporting more than it imports, saying that the country exported 17.4 billion dollars’ worth of goods and imported just under 15 billion dollars.
Although the country had recorded a positive trade balance which should have shored up its reserves, the “negative outflow from its capital account” has “offset those upflows,” according to the Economist.
I saw a very formal statement of response from your outfit to my banter with Prof Attafuah on Newsfile two weeks ago. I never thought I was this big or important to deserve such an attention from a whole institution that is supposed to be busy focusing on registering people it has been deficient in registering, culminating in long queues, payment of money, and near stampedes at theNIA headquarters.
NIA, your responses are shrouded in half-truths and this is what is referred to as propaganda. You guys can tickle yourselves and laugh just in the quest to protect your jobs. But some of us won’t allow you to plunge Ghana into chaos and flee the country with your Diplomatic or Serviced Passports.
Kindly engage the leaders of the opposition parties again and do not live in the past. The comments of Jerry Rawlings and co, were given in the past and no one has qualms with the relevance of Ghana Card. Indeed, long before Prof Ken Attafuah got his appointment, some of us had argued for the need for all identity cards to be synchronized into one card. So, it’s not a big deal if other eminent statesmen and women applauded the move to have Ghana card.
What is contentious, however, is the disagreement on the use of the Ghana Card as the sole source document for voter registration and the fact that the NIA has hugely imponderable challenges that it’s top officials share only in the private. We need the Ghana Card but let’s hasten slowly.
There is no point for this inordinate haste which creates unnecessary feeling of suspicion that has the tendency to lead to implosion, given how the use of Ghana card alone, as the source document for voter registration, could impact hugely on the electoral fortunes of political parties.
Rather than citing what a dead founder of a political party said in support of theGhana Card, let the NIA listen to the voices of the living about the dangers of intransigence and unwillingness to build consensus on the use of the Card as the sole document for voter registration. Let the NIA and Prof Attafuah not use eloquence and big English to be dismissive of challenges that stares at us in the face.
Prof Attafuah was in parliament and he saw the reaction of the minority group. Using one side of the argument of Dominic Ayine on radio to support the counter view that, the NIA doesn’t have trust deficit, is quite disingenuous. Professors must analyze things from a holistic view point. There are two sides to every coin and as we seek to build Ghana, our efforts must be aimed at protecting the national interest and not to tout one’s supposed achievements that are highly contentious.
When Chelsea defeated Leicester City on March 11, Graham Potter explained why he substituted Joao Felix at halftime. Chelsea continued their mini-revival with a 3-1 victory over Leicester City after a protracted stretch of subpar performances under the embattled Potter.
With the victory on Saturday, all competitions have now seen three straight victories.
Patson Daka’s bolt was rendered useless, keeping Chelsea’s flimsy hopes of playing in Europe alive thanks to goals from Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz, and Mateo Kovacic.
On-loan striker Felix appeared to sustain an injury in the first half, costing the team their victory.
The Portuguese forward was a target of very feisty attacks from the home side, with Ricardo Perreira extremely lucky to avoid a sending-off after stamping on his foot.
The 23-year-old was withdrawn at half-time, with Conor Gallagher taking his place. Potter has now explained the thinking behind that decision. “Tactically, I wanted to use an extra midfielder. I felt we needed someone who could ball win, a different profile and I thought Conor was fantastic,” as quoted by Evening Standard.
Felix’s situation at Chelsea
The news will come as a double-edged sword to Chelsea fans.
Good news in the sense that Felix did not pick up an injury that would confine him on the mending table for a long time. The Blues have had their fair share of injury woes that has greatly destabilised Potter’s plans this season.
However, Felix has now been substituted in the last four games after he did little to impress. His loan option doesn’t have a buy option, but he has indicated an interest in remaining at Stamford Bridge.
His chemistry with Havertz is yet to hit the desired standards. He will have to put in more work to convince Todd Boehly to sanction a permanent move for him.
Mudryk unleashes Drogba celebration
In the same game, Sports Brief has reportedthat Chelsea fans are convinced Mykhailo Mudryk paid tribute to Didier Drogba with his goal celebration
The Blues went into the game buoyed from their Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund in midweek and started the game brightly, with Ben Chilwell finding the net against his former club. In the second half, Mudryk, who was a live wire throughout the game, thought he had found the net with a decent effort, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
No one gave the Ukranian the memo in the initial moments after scoring as he emphatically ran to the corner flag in celebration before knee-sliding and thrusting his hands in celebration.
