Then, just before the Brit Awards earlier this month, the singer – who has not shared her exact due date – confirmed that the couple were to have a son.
She posed on arrival at the star-studded event in an eye-catching red long-sleeved crop and matching leggings, which she dressed up with a voluminous coat and heels.
The pregnant star also recently attended the BRIT Awards 2023 in a head-turning ensemble. (Getty Images)
The surprise pregnancy news came just over a year after Jessie announced that she had sadly experienced a miscarriage.
In December 2021, she said she was “still not myself” after baby loss, and shared that she was crying herself to sleep “some nights”.
The star had revealed the previous month that she was left “heartbroken” after discovering there was no heartbeat at her third scan.
At the time she had been pursuing motherhood on her own because it was “all [she] ever wanted”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales displayed their competitive side once more on Tuesday, when they participated in activities at Aberavon Leisure Centre in South Wales.
William, 40, and Kate, 41, jumped at the chance to get involved in a spin class at the Port Talbot Sports centre as the pair battled it out in the “Tour de Aberavon’ challenge.
Kate removed her smart cream coat, and hopped on the spin bike in her £19.99 Zara skirt and high-heeled black boots, while William, calmly confident, kept on his suit jacket for the 45-second competition.
Fellow class attendees cheered on both the Prince and Princess of Wales, but it was Kate who was ultimately victorious in the short, yes, strenuous, sporting challenge.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are visiting communities and several mental health initiatives in South Wales ahead of St David’s Day, which takes place on March 1. They visited Aberavon Leisure Centre to promote how sport can help improve mental health.
Their Royal Highnesses started their busy day with a visit to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre to launch their latest initiative: creating therapy gardens to offer mental health support across South Wales.
The initiative is a joint effort between the couple’s Royal Foundation and a social enterprise called Life at No.27, which uses horticulture and counselling to help improve its service users’ mental health.
While at Brynawel Rehabilitation Centre, Prince William and Kate visited the site that will be used for the new therapy allotment, which will feature a sensory and herbal garden, mud kitchen and an interactive learning space.
The Princess of Wales got stuck in on the allotments, helping to plant seeds for a flower called the ‘Sweet William’.
Afterbeing confronted about riding on the pavement, a 77-year-old cyclist fell into the path of a car, leading to the conviction of a partially-sighted, cerebrally-impaired pedestrian for manslaughter.
Celia Ward, a retired midwife, was confronted by Auriol Grey, 49, in a “hostile and aggressive way,” after which she stumbled into the path of a speeding car.
The moment Grey yelled at Mrs. Ward to “get off the [expletive] pavement” was caught on camera and played to Peterborough Crown Court in Cambridge.
A VW Passat strikes Mrs. Ward after she appears to stumble off the pavement and into the traffic in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. After being found guilty of manslaughter, Grey of Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, will be sentenced on March 2.
The court heard the two women passed each other in opposite directions on the pavement of the town’s ring road pavement on October 20, 2020.
The prosecution claimed Grey was “angered by the presence of a cyclist on a footpath”.
Prosecutor Simon Spence KC said Grey shouted at Mrs Ward and “gestured in a hostile and aggressive way towards” her, causing her to fall off the bike and into the road, where she was hit by an oncoming car.
Jurors heard the vehicle had no chance to stop or take avoiding action and Mrs Ward died at the scene.
The court heard Grey left prior to emergency services arriving and went to Sainsbury’s where she bought groceries.
In a police interview, Grey, who has cerebral palsy, told officers she was partially sighted and described the pedal cycle as travelling “fast” in the centre of the pavement.
She stated she was “anxious that I was going to get hit by it”, adding she “may have unintentionally put” out her hand to protect herself.
But after being shown the CCTV footage, interviewing officer Det Sgt Mark Dollard asked her why she said what she said, to which she responded: “I don’t know.”
The court was told the police could not “categorically” state whether the pavement was a shared cycleway.
“Everyone will have their own views on cyclists, pavements and cycleways but what is clear is Auriol Grey’s response to the presence of Celia on a pedal cycle was totally disproportionate and ultimately found to be unlawful, resulting in Celia’s untimely and needless death.
“I am pleased with the verdict and hope it is a stark reminder to all road users to take care and be considerate to each other.
“I want to take the time to acknowledge Celia’s family and thank them for their patience and dignity throughout the entirety of the investigation and trial.”
The alleged deduction follows concerns that the Championship team may not have followed an EFL business plan.
A six-point deduction for Reading’s violation of financial regulations from last season has been suspended until the conclusion of the current campaign.
The Daily Mail reports that the delayed deduction is about to be initiated.
Reading allegedly failed to cut costs in line with a business plan they had with the EFL.
The EFL declined to comment on the matter.
A six-point deduction this season would see Paul Ince’s side drop from 14th to near the bottom of the Championship table, reducing their current points tally from 44 to 38.
However, the Royals would still have an eight-point cushion over Huddersfield in 22nd.
If the Glazers stay and make Erik ten Hag raise money, Manchester United may sell seven players this summer.
Despite months of rumours, the ownership situation of the Red Devils is still unknown.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe have expressed interest in the club since the Glazers first hinted at selling it earlier this season.
However, some Manchester United supporters continue to worry that their hated bosses will decide to stay.
If that does happen, Ten Hag will likely be made to offload players in order to fund any new deals.
And The Mirror are reporting that as many as seven stars face the chop at Old Trafford.
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire, 29, has started just five Premier League games this season as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez continue to build a strong partnership.
And while Ten Hag has reassured him he is a big part of his plans, United could still sell as he would command a substantial fee.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has proven his worth over the past few months following a poor start to life under Ten Hag.
But he could still demand a hefty price tag in the window. And with Diogo Dalot a long-term option at right-back, United may see him as expendable come the end of the season.
Brandon Williams
Brandon Williams has returned from last season’s loan spell at Norwich and been outcast by Ten Hag.
The 22-year-old has earned just one appearance this season – a five-minute outing in the Carabao Cup.
Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are firmly ahead of him in the pecking order of left-backs, so he is an almost certain departure.
Donny van de Beek
Donny van de Beek has endured a torrid time since arriving from Ajax in 2020.
He made just four starts for United before being ruled out with a knee injury and that could cruelly signal the end of his spell at the club.
Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial seemed to be a favoured forward option for Ten Hag at the start of the season.
But continual injury issues have left him unable to establish a lengthy run in the team.
Six goals in 14 appearances is not a bad return, but his inability to remain fit could mean United show him the exit door at the end of the campaign as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.
Alex Telles
Alex Telles was sent out on loan to Sevilla following the arrival of Malacia in the summer.
But he has missed the last two months due to a knee injury and been unable to showcase his capabilities as a result.
With his contract up in 2024, expect him to be sold this summer.
The King has asked theDuke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore Cottage for good to allow Prince Andrew to move in, The Telegraph understands.
It is understood that talks between Buckingham Palace and the couple have been going on for some time but have picked up pace recently.
A friend of the Sussexes suggested that they leave Frogmore, but the couple refused, stating that “they made that place their home.”
They are understood to view the cottage as “the only place left that’s safe” for them and their children in the UK, not least given the ongoing row between Prince Harry and the Home Office over its decision to withdraw his security detail.
It comes as the Duke of York had feared he would be forced out of the Royal Lodge by King Charles, who is on a drive to slim down spending.
The Duke is set to have his £249,000 annual allowance cut from April, and has told friends that this will leave him unable to maintain the 98-acre Windsor property.
However, the King does not intend to leave his brother “homeless or penniless,” a Royal source told The Telegraph, suggesting that alternative arrangements have been made for his accommodation.
Frogmore cottage is much smaller than Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion at Windsor Great Park which has been the Duke’s home since 2003.
Frogmore cottage, with its relatively modest ten rooms, is much smaller than Royal Lodge – Westbury2006/flickr
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex lost their taxpayer-funded police protection in the aftermath of their quitting as senior working royals. In July, Prince Harry won the right to challenge a Home Office decision not to grant him automatic police protection whenever he is in the UK.