The brutalization of Ashaiman residents on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 by members of the Ghanaian Armed Forces has reignited discussions about instances where the Armed Forces, in the opinion of the majority of Ghanaians, engaged in misconduct and violated the rights of citizens.
The incident in Ashaiman has some people thinking back to the time when Ghana was under military rule, when some soldiers would randomly attack innocent civilians and even murder some of them.
Raymond Acquah of the Multimedia Group has revisited a 1982 story that demonstrates how military officers clashed with civilians and violated their rights during the military era as discussions about the Ashaiman incident gain traction.
He shares the story of how one Major Joe Darko of the Ghana Army Medical Corps, Kumasi stormed a church with a pistol to order the church members to stop the service and fill potholes.
The pastor and the church members per the narrative rejected the order, pleading to carry out the assignment when they are done with the service.
Their plea fell on the good ears of the major who left the church but the leaders of the church followed it up with an official complaint to the military hierarchy about the conduct of the major.
The major was queried about the said incident which infuriated him, forcing him to go back to the church with his pistol and threatened them.
His presence sparked a clash and he, in the process discharged his firearm which injured a police officer who was a member of the church.
His driver who escaped, informed the military officers about the incident which sparked a wave of attacks on the church members and their communities, resulting in the death of a police officer and a football fan.
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain were viciously attacked by Bundesliga club Augsburg after Bayern Munich eliminated them from the Champions League earlier this week.
PSG was eliminated in the round of 16 by Bayern Munich over the course of two legs, prolonging their wait for their first Champions League victory.
Against the Bavarians, PSG’s feared trio unexpectedly failed to score even once, with Messi and Mbappe in particular being muffled at the Allianz Arena. Due to an ankle injury that would end his season, Neymar was unable to play.
Augsburg played Bayern Munich on Saturday in a top-flight game, and despite losing 5-3, they took solace in the fact that they did score thrice against the league champions – a fete PSG couldn’t.
Ironically, had Christophe Galtier’s side scored three goals over the two ties, the game could have gone to extra time and possibly penalties. Mergim Berisha scored twice on march 11th to add to the strike he got in the first leg against the same opposition in a surprise 1-0 win in September.
Fans reactions
Fans trooped online to respond to the online troll.
@jogabonito said: “Mbappé alone has more trophies than your club. Know your place.”
@ahmdan said: “I’d never thought I’d see the day where Berisha outscores the whole PSG team”
PSG bounced back to beat Brest in Ligue 1 on Saturday evening to cement their lead in France, while Augsburg’s defeat saw them remain in 13th place.
Messi achieves new milestone Sports Brief had earlier reported that Messi reached 300 club assists as Paris Saint-Germain wiped their midweek wounds with a hard-fought victory over Brest.
The genius number 10 added further gloss to his greatest of all-time claim when he set up Kylian Mbappe, who made no mistake by rounding the goalkeeper before slotting home from close range.
Kennedy Agyapong, a representative for Assin Central, expressed surprise at a proposed Constitutional Instrument (CI) that would make the Ghana Card the only form of identification accepted for new voter registration.
The Minority Caucus has voiced strong opposition to the Electoral Commission’s proposed CI, while the other side has voiced strong support.
In an interview he gave to Sompa FM in Kumasi late last week, Agyapong expressed his concerns about the decision to eliminate the passport as proof of citizenship in particular.
“For Americans, even Ghanaians who have naturalized, they are so proud to hold an American passport. Ghana has people taking bogus decisions and I wonder those who sit there and take such decisions.
“That a whole Ghana passport, you claim that to register to vote, we won’t allow use of the Ghana passport, we have lost our identity to National Identification, what?” he lamented.
He reiterated his strict opposition to the CI asking, “what makes me know I am a Ghanaian? It is my passport.”
He also rejected the EC’s explanation that a lot of non-Ghanaians are holding the Ghanaian passport, “same is the case with these Ghana Cards,” he challenged.
The CI aims to amend the current law to makeGhana Card, the sole proof of identification for registration of new voters, removing the existing options of the use of passports and the guarantor system.