The Duke, 37, argued that he inherited a risk at birth and that, as such, he, his wifeMeghan, and their children, Archie, 2, and Lilibet, 1, should be afforded permanent protective security in the UK, regardless of their status as non-working royals.
Prince Andrew horse riding in Windsor Castle – Kelvin Bruce
In asking for a judicial review, he said he had been denied a “clear and full explanation” of the composition of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, otherwise known as Ravec, and others involved in the decision to rescind his security status.
Ravec said at the time that the Sussexes’ plan to live abroad as private citizens did not “fit readily” into any category of its framework.
However, it recognised that the Duke occupied a “particular and unusual position” and that he may need protection in certain circumstances, to be considered on a case by case basis.
The Sussex’ spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.
The future health of Germany’s youth is at risk, according toGermany’s agriculture minister, who has called for a ban on all child-accessible advertising of unhealthy food, including sweets and items with a high salt, fat, and sugar content.
The Greens’ Cem Zdemir said it was time to protect children from the effects of unhealthy food, such as obesity, diabetes, and other illnesses.
Some consumer groups said the proposals should go far further and include banning the strategic placement of confectionery—so-called “Quengelware” or “moaning goods”—at supermarket cash desks, where parents often feel pressured by children to buy them. Sweets and gums are often placed close to alcohol miniatures such as schnapps and the digestif Jägermeister.
An estimated one in two Germans is considered overweight, as are 15% of children, according to health professionals.
“We must ensure that children can grow up more healthily,” Özdemir said, adding that calls on industry to regulate itself had failed.
According to his plans, junk food advertising “in every medium relevant to children” including television, radio and YouTube and Instagram, should be reduced. In future such advertising should only be broadcast between 11pm and 6am, he said.
He stressed he was not in favour of a complete advertising ban, but said: “Advertising should no longer be directed at children.”
Print advertising in children’s magazines as well as billboard advertising in the vicinity of schools and leisure centres for sweets and confectionery should be banned. Zdemir stated that his definition of unhealthy food was based on World Health Organisation guidelines.
He said he would seek cross-party support for the initiative, but expected resistance.
Zdemir’s plan is consistent with the pre-election promise made by the Social Democrats, Greens, and the pro-business FDP, which stated that “Child-focused advertising of foodstuffs containing high sugar, fat, and salt content should in future not be allowed in broadcasting and other formats directed at children under the age of 14.”
Support and praise for the proposal came from consumer rights groups, the World Wildlife Fund and the German Obesity Society which said Özdemir had “delivered a big hit.” It said that obesity was a “key health problem” for children and that the advertising of unhealthy foods was an important contributory factor.
The German Society for Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ) said it was behind the proposal. Its vice-president, Ursula Felderhoff-Müser, told German media that doctors and scientific associations as well as consumer protection groups had been calling for tighter regulation for years insisting that the efficacy of advertising directed at children was well documented.
The FDP and CDU were critical of the plans, while some within the ruling SPD also raised concerns.
Gero Hocker, agricultural spokesperson for the FDP said Özdemir would find no majority within the ruling coalition. He accused him of “trying to turn children unable to make decisions for themselves into citizens unable to do so”.
The CDU’s Steffen Bilger criticised Özdemir for, he said, “trying to smooth the way for dirigisme, bureaucracy and paternalism”.
The SPD’s leader, Saskia Esken, stated that while advertising should not be allowed to mislead, it was ultimately personal decisions that made a difference. “I believe that it’s still up to the parents to protect children from unhealthy foods.”
Arsene Wenger has weighed in on the never-ending debate overLionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo as the superior football player. The football landscape has been dominated by the Argentine genius and the Portuguese phenomenon for almost two decades, demonstrating their extraterrestrial endurance.
While the pair has provided football fans with mesmerising skills, spectacular goals, and breath-taking moments to savour, it has grown more and more challenging to choose the better of the two given their accomplishments. Nevertheless, the debate has shifted in Leo Messi’s favour as a result of his historic year, in which he finally motivated Argentina to win a third World Cup.
His triumph in Qatar with La Albiceleste has comfortably placed him among the pantheon of greats, per Sky Sports. Conversely, Messi’s longstanding rival Cristiano Ronaldo has endured an indifferent last 12 months. He was kicked out of Manchester United and saw his last dance at the World Cup end at the quarterfinal stage.
Regardless, after swapping Europe for Asia, the 38-year-old appears to have rediscovered his mojo and is firing from all cylinders. He was recently crowned the Player of the Month for February in the Saudi Pro League after notching eight goals and contributing two assists in four matches for Al-Nassr, MARCA reports.
While opinions are sharply divided on who the GOAT is between Messi and Ronaldo, Wenger has a more holistic view of the discussion.
“When they [Ronaldo and Messi] will not be there anymore. We will realize what they have given us, both of them. He added: “I always refuse to make a hierarchy on that because they are two different players. Completely different players, but two exceptional players who have shown the world for 15 years how great football can be.
Sports Brief earlier reported that Paris Saint-Germain superstarKylian Mbappe has appeared to change the tune on who is football’s greatest of all time between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The debate on who is the better player between the two football icons remains divided among fans, pundits, and even footballers. Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the football scene for some time now, with the duo winning an incredible 12 Ballon d’Or awards between them.
Thelegendary France striker Just Fontaine, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 89, will always be remembered for his incredible feat of scoring 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, a feat that seems unlikely to be repeated.
Even though Fontaine only participated in one tournament and played in six games, only three players have ever scored more goals at the World Cup.
In Qatar, Lionel Messi equaled his previous total of goals scored, but it took him five World Cups to get there. Most people associate the 1958 World Cup in Sweden with the emergence of a 17-year-old Pele, who propelled Brazil to victory after scoring a hat-trick in their 5-2 semifinal victory over France.
Part of a wonderful attacking trident alongside Roger Piantoni and Raymond Kopa, Fontaine might never have gone to Sweden at all.
Only injuries to Thadee Cisowski and his Reims teammate Rene Bliard saw him make the squad and then the starting line-up.
“It was only at the airport before leaving for Sweden that Paul Nicolas (part of the national team staff) and Albert Batteux (the France coach), who didn’t really want me, told me I would be playing as centre-forward,” Fontaine told AFP in 2013.
Only Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16), Brazil’s Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Mueller, the West German hero of the 1970s who scored 14 times, have netted more World Cup finals goals.
Just two other players — Mueller with 10 in 1970 and Hungary’s Sandor Kocsis with 11 in 1954 — have reached double figures at a single World Cup.
Yet Kopa is remembered as the biggest French star of the era. When he died in 2017, Fontaine remembered fondly his “big brother”. “Raymond had character,” he said. “So did I, and that made us a magical duo.” Born in Marrakech in August 1933 to a French father and Spanish mother at the time of the French Protectorate in Morocco, Fontaine went to school in Casablanca, and began his football career there.
Career cut short by injury
In 1953 the stocky penalty-box poacher moved to France, joining Nice.
His three years there were spent combining football with military service,but Fontaine still won the French Cup in his first season and a league title in 1956. He then moved to Reims, the great French side of the 1950s who had just been beaten by Real Madrid in the first European Cup final and that summer lost Kopa to the Spanish giants.
He scored 10 goals in that European campaign, but 1958 was his crowning glory — in his second season with Reims, they won a league and cup double and he was the league’s top scorer with 34 goals.
However, his career ended in 1962 aged just 28. He had hardly played for two years after suffering a double leg fracture. In all he won 21 caps for France, scoring 30 goals. “We talk a lot about my record but I would definitely have swapped it for another five or six years, because football was my passion,” he said. “I was at the very top, and I was earning a lot of money at the time. It was not the money you see nowadays, it was five times the minimum wage, whereas now it would be more like one hundred times that.
Fontaine went into coaching and in 1967 took charge of France. However, he lasted just two games, both defeats in friendlies. A spell with Paris Saint-Germain was more successful, as “Justo” took the side from the capital into the top flight in 1974.
His career in football ended back where it began, in Morocco, as he led the national team to third place at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations. He then retired to Toulouse, in the south-west of France.
The playmaker from Argentina and Paris St. Germain won the coveted award for a record-extending seventh time. He defeated Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema in the final.