Despite Crystal Palace’s loss on Saturday,Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has heaped praise on Jordan Ayew.
The reigning champions were welcomed to Selhurst Pack by the Eagles.
Up until the Citizens were given a penalty for Michael Olise’s late challenge on Ilkay Gundogan, Jordan kept up his impressive play for the home team.
The 28th goal of the year for Erling Haaland came from the penalty spot.
After the game, Guardiola praised Palace’s tenacity and praised Ayew and Zaha for their contributions despite the team’s loss at home.
“It is always tricky playing here [Selhurst Park],” told Sky Sports.
“We are always confident playing at home but I always have this belief that it is always tricky here.
“The way they play and run is just incredible. Jordan Ayew and Zaha are incredible players.
“They are always running and creating spaces for the team,” he added.
With the loss, Palace’s worrisome 10-match losing streak in league play is now the longest in the division, and Patrick Vieira’s team is now only four points above the relegation zone.
Jordan Ayew has been selected for the Black Stars team to play Angola in a doubleheader at the2023 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] later this month.
Akufo-Addo has come under fire from Sam Nartey George, the member of parliament for Ningo Prampram, for claiming that Ghana has experienced a great deal of freedom of speech during his administration.
Sam George claims that Akufo-Addo spread untruths when he summoned the diplomatic community to Peduase on January 28, 2020, and sternly warned them to refrain from commenting on domestic matters affecting our nation.
Speaking on the 2023 SoNA debate in parliament on March 10, 2023, Sam George said “…Our friends on the other side, led by President Akufo-Addo, who have given the truth and facts a haircut. Mr Speaker, it appears that the government led by Akufo-Addo has engaged in a debt exchange programme with the truth but has decided to peddle the untruth in this house.”
“President Akufo-Addo, in his statement in this house, said that indeed ‘freedom of speech has now reached such a height that even members of the diplomatic corp feel able to join in our national discourse’.
“Mr Speaker Akufo-Addo has forgotten that he summoned the diplomatic community to Peduase on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, and issued them with a stern warning to stop commenting on national issues of our country, that is a record of Akufo-Addo, yet today he turns around and says there is freedom of speech and that there is an intolerant person who is unhappy about the descent.
“You are begging the German government to help you beg China to forgive debt, and when the German ambassador tells you that your government is suffering from elephantiasis, you say your party symbol is an elephant, so he should leave you alone, and you are complaining about that,” Sam George added.
President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, March 7, 2023, fulfilled his constitutional mandate by addressing parliament about the current state of the nation under his stewardship.
The president emphasised that but forCOVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war, the country was headed in the right direction in terms of overall development.
But according to the opposition minority, Ghana has suffered and continues to suffer from what they deem to be the incompetence of the current government.
Two kindhearted individuals who just so happened to be drivers fromKumasi in the Ashanti Region gave back a bag containing GH$200,000 to its rightful owner.
The drivers, who are also friends, discovered a strange bag in the station where they were loading passengers for their final trip of the night in a UTV video ..
He didn’t have a car, so he decided to go to work with his friend, according to one of the drivers. They had only 3 passengers in the car from 10:30 to 11:00. As a result, he informed the passengers that the car would not be stopping at Tech Junction and that they would need to board another vehicle.
The driver said that he realized there was a strange bag in the station by a pile of rubbish and beckoned to his colleague to check its contents. Upon examining it, they realized it was money.
Upon getting to their destination, they rechecked the contents of the bag again and then decided to hand the money over to a trusted Police officer.
The Police officer then reported to Hello FM, whose manager made an announcement to which a lot of people called in and made claims for the money but the owner was eventually found.
The owner of the bag of money expressed his frustration over the missing money, claiming he had not had a proper meal in days and wanted to end his life.
The two drivers went ahead to express their gratitude to thePolice officer, the radio station and advised the general public to be kind and not take what does not belong to them.
After experiencing problems with potable water for more than 20 years, the people of Anyako can nowhave free access to water.
Following the commissioning of a water project at Kpota in Anyako by Dr. Emmanuel Kojo Jones-Mensah.
Chiefs and Anyako residents joined him at the Anlo Awomefia SHS.
This project was started by Dr. Jones-Mensah and his KJM Foundation five months ago after he was contacted by some elders and natives and swiftly responded by taking the first step.