The award, which recognises the top male performer, was chosen by national team coaches, captains, eminent journalists, and fans from all over the world. FIFA reports that Messi received 52 points, Mbappe came in second with 44 points, and Karim Benzema of France and Real Madrid received 34 points.
Considering the long-standing sporting rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Iberian country was least expected to throw their weight behind the Argentine genius. How did Portugal vote? Sports Brief takes a look at how Portugal voted, especially with Cristiano Ronaldo failing to make the final shortlist.
Martínez, stepped down from his role as Belgium manager after their World Cup group stage exit, but received appointment as Portugal’s new boss after the Mundial. Hence the onus fell on him to vote for the Best Men’s footballer for 2022 at the gala held in Paris, France.
The 49-year-old interestingly threw away the rivalry between Ronaldo, perhaps Portugal’s greatest footballer in history and Leo Messi away to vote for the PSG playmaker.
Pepe – Portugal captain Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira, simply known as Pepe, was the players’ delegate to choose for Portugal.
Acting as Ronaldo’s deputy, Pepe naturally omitted Leo Messi from his preferred choice of winners. Instead, selecting Messi’s clubmate Kylian Mbappe, former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric and current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema in that order.
Pepe, aged 40, is regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation and is still performing at FC Porto.
The best football players in the world gathered under one roof as the world’s governing body of the sport honoured and praised their extraordinary efforts over the previous twelve months.
World Cup champion Lionel Messi of Argentina won the award for best male player of the year for the seventh time, defeating Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Messi is joined by Champions League winner Luka Modric, former Bundesliga leading scorer Erling Haaland, and Africa’s Best Player Sadio Mane on the list of the top ten footballers in the world for 2022.
Along with Achraf Hakimi, who assisted Morocco in reaching the World Cup semifinals for the first time, Julian Alvarez, who also helped Argentina win the World Cup and Copa America, also made the top 10 list.
Brazil’s famous player Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne who is considered one of the best midfielders in the world completed the top 10 footballers in the world list.
Former Hearts of Oak player Joe Tagoe, also known as Bobby Short, has spoken out about his near-death experience after lying about his age at an Egyptian club.
Bobby Short, who enjoyed success with Hearts of Oak in the domestic league, revealed that he suffered a potentially fatal injury that kept him from playing for several months.
He made the decision to lower his age to make himself more appealing for clubs to sign him in an effort to get back into the game.
“I got injured and tried to get back. Nii Lante Bannerman wanted to help me, so I started training because by then I looked heavier than I am now. I went to Egypt and changed my age to 21,” Joe Tagoe told Dan Kwaku Yeboah
According to him, his coach, who thought he was 20 years old, made him undergo rigorous training, which could have cost him his life.
“The coach thought I was indeed 21 due to my height, so whenever we close from training, he will tell me to join the under-20 side to train.
“The way the boys were running I realized I couldn’t cheat nature and I don’t take care I will exchange my life with money so I had to come home,” Joe Tagoe said.
Upon returning to Ghana, Tagoe joined Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs but after a short stint at the club, the player bid farewell because they were unable to pay his meagre salary.
“When I returned home, I joined the Ebusua Dwarfs.” Over there, any time they have to pay me, they use this excuse of the club being a stepping stone for me. Meanwhile, I’m not a small boy; I have a family and a child to feed. I don’t even know which stepping stone again they are talking about so I had to quit because the pay was like 600 or 700 cedis in 2018,” he said.
The Super Falcons’ goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, shared some adorable pictures of herself posing with football greats at the2023 FIFA award ceremony in Paris. Since Nnadozie currently plays for Paris FC in the French Division 1 Feminine, she found it relatively simple to make the ceremony.
It’s interesting to note that numerous prominent football figures attended the awards ceremony to watch Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi be named the best player. Chiamaka Nnadozie, a goalkeeper from Nigeria, in action.
As per the photos Nnadozie posted on her Twitter page, the Nigerian was seen chilling with the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, Didier Drogba and Casemiro.
Lionel Messi wins award After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player vote against Mbappe and Karim Benzema to secure the FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years.
The former Barcelona captain has also been tipped to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or award for the eighth time because of his impressive performances so far.
Meanwhile, Nnadozie is expected to be in goal for the Super Falcons in their campaign for this year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Nnadozie poses with Rolls Royce Earlier, Sports Brief had reported how the Super Falcons’ impressive goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie was spotted with an exotic Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Sharing her New Years message to her Instagram followers, the shot-stopper was seen in front of a white Rolls-Royce as she posed for a photograph. Nnadozie had featured for Nigeria’s U17 and U20 women’s teams, before earning a call-up to the Super Falcons squad in 2018.
At age 19, she was part of the squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019. She became the youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at the tournament, following Nigeria’s 2-0 win over South Korea in their opening game.
Thomas Partey, a midfielder from Ghana, has been declared likely to be fitfor Arsenal’s Premier League match against Everton on March 1, 2023, according to head coach Mikel Arteta.
Partey will train with the team on Tuesday, and that will determine whether he can play against Everton, according to Mikel Arteta during the pre-game press conference.
“He hasn’t trained much. He had a session & he will train today. It is what it is. He was out for a few weeks & he needs to get back into the rhythm.”
Thomas Partey suffered an injury in the lead-up to Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.
The Black Stars midfielder went on to miss Arsenal’s next three games and returned over the weekend with a cameo performance in their 1-0 victory over Leicester on Saturday.
Thomas Partey has been integral in Arsenal’s chase for the title this season, with the Gunners yet to lose a game with him in the side.
His injury record is however a cause of concern for Arsenal who are believed to be on the market for a long-term replacement.
The Gunners were heavily linked with Brighton star, Moises Caicedo and it is believed that they will make another attempt in the summer.
Racist insults were directed at the former star of Bayern Munich for not selecting Karim Benzema, a Real Madrid teammate, as his first choice.
The award is chosen by coaches, captains, and journalists from every country. Following Monday’s ceremony, FIFA released a complete breakdown of who received the most votes. According to this breakdown, Austria’s captain Alaba chose Messi over Benzema as his top pick.
Only a little more than two months have passed since Messi led Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar before being named the best male footballer in the world at FIFA’s annual awards ceremony on Monday night.
Alaba’s vote did not go down well with Los Blancos supporters, so much so that he was targeted with vile racist messages and calls to leave their club on social media.
Yet after receiving the sickening abuse, Alaba has come out and clarified that Austria’s vote for Messi was a collective decision.
He posted on Twitter:‘Regarding FIFA The Best Award: The Austrian national team vote for this award as a team, not me alone. Everyone in the team council is able to vote and that’s how it’s decided.
‘Everyone knows, especially Karim, how much I admire him and his performances’.
Benzema had to settle for third in the voting despite inspiring Madrid’s astonishing Champions League triumph last season.
The France striker scored back-to-back hat-tricks in last-16 and quarter-final victories over PSG and Chelsea, before scoring a crucial goal in their second-leg win against the Blues.
He also fired home three goals across both legs as they got past Manchester City in the semi-finals.
In the upcoming 2023Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Angola’s head coach, Pedro Goncalves, has set a goal of two victories over Ghana’s Black Stars.
The first leg of the match between the Black Stars and Angola will be played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on March 23, with the return leg taking place in Angola on March 27.
Despite acknowledging that the Black Stars are a formidable opponent, Pedro Goncalves stated that they are still hoping to earn the maximum six points from the game.
“Well, I hope we have the strength for six points. We are going to play rounds three and four against Ghana. Ghana is one of the best teams in Africa.
“They were at the last World Cup. They represented very well, and we saw the power of the Black Stars. Only five African national teams represented the continent, and Ghana was there.
“They are one of the best teams. I watched their performance, and they are strong. They improved so much at the World Cup. They have a lot of very good players; they have more players abroad,” he said, as quoted by Ghanasportspage.com.
Both Ghana and Angola have been able to accumulate four points after playing two gameseach in Group E.
Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, said he understood what Graham Potter is going through at Chelsea right now as pressure to fire the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager grows. The Englishman once more had nowhere to run as the Blues fell to Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 on February 26.
Following that loss, an intriguing petition to fire Potter was started, and according to The Mirror, up to 45,000 enraged fans have signed it. The ex-Seagulls manager, who still thinks he is the right person for the job at Stamford Bridge, lost Chelsea for the 10th time in 17 games during the London derby.
Potter interestingly cited Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp as examples of coaches who had a positive impact on players in his post-game press conference.
Arteta spoke on Potter’s situation where he sympathised with the Englishman. “…We are colleagues and we all know the pressure and the demands and the uncertainty that this industry has,” he said. “At the end of the day, the ball has to go into that net, and there are many factors that can prevent that that are out of your control, so I fully empathise because you suffer and you know how it is when you are going through those moments”.
Not only has Potter had to deal with torrid results on the pitch, he also recently revealed his family had been subjected to death threats. Arteta felt sorry for the Chelsea coach, but did not want to reveal whether he had been a victim of similar threats when his Arsenal side was struggling three years ago.
“You can have difficulties and challenges in your job, which we do especially when you lose, but when you are winning as well because this job is so demanding, but you cannot destroy your life because of that,” Arteta added.
Meanwhile, the Gunners will go five points clear at the top of the table with a win over Sean Dyche’s Everton, who are battling relegation.
Aubameyang surplus to requirements? Sports Brief also reported on why Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be surplus to requirements at Chelsea, struggling to get minutes under Potter.
So far, the French-Gabonese player has only managed to feature in 11 English Premier League matches for the Blues and has scored just one goal. Most players who wore the No.9 shirt at Stamford Bridge lasted just one season because the manager and fans did not give them a second chance.
The right foundation is being laid by Erik ten Hag to get Manchester United back in contention for the top prizes, but according to him, it is still too early to declare the Red Devils’ return.
In the EFL Cup final on Sunday at Wembley, United defeated Newcastle United 2-0 to win their first significant trophy in six years. Goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford in the first half were enough to secure the victory.
It is Ten Hag’s most recent victory. Despite being eight points behind league-leading Arsenal, Ten Hag’s team still has FA Cup and Europa League aspirations, and a title challenge is not out of the question.
While acknowledging the upward trajectory Ten Hag has the club on, Red Devils legend Cole, a member of the illustrious 1999 treble-winning United team, cautioned there is still a long way to go to catch up to rivals Manchester City, who have won the title in four of the past five seasons and are only two points behind the Gunners this time around.
“We need to remember a lot of teams [used to] disregard the League Cup, now the League Cup has become a big competition,” Cole told Stats Perform.
“I’m very, very happy obviously we won the League Cup and with Ten Hag, but let’s put things into perspective here, it’s his first season. We’ve got to be very honest, we know there’s a big gap between ourselves and Manchester City.
“We can talk about at the present moment there’s only five points difference but if we look at the whole of the last few seasons we’ve not been close.
“So, I’m not going to look at this year and say, ‘we’re back’. It’s fantastic that we’ve had the opportunity to win the cup, but I think we’re still a little bit away. If we keep improving like we are at the moment, it won’t be too much longer.”
Cole, who scored 121 goals in 275 appearances for United, believes the EFL Cup triumph is only part of the process of getting the club challenging regularly for league titles once again.
“I was sitting here watching the game and hoping that this is the start of something new,” he added.
“To win the league you’ve got to be the best team for 38 games. So that’s the process; that takes time; that’s not going to take you one or two years, it’s going to take a little bit longer.
“If you look at for instance, Manchester City, they’ve won the League Cup numerous times, then they’ve gone on to win the league numerous times.”
“I think he’s [Ten Hag] building blocks. If you look at his building blocks, obviouslyManchester United are in a position where they’ve won the League Cup. But let’s build on that. Get from now until the end of the season, finish in the Champions League spot. And then you go to the next season.
“I’m not going to sit here and say Manchester United are going to win the league next season. I know how difficult that’s going to be. Just because we won the League Cup this season, I don’t believe we’re going to win the Premier League next season by 15 points. No, it doesn’t quite happen like that; everything is a process.”
United have had plenty of false dawns since legendary manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, with the likes of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all ultimately falling short in their attempts to restore past glories – even though the two former coaches did win trophies.
Cole believes Ten Hag can lean on Ferguson for advice but ultimately step out of his shadow.
“I think with Ten Hag we all know he’s got a pinch on the game and how he wants to run the football club, he’s very good with discipline,” he said.
“From the outside looking in, I could say possibly that’s what Ten Hag is doing at Manchester United – leaning on Sir Alex Ferguson for his knowledge.
“But at some stage you’re going to look at things and address things in a totally different way. So, I think to take it on board that Sir Alex Ferguson is there and he’s going to be there period.
“There’s no point to try to fight against him because I think when people try and fight against it then it seems to cause more problems than anything else, it seems like they’ve got a very good relationship which is only a positive thing.”
Lucas Canizares, the goalkeeper for Real Madrid, has extended his contract with the LaLiga behemoths.
Canizares hasn’t taken the field for Madrid in a senior match yet, but he has been used as a substitute 10 times this year and was a member of the team that won the Club World Cup.
The 20-year-old, who is the prodigal son of former Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Santi Canizares, is ranked third in the hierarchy, behind Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin.
He reportedly came close to leaving the team in January to pursue regular football, but he revealed on Monday that a new contract had been signed on his Instagram page.
“I’m very happy to expand my link with Real Madrid,” Canizares said. “Eager to return with work the trust deposited. Let’s go!”
Kylian Mbappe previously stated his opinions on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi debate for the title of greatest player of all time, but the Paris Saint-Germain star now seems to have changed his mind.
The star of Paris Saint-Germain Kylian Mbappe appears to have made a sharp about-face regarding who he thinks is superior to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The two forwards have developed a spirited rivalry over the course of their individual careers, which peaked during their time with Real Madrid and Barcelona. After finally winning a World Cup championship medal in Qatar last year, it seemed that Messi had put the discussion to rest.
Messi’s glorious campaign has also seems to have definitively changed the mind of his PSG teammate Mbappe. The Frenchman was previously a huge admirer of Portuguese icon Ronaldo.
The striker’s father admitted that the veteran was among Mbappe’s heroes within the game. Speaking in 2016, he said: “He [Mbappe] is a Real Madrid fan and his idol is Cristiano Ronaldo. He used to spend hours watching videos [of Ronaldo] on the internet.”
That was a claim that was backed up by Mbappe’s former teammate Abdou Diallo. He previously suggested that the striker was under no illusions over who was better.
Speaking in December, the defender said: “Cristiano Ronaldo is literally everything to Kylian Mbappe. If you mention Lionel Messi against Cristiano, Mbappe will debate with you for at least an hour. For him, Cristiano is untouchable.”
Mbappe performed his change of opinion on social media in the aftermathof The Best FIFA Awards. A glitzy ceremony was held in Paris on Monday evening to celebrate the best players in both the men’s and the women’s game in 2022.
Messi was named as the Best Men’s Player of the Year following his outstanding performances as Argentina lifted the World Cup, whilst he has also managed to find electric form. The veteran was also named in the FIFPRO Men’s World XI alongside his club teammate Mbappe.
The latter issued his response to the pair’s evening, whilst sending his congratulations to Messi with a telling message. Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “Another trophy at home. Big congratulations to @leomessi you are #TheBest.”
H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, has stated that he will take all necessary steps to ensure that the late Black Stars winger Christian Atsu is given a respectable funeral.
The President made this statement on Monday, February 27, when he welcomed the player’s family and Ghana FA officials to the Jubilee House.
“I want the Chief of Staff to make sure we organise a state-assisted funeral for Christian Atsu depending on the date that you the members of the family and the GFA will select.
“Everything will be done from the point of view of the government to make sure that he is given a dignified exit. I owe it as my responsibility as President to make sure that that happens,” President Akufo-Addo stressed.
The Ghanaian President continued, “The decision as to when the funeral will take place depends on the family. That is the tradition in Ghana. Whatever the decision, whatever date you choose, you should know that the government will stand squarely behind you to make sure that we give him a fitting burial”.