A second phase of the water project will continue, according to Dr. Jones-Mensah, with the hiring of technical officers to lay pipes from Heluvi to the main township of Anyako.
Additionally, Dr. Jones-Mensah announced two scholarship openings up to university level each year for gifted but needy Anlo Awomefia SHS students.
Torgbui Kposegi IV and Torgbui Agbetsi Zewu IV, all of Anyako also graced the occasion.
Torgbui Kposegi IV of Anyako Woeto thanked Dr. Jones-Mensah for his humanitarian gesture and prayed for God’s guidance on him and his companies. “I have been on this throne for 20years and now we have potable drinking water through the benevolence of Efo Kojo Jones-Mensah. We are touched by his kind and selfless gesture. We are looking forward to a long lasting relationship between Anyako community and Dr. Jones-Mensah,” Torgbui Kposegi IV said.
He added, “I have tasted the water. It is sweet and on point. God bless Dr. Jones-Mensah.” Torgbui Kposegi IV observed he never knew potable water could be discovered in Anyako due to the extreme salinity of the water table of the community.
Dr. Jones-Mensah thanked everybody for gracing the occasion and announced that no community in Keta Constituency will be left behind in the quest to provide potable water as well as address pressing needs towards livelihoods, empowerment and development.
Dr. Jones-Mensah established KJM Foundation with the sole objective of impacting lives and serving humanity.
The Foundation provides potable water to deprived communities in Ghana, scholarships to brilliant but needy students and women/youth empowerment.
Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, a former minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has refuted claims that the state seized 500 excavators that had disappeared while he was in office.
The heart surgeon claimed that the accusations against him were unfounded and only made up to get him kicked out of the Akufo-Addo led government.
On March 10, 2023, he revealed to GBC News in an exclusive interview how individuals within his own political party were working against him internally, including those at Jubilee House who were engaging in galamsey (illegal small-scale mining) activities.
“No 500 excavators went messing, it was somebody who threw that into the media space to tag something of Frimpong Boateng. What am I doing with 500 excavators?
“The true story is that, at the start of Operation Vanguard thing, the soldiers were supposed to arrest the excavators.
“So, they go into the forest where they’re doing the mining and remove the control board. So, if they remove 20 control boards today, they report that they’ve mobilized 20 control boards.
“But then when you go away, then they bring new control boards and fix them and then off they go. So, we got the report that they had immobilized over 750 excavators so we appointed somebody to go around and check.
“When we went round, I think we got about 150, 200 that you could see. The rest had either been given to the owners or put in extra parts and moved away.
“There was an orchestrating scheme even within the party and government to get you out.
“Look, why is it that when I left now everybody is in the forest? Other times, you dare not enter the forest.
“But let me tell you, I did not take one excavator for anything and they know the truth. Now things are coming up, we know those who are behind it and the party people who are there.
“People in government including Jubilee House are doing galamsey even now,” Professor Frimpong Boateng recounted.
When Chelsea and Leicester City square off in a Premier League match on Saturday, March 11, at the King Power Stadium, Graham Potter has confirmed that Chelsea will be without two key players.
The Blues will depart for their trip to face Leicester City having had a fantastic week that saw them advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
To advance to the final of the competition on a 2-1 goal aggregate, Potter’s charges silenced Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the second leg of their round of 16 match played at Stamford Bridge.
Metro UK claims that Chelsea’s significant victory over Dortmund followed a 1-0 Premier League triumph over Leeds.
The west Londoners will now be looking to build on their new-found momentum when they play Leicester this Saturday as they eye a European football spot. Auba, James to miss Leicester clash.
However, they will have to do it without two key players, with both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Reece James ruled out of the King Power Stadium trip.
The development was confirmed by Potter, with the Chelsea boss revealing that Raheem Sterling is also a major doubt. “Reece has been ill, so hasn’t trained today. He won’t make the gam,” Potter said via Goal.
Chelsea fans slam Potter
Sports Brief previously reported on fans slamming Potter for not watching Kai Havertz retake a penalty after the German hit the foot of the post on his first attempt.
The English manager comes off as a soft personality who is relatively quiet on the touchline, but he has to be more vocal to help his team maintain the momentum.
Evening Standard reported the 47-year-old was more animated on the sidelines during the win over Leeds and showed more fight in the game against Dortmund.