Christian Atsu’s funeral has not yet been scheduled, but his family has set March 4 as the start of aone-week mourning period.
After winning the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for a second time, Lionel Messi thanked his Argentina team-mates for a “dream” year.
At the awards ceremony on Monday in Paris, the superstar from Paris Saint-Germain beat out Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and clubmate Kylian Mbappe for the top prize.
Messi was a key player in Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup, winning the Golden Ball after contributing to three more goals and scoring seven of his own.
In the first half of the 2022–23 season, which was considered in the voting, he also made an impression at the club level, contributing to 14 goals and 11 goals in 18 games.
That matched the 35-year-old’s total of 34 games during his first season at Parc des Princes in both categories.
Upon collecting his Best FIFA award, which he previously won in 2019, Messi said: “Wow, this is amazing. It’s been a tremendous year, and it’s an honour to win this award.
“Without my team-mates, I wouldn’t be here. I achieved the dream I had been hoping for so long. Very few people can achieve that and I have been lucky to do so.
Messi joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski as two-time winners of the trophy, with Luka Modric the only other winner since the award was first handed out in 2016.
Lionel Scaloni was crowned the Best FIFA Men’s Coach, meanwhile, and Emiliano Martinez ensured it was a clean sweep for Argentina by taking the Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award.
In the women’s prizes, Sarina Wiegman took the Best FIFA Women’s Coach award for a third time and Alexia Putellas pipped Beth Mead to the Best FIFA Women’s Player accolade.
England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps was named the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper.
In Monday’s opulent ceremony for the Best FIFA Awards in Paris, Lionel Messi, Lionel Scaloni, and Emiliano Martinez completed a clean sweep for Argentina.
Messi, a forward for Paris Saint-Germain, won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award, while Scaloni won Best FIFA Men’s Coach, and Martinez won Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper.
The award period runs from the start of the 2021–22 season until the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, which saw Argentina snap a 36-year championship drought.
Martinez, who plays for Aston Villa, won the vote ahead of Thibaut Courtois and Yassine Bounou, who represent Real Madrid and Sevilla, respectively. Courtois did, however, make the FIFPro Men’s World 11 squad.
Scaloni was next to pick up an award after seeing off competition from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who won the LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
#TheBest@lioscaloni 🗣️: "No hay cosa más linda que ver feliz a todo tu país. Ver a esa gente emocionada en las calles no tiene precio. Este triunfo es para ellos". pic.twitter.com/dJwErBiGI5
La Albiceleste have lost just one of their 23 games since the start of last season, with their solitary loss coming in their opening Qatar 2022 group game against Saudi Arabia.
Messi made it three from three for Argentina by claiming the top prize at the ceremony in the French capital, which started with a poignant tribute to Brazil great Pele.
Their domination on the men’s side was not quite matched by European champions England in the women’s prizes.
Mary Earps was named the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper and Sarina Wiegman took the Best FIFA Women’s Coach award for a third time.
But Beth Mead was pipped to the Best FIFA Women’s Player accolade by Alexia Putellas, last year’s winner.
Other winners included Luka Lochoshvili, then of Austrian side Wolfsberger, in the FIFA Fair Play category for potentially saving the life of opponent Georg Teigl during a game after the Austria Vienna player fell unconscious mid-match.
Polish amputee footballer Marcin Oleksy won the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal for his perfectly executed bicycle kick for Warta Poznan against Stal Rzeszow.
The Best FIFA Women’s Player award was given to Alexia Putellas, preventing England’s female representatives from winning every award at the ceremony on Monday.
Following England’s victory at Euro 2022 on home soil in 2017, Sarina Wiegman and Mary Earps were named Best FIFA Women’s Coach and Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper, respectively.
Beth Mead, who won the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament awards at Euro 2022, lost out to midfielder Putellas of Barcelona and Spain.
Putellas, who won the Primera Division with Barcelona in 2021–22 but was sidelined with an ACL injury for the Euros, has now won the prize twice after taking first place the previous year as well.
The Blues have not triumphed since defeating Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on January 15 and are currently on a terrible run.
Only three points have been earned by Graham Potter’s struggling team in their last five Premier League games, and they lost 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League matchup.
The pressure on Potter increased after Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Tottenham, but James insists that everyone at the team is working hard to turn things around.
The England ace, who took the captain’s armband against Spurs when Thiago Silva was forced off by injury, said: “The media and everyone on the outside make a lot of noise about the form we’re in.
“We know where we are in the table, and we know the results haven’t been up to standard.”
“It’s something we are working on as a team and as a group. And as I said earlier, we’re sticking together to put this right.
“A lot has happened this season. We’ve had the change of ownership, new coaching staff come in and we’ve got a lot of new players and it’s not always easy to adapt straight away.
“We have to buy into what we stand for. We’re all working hard and hopefully better times are around the corner.”
Goals from Oliver Skipp and Harry Kane saw 10th-placed Chelsea leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium empty-handed.
And James was quick to admit that Skipp’s 46th-minute stunner was a bitter body blow.
He added: “We knew coming to Tottenham would be a tough game and our aim coming into the game was to win.
“Conceding so early in the second half didn’t help with our confidence but all we can do is work through this.
“We’re sticking together, we’re working hard and hopefully with time we can get to where we need to be.”
Chelsea host relegation-haunted Leeds in a must-win contest on Saturday before taking on Dortmund in the return leg of their knockout tie at the Bridge next Tuesday.
The superstar of Paris Saint-Germain assisted Argentina in winning the World Cup in Qatar, which was probably his final opportunity to win the biggest prize in international football.
Messi won the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player after scoring seven times in as many games.
One of the greatest footballers of all time, his legacy was further cemented by victory in the Middle East. He contributed to PSG winning the Ligue 1 championship at home in 2022, scoring 17 goals and registering 24 assists in 37 appearances.
But it was an international calendar year which included 18 goals, six assists and a World Cup which put him above the competition. Recognition from FIFA means Messi has scooped the award for the second time since its inception in 2016.
And with a pair of gongs, he joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski as two-time winners. In the seven editions of the ceremony, Messi has only been out of the top 3 once and was a narrow runner-up to Robert Lewandowski 12 months ago.
In a typically humble acceptance speech, Messi said: “I’d like to express thanks to my team-mates, to Scaloni [Argentina coach] and without them I wouldn’t be here. My coach, he is part of this victory as well. I’d like to pay tribute to all of my team-mates. It was an amazing year and I achieved a dream I’ve been hoping for so long.
“Finally I achieved it. It’s a dream for any player. Very few players can achieve that and I’ve been lucky enough to do it.”
This time around, his main competition came from French duo Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe. Benzema won the Ballon d’Or back in October of last year thanks to his stunning performances during Real Madrid ’s run to the Champions League. Messi wasn’t even nominated for that particular award, although he appears a shoo-in for a record eighth in a matter of months.
As for Mbappe, he enjoyed a similarly historic World Cup to his PSG team-mate Messi. The 24-year-old was the top scorer in Qatar and became the first person since Sir Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick in the final.
Due to a pay dispute, Canada Soccer is coming under increasing pressure from both its men’s and women’s teams.
Earlier this month, the women’s team had planned to strike, but they abandoned their plans when legal action was threatened.
They played instead “under protest” and openly discussed the possibility of boycotting an April camp if an agreement had not been reached by that stage.
However, given that both the men’s and women’s teams have asked for changes to Canada Soccer’s management, Bontis’ departure might be seen as a sign of progress.
As his exit – effectively immediately – was confirmed on Monday, Bontis said in a statement: “Canada Soccer and both of our national team programs have the real potential to sign a historic collective bargaining agreement.
“Once signed, it will be a landmark deal that will set our nation apart from virtually every other FIFA member association.
“While I have been one of the biggest proponents of equalising the competitive performance environment for our women’s national team, I will unfortunately not be leading this organisation when it happens. I acknowledge that this moment requires change.”
Daniel Amartey, a Black Stars defender, has given a man a car as a thank you for assisting him 12 years ago.
A local coach who used to train kids, including Daniel Amartey, received the car, according to a report by Saddick Adams of Angel FM.
The coach decided to buy mashed kenkey for the young Amartey on the fateful day in particular because he was moved by his performance on that particular occasion.
Amartey was at the time extremely hungry and had nothing to eat, so the food that was given to him turned out to be a life-saving act.
As a result, Amartey was still thinking about the act and decided to thank his coach some 12 years later by presenting him with aToyota Vitz.
Nicolo Barella, a star for Inter Milan, has been a target for Liverpool this summer as they look to improve their midfield options.
Jurgen Klopp is said to be desperate for fresh faces in the middle of the park with Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho all struggling to maintain a high level for the Merseyside club.
Since joining from Cagliari in 2020, Barella, 26, has played a crucial role for Simone Inzaghi and has gone on to win four prestigious awards with the Nerazzurri.
In blue and black this year, the box-to-box midfielder has contributed five goals and five assists, helping Inter to 47 points overall in Serie A and a comfortable second place.
But according to Italian sources, the 42-cap Italian international could be on the move after just three seasons in the capital.
Liverpool have reportedly sent scouts to watch the Scudetto winner and Klopp is said to have been a fan of the anchor for many years.
But any deal with the Premier League club would have to involve a significant fee with Barella valued at over £60million due to him having a contract that runs until 2026.
The midfield maestro’s arrival at Anfield would be in addition to another central reinforcement, with the German head coach looking to completely overhaul his squad at the end of the campaign.
The head coach of Aduana Stars, Paa Kwasi Fabin, has credited hard work and prayer for his team’s MTN FA Cup victory over Asante Kotoko.
On Sunday, February 26, the 2022/2023 Ghana Premier League’s top team advanced to the MTN FA Cup quarterfinals by eliminating Asante Kotoko with a 1-0 victory.
The penalty decision tainted the game, and many Asante Kotoko supporters blamed referee Amadu Ibrahim for their team’s loss.
At the post-game press conference, Paa Kwasi Fabin congratulated his team on a well-earned win.
“Like I told you it is hard work and a lot of prayer one game at a time. They understand each other it is not that it came by way of playing we have worked on it in training severally now they have understood it and it is working for us.”
“We will keep working Obeng just joined us from Chelsea, Mintah is now coming up so it will be up and down until it stabilizes. So we are still working on it,” Paa Kwasi Fabin said at the post-match conference.
Aduana Stars are currently leading theGhana Premier League table with 35 points while Asante Kotoko sit at the 3rd position with 28 points after 18 games.
The second goal in Manchester United’s 2-0 victory overNewcastle United in the EFL Cup final on Sunday has been officially attributed to forward Marcus Rashford.
The goal was credited as an own goal by Sven Botman at the time. It was scored six minutes after Casemiro had opened the scoring at Wembley.
Rashford’s shot was deflected by Newcastle’s Botman and looped over Loris Karius.
Rashford was the actual goal scorer, though, as United and the competition’s organisers both confirmed on Monday.
That means the in-form England international finishes as the 2022-23 EFL Cup’s top scorer with six goals, having found the net in every round United played in.
Rashford’s latest strike helped propel United to their first trophy under Erik ten Hag and their first of any sort since 2017 when they won the Europa League under Jose Mourinho.
On Sunday, February 26, 2023, at the Allianz Arena, Sadio Mane, a Senegalese international, made his first appearance since mid-November in Bayern Munich’s 3-0 victory over Union Berlin.
On Tuesday, November 8, 2022, during Bayern Munich’s victory over Werder Bremen in the Germain Bundesliga, Sadio Mane sustained an injury that prevented him from competing in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The 30-year-old forward missed three months of play due to what the French newspaper L’Equipe believed to be a tendon injury.
Following the replacement of Kingsley Coman in the 65th minute against Union Berlin, Sadio Mane, who was sorely missed by Senegal during the World Cup, suffered an injury setback.
The Senegalese enjoyed 25 minutes of football as coach Julian Nagelsmann tried to introduce him gradually after being on the sidelines for a long time.
Sadio Mane’s return has been well received by Bayern Munich supporters as they prepare for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 return leg game against Paris Saint-Germain.
In thePremier League title race, according to Pep Guardiola, “everyone is going to drop points” between now and the end of the season.
When they recently defeated rival Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, Manchester City appeared to be taking the lead. However, after drawing with Nottingham Forest to give the Gunners the opportunity to reclaim first place, both teams won again the following weekend.
The race is expected to be close because third-place Manchester United is also closing in, but Guardiola is unconcerned by the ups and downs.
He made a sarcastic remark during a press conference prior to his team’s trip to Bristol City in the FA Cup fifth round: “After Nottingham we were not consistent, but now we are consistent because we won one game [against Bournemouth on Saturday].”
“In our game we are playing it is good, the results could be better in terms of winning at Spurs [1-0 away defeat] and Nottingham, but it is football, sometimes that happens. Of course, it is not exceptional, it is okay, it is good. No complaints for the way we are playing and fighting.
“After the last game I said the mood is exceptional and the guys are doing everything, that is enough for me.
“We are closing right to the last 10 games of the season, and that will define it.. I have the feeling in the Premier League many things are going to happen; everyone is going to drop points, but we cannot drop any; we want to fight until the end.”
27 – Erling Haaland's 27 Premier League goals this season is the most by a Manchester City player in a single top-flight campaign since Francis Lee's 33 in 1971-72. Bountiful. #BOUMCI
Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte were all absent from the 4-1 win at Bournemouth, though the Belgium midfielder was an unused substitute, and Guardiola updated to say: “[We] have training this afternoon. Kevin still has a little bit of illness but is much better.”
City’s trip to Bristol City on Tuesday will see them come up against a side who have not lost in 12 games (W6 D6) and sit 13th in the Championship.
“From my experience in this country when you go away from home in theFA Cup against a Championship side, always, always it is tough,” Guardiola said. “At home it would be a little bit different. Away, always it is tough in the FA Cup.
“That is why we are flying there tomorrow to do a good game and go through. It is a nice competition and we will do what we have to do.”
Ghanaian coach and scout Ebenezer Sefa has joined the blame game against referees, claiming that they are to blame for ruining thegame by making bad calls.
An established player scout claims that the penalty that referee Amadu Ibrahim gave Asante Kotoko in the 57th minute was what ultimately decided the MTN FA Cup Round of 16 match between Aduana Stars and Kotoko.
Sam Adams’ penalty goal on February 26, 2023, at Nana Agyemang Badu II Park decided the tightly contested match between Aduana Stars and Asante Kotoko.
In a post-game interview, Coach Sefah said the referees are ruining the game, claiming that the tackle by Mohammed Alhassan was insufficient to warrant a penalty.
“The referees our destroying our game; how can you take such a penalty against Kotoko? It was never a penalty,” coach Ebenezer Sefah stated during the post-match analysis.
Asante Kotoko has been eliminated from the MTN FA Cup six times since winning it in 2017.
Asante Kotoko will now have to win the Ghana Premier League to qualify for the 2023 and 2024 CAF Interclub competitions.
The Boston Celtics held on to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 110-107 on Saturday after Jayson Tatum hit a crucial three-pointer and Joel Embiid’s full-court buzzer-beater was called back.
With just two seconds remaining, Marcus Smart’s deft pass to Tatum after Derrick White’s inbound was the game-winning triple.
Embiid attempted a last-ditch long-range shot, which he made, but replays revealed he let go of the ball after the shot had expired, giving the Celtics the victory.
Tatum finished the game with 18 points on 7 of 17 shooting after struggling to shoot the ball well throughout. However, he delivered when it counted. The MVP candidate also contributed six assists and 13 rebounds.
Al Horford turned the game around with four three-pointers in the third quarter as the Celtics rallied from a 15-point deficit to lead at the final change.
Horford finished with 15 points, while Jaylen Brown top scored for Boston with 26 points and three steals.
Embiid had 41 points for the game with 12 rebounds and five assists, while James Harden added 21 points with eight assists.
The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics have won three straight, improving their record to 44-17, while the 76ers, third in the East, are 39-20.
The Memphis Grizzlies blew away the Denver Nuggets 112-94 in a match-up between the Western Conference’s top two as Ja Morant scored 23 points with seven rebounds.
The Grizzlies led by as many as 35 points, opening up a 66-42 half-time lead and keeping the Nuggets to a season-low team score. Denver are 42-19 while Memphis are 36-23.
In March 2023, the Black Stars will play Angola twice as part of the AFCON qualifying tournament.
Some young, talented players have come to the attention of Black Stars coach Chris Hughton as he decides which players to call up for the upcoming matches.
This article will examine five players and explain why they ought to be on the Black Stars roster for the upcoming games.
Here are the five players who could make the squad
Ernest Nuamah
Ernest Nuamah plies his trade with Danish Superliga club FC Nordsjælland.
The forward made his professional debut in 2018 and has since become a key member of the squad, scoring seven goals in the 2019-20 season.
Derrick Kohn is a defender for Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga. He joined the club in 2019 and has since become a regular starter, making 22 appearances in the current season. The young defender has scored 2 goals with 4 assists. He has played for Germany’s youth side only once.
Ransford Yeboah Konigsdorffer
Ransford Yeboah Konigsdorffer is a right winger for Bundesliga 2 club Hamburger SV. The forward was one of the players who switched nationalities to play for Ghana last year. He made his debut for Ghana in the friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua but was not included in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Konigsdorffer could make his return to the Black Stars in the AFCON Qualifiers having scored 6 in 20 appearances.
Brenden Wiredu
Brenden Wiredu is a midfielder for English League One club Fleetwood Town. The player has been a regular starter for his club this season and has featured in 25 games with 1 goal and an assist. Although Ghana has many players in midfield, Wiredu is one of the players Ghana can tie down before England snaps on the young chap.
Patric Pfeiffer
Among all the players to have switched nationalities for Ghana in 2022, Patric Pfeiffer remains the only player to have not received any call-up yet. The SV Darmstadt 98 defender in the German Bundesliga 2 is a strong shield in defence and has a good eye for goal due to his height. This season has scored 4 goals with his head in 16 appearances for his side.
Ibrahim Sadiq
The former Ghana under-17 youth star has been in blistering form for BK Hacken in the Swedish Allsvenskan. The 22-year-old has scored 7 goals in 19 matches for his club this season. He recently scored a hat-trick against Trollhattan in his side’s 6-1 win. Sadiq has also represented Ghana at the under-20 and under-23 levels.
The Lakers were down 48-21 early in the second quarter before rallying to win 111-108, their third straight victory and biggest comeback since 2002.
trade deadline purchase In the victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, Malik Beasley made his entrance known with a 25-point outburst, and this time, Jarred Vanderbilt proved why he has earned a spot in the Lakers’ starting lineup.
The rangy six-foot-eight defensive menace was everywhere, working as the primary defender on Luka Doncic on his way to 15 points (six-of-eight shooting), 17 rebounds (eight offensive) and four steals in his 27 minutes.
Anthony Davis was the star of the show on the offensive end, scoring a game-high 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting with 15 rebounds and four assists, and the league’s active leader for career blocked shots per game swatted away three Maverick attempts.
LeBron James had an injury scare, and while he is still not out of the woods, he stayed in the game and put up 26 points on 10-of-23 shooting with eight rebounds.
For the Mavericks, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving shot a combined 18-of-44 (40 per cent) from the field for 47 points, while the other three members of the starting line-up combined for 18 points.
With the win, the Lakers improved their record to 29-32 and now sit just one game out of the Play-In Tournament placings, while they are also just 2.5 games away from the Mavericks in the sixth seed.
The Blazers guard’s 71-point mark was both a franchise and career high, topping his previous record of 61.
Lillard had 41 points with eight triples by half-time, the most points of any player in a half this season. He shot 13-of-22 from beyond the arc for the game, having a perfect 14-of-14 from the line.
After 42 points and 12 three-pointers on Friday’s win, Klay Thompson led the Golden State Warriors to a 109-104 home win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The future Hall of Fame sharpshooter hit another six threes on his way to a team-high 32 points, shooting 12-of-23 from the field and six-of-14 from deep. Donte DiVincenzo was strong in a supporting role, chipping in 21 points (seven-of-13 shooting), eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.
After shooting a red-hot 43.1 per cent on a gaudy 11.6 three-point attempts per game in the month of January, Thompson has elevated even further this month, getting up 12.1 attempts per game and connecting at 45.9 per cent.
When making his FC Nordjaelland debut, the young Ghanaian player Ibrahim Osman said he was uneasy seeing more than 5,000 fans in the stadium.
The teenage sensation played for Nordjaelland in their 4-2 victory over Odense Boldklub last Friday, marking his first appearance for the team in the Danish Super Liga.
As Nordsjaelland defeated OB in a six-goal thriller, the young player came on to replace fellow countryman Ernest Nuamah in the 87th minute.
Osman admitted that seeing more than 5,000 spectators at the stadium made him feel uneasy after the game, but he described making his Nordjaelland debut as a dream come true.
“Making my debut in the Super League is a dream come true! It came as a surprise, especially since I was previously with the U19s. Skipping the U19 league and going straight to the Super League is a major accomplishment for me.
Even though I felt a bit nervous seeing over 5,000 fans, everything became normal once I stepped on the pitch”
Osman, who joined Nordsjaelland from the Right to Dream Academy, has been with the U-19’s but after showing enormous potential, manager Johannes Thorup invited him to the senior team.
Meanwhile, Wahidullah Faghir scored the first goal of the game in the 28th minute to put Nordsjaelland in the lead at the Right to Dream Park.
Wahidullah Faghir got his brace after a nicely worked goal in the 63rd minute for Nordsjaelland
Ernest Nuamah scored the third goal for Nordsjaelland in the 72nd minute before Emiliano Marcondes sealed the win with the fourth goal in the 80th minute.
Supporters of Asante Kotoko have accused referee Amadu Ibrahim of being to blame for their MTN FA Cup Round of 16 loss to Aduana Stars on February 26, 2023, on various social media platforms.
Aduana Stars defeated the Porcupine Warrior at the Nana Agyemang Badu II in Dormaa Ahenkro, ending their chances of winning a second consecutive championship in the ongoing 2022–2023 football season.
Aduana Stars took the lead in the 57th minute after Mohammed Alhassan was ruled to have fouled his defender by the referee. The game was closely contested, and both teams missed opportunities.
Sam Adams converted the penalty kick to score the game’s lone goal, sending goalkeeper Fred Asare the wrong way.
The decision didn’t go down well with Asante Kotoko fans, including coach Seydou Zerbo, who laid the blame at the doorstep of referee Amadu Ibrahim.
Ayade, who is nearing the end of his second term as governor, was a senator for the Cross River North from 2011 to 2015. He had hoped to serve in that capacity once more.
Sen. Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe, the incumbent, won the election instead.
Ayade received 56,595 votes, while Agom-Jarigbe of the People’s Democratic Party received 76,145.
“By the powers conferred on me as the Returning Officer of the Northern Senatorial District, I hereby announce Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party elected for the Northern Senatorial District,” the returning officer, Dr Emmanuel Emanghe, said.
Governor Ayade had risen to power as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. He was elected into the Senate in 2011 as a candidate of the party in 2011 and as Governor in 2015. He was also re-elected governor as a PDP member.
The governor, however, defected to the All Progressives Congress in 2021. Agom-Jarigbe, however, chose to remain the PDP.
The 35-year-old, who retired from professional football last year, talked about his interactions with some of the coaches and teammates he played with during his 11-year stint at Stamford Bridge in an interview with Dubai Eye 103.8.
The winner of the 2013 Nations Cup also revealed some fascinating information about the warning signs that the club’s manager would be fired at a time when the team wasn’t doing well.
“We always had a meeting with Roman (Abramovich) once the team was not doing well. He comes in and has a chat with us (team), he sits down, and everybody sits.
“He had this guy who was his friend and interpreter, so he starts shouting and screaming in Russian and then goes off and says you guys go back now and play football and start winning.
“If we don’t do that, the next time he comes in, he flies in with his helicopter to the training ground and that is it, we know that the manager is gone.”
The ex-Super Eagles captain worked under eleven managers at Chelsea, including top football managers like Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Antonio Conte.
He made 249 appearances for the Blues, winning the EPL, UCL, Europa League, FA Cup, and League Cup.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, won the Gombe State presidential vote on February 25.
In the 11 local government areas (LGAs) of the state, he received 319,123 votes, according to the results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to the Gombe State Collation Officer, Prof Maimuna Waziri, who announced the results around 1 a.m. on Monday, the PDP candidate received the most votes in the North-East state.
The former vice president defeated his closest competitors, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), by a margin of more than 160,000 votes.
When the results from 12 of the state’s 21 local government areas were totaled, the APC received 99,898 votes, PDP 213,117, NNPP 3,609, and LP 56,857.
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) nominee for president, is in the lead in his native Adamawa after winning all 12 local government areas (LGAs) that have been declared so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The former vice president is currently ahead of his closest competitors, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), by more than 110,000 votes as of 8 o’clock on Monday
The collation of results in the state has since been postponed to Monday, by 10:00 in the morning.
The State collation officer, Professor Mohammed Mele announced the decision for the postponement after over one hour of waiting for the results of the remaining nine local government areas to arrive.
Mele at exactly 1:18 in the morning announced the decision to close the collation centre until 10:00 am.
So far, results from Lamurde, Guyuk, Gerei, Song, Numan, Fufore, Demsa, Yola South, Mayo-Belwa, Ganye and Shelleng local government areas have been collated.
Those remaining are Yola North (state capital), Jada, Gombi, Hong, Madagali, Maiha, Michika, Mubi North and Mubi South local government areas.
See results:
2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS FROM ELEVEN (12) LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF ADAMAWA STATE
01. LAMURDE LGA
TOTAL REGISTERED VOTERS – 76,097 ACCREDITED VOTERS – 25,105
Christophe Galtier hailed Kylian Mbappe for his “magnificent” feat of becoming Paris Saint-Germain’s joint-record goalscorer in Sunday’s dominant 3-0 win at Marseille.
Mbappe scored a terrific volley to match Edinson Cavani’s tally of 200 goals for PSG as the Ligue 1 leaders went eight points clear of their old rivals with a crushing win at the Stade Velodrome.
Mbappe and fellow attacking star Lionel Messi had earlier put PSG in command by exchanging assists before the break, and they have now combined for 10 goals in Ligue 1 this term — more than any other duo.
Speaking to Amazon Prime Video after the win, Galtier said: “Mbappe is a player who has a sense of movement, who obviously goes very fast; he is technically fast too.
“He not only has the legs but an exceptional speed of execution. These are players of stats and records; he equalled this magnificent record of Cavani, and it is obvious that he will beat it.
“His presence is important to the team, it gives us other options in the game, especially with our depth and his presence in front of goal.”
200 – Kylian Mbappé has scored 200 goals for Paris in all competitions, matching Edinson Cavani's record. History. #OMPSGpic.twitter.com/Tnee7KVFGm
PSG suffered an early setback when a tearful Presnel Kimpembe was carried off injured, but they hit the front 25 minutes in as Messi found space to send Mbappe through on goal, with the striker applying an unerring finish.
Mbappe repaid the favour four minutes later, combining with Nuno Mendes on the break before teeing Messi up for a tap-in with a pinpoint low cross.
Messi should have had a second when he somehow blazed over from just six yards out, before Marquinhos fired narrowly wide of the bottom-left corner after beating the hosts’ offside trap.
Mbappe nodded Vitinha’s cross narrowly wide of the left-hand post six minutes after the restart, but the France star had his landmark goal four minutes later.
A flowing move ended with Messi scooping a wonderful ball into the path of Mbappe, who lashed a left-footed volley beyond Pau Lopez to effectively end the contest.
Alexis Sanchez and Marseille’s Vitinha went close to pulling one back, but Gianluigi Donnarumma denied both with sharp saves to preserve PSG’s clean sheet.
⌛️ It’s over in Marseille! Our Parisians win #LeClassique and get the 3 points! ❤️💙
Ghanaian international midfielder for Ajax,Kudus Mohammed, has received high praise from Ghanaian international forward Inaki Williams for his outstanding performances for both club and country.
For the Dutch powerhouses this season, the 22-year-old has been in excellent form, tallying 15 goals across all competitions.
Despite the Black Stars’ early elimination, the midfielder performed admirably at the World Cup, scoring two goals and providing one assist.
Inaki Williams, who was a member of the Black Stars team for the World Cup, has praised Kudus Mohammed and called him an exceptional athlete.
“It’s incredible what I’ve had to experience since I decided to go with Ghana. I don’t regret anything. It’s continuous learning. I really enjoy watching young people like Kudus, who is exceptional. I’m very proud to be part of that group” he said.
Meanwhile, Inaki Williams is yet to score for the West African powerhouse since making his debut in November againstBrazil in a friendly.
As the visitors sprinted to a 2-0 halftime lead, Mbappe and Messi traded assists. Messi’s tap-in gave him 700 goals in senior football for Barcelona and PSG.
The pair saved their best for last, though, as Mbappe scored PSG’s 200th goal on a memorable night for Christophe Galtier’s team by volleying in Messi’s dinked pass to join Edinson Cavani in the feat.
The outcome put PSG eight points ahead of Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings, relieving Galtier of some of the pressure that had been mounting due to their lacklustre start to 2023.
200 – Kylian Mbappé has scored 200 goals for Paris in all competitions, matching Edinson Cavani’s record. History. #OMPSGpic.twitter.com/Tnee7KVFGm
PSG suffered an early setback when a tearful Presnel Kimpembe was carried off injured, but they hit the front 25 minutes in as Messi found space to send Mbappe through on goal, with the striker applying an unerring finish.
Red Devils march on to rd of 16 – Mangers reaction
Mbappe repaid the favour four minutes later, combining with Nuno Mendes on the break before teeing Messi up for a tap-in with a pinpoint low cross.
Messi should have had a second when he somehow blazed over from just six yards out, before Marquinhos fired narrowly wide of the bottom-left corner after beating the hosts’ offside trap.
Mbappe nodded Vitinha’s cross narrowly wide of the left-hand post six minutes after the restart, but the France star had his landmark goal four minutes later.
A flowing move ended with Messi scooping a wonderful ball into the path of Mbappe, who lashed a left-footed volley beyond Pau Lopez to effectively end the contest.
Alexis Sanchez and Marseille’s Vitinha went close to pulling one back, but Gianluigi Donnarumma denied both with sharp saves to preserve PSG’s clean sheet.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mike Maignan made their comebacks in Milan’s 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Sunday, and Stefano Pioli praised their performances.
Ibrahimovic entered the game in the second half for the first time since May 2022, when he underwent knee surgery that many believed would put an end to his career.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Maignan made his first appearance in goal since suffering an injury of his own in September and celebrated his return with a shutout.
Pioli is happy toe all of his players back, and the return of the pair comes at the perfect time for Milan, who have won four straight matches across all competitions.
“Mike and Zlatan are not only two excellent players, but also two leaders of the team,” Pioli, who was taking charge of his 800th career game as a coach, told DAZN.
“Having them on the pitch helps us a lot. Now we must think about the next match. We will have players absent for that game but will still put in a good performance.”
At 41 years and 146 days, Ibrahimovic overtook Alessandro Costacurta (41y, 25d) as Milan’s oldest player in Serie A in the three-points-per-win era (1993-94 season).
The veteran striker only had 14 touches of the ball in his 16 minutes in action and did not manage a shot, but Milan’s second goal arrived with him on the field.
Junior Messias clipped the ball over Juan Musso, who had earlier scored an unfortunate own goal when Theo Hernandez’s 25-yard volley hit the post and went in off his body.
It was a brilliant strike from Hernandez after Olivier Giroud had nodded the ball into his path, and the wing-back believes he should be credited with the goal himself.
“I consider it my goal,” he said. “I’m going to count it as mine. Thanks also to Oli for knocking it down for me. It was a good goal.
“It’s true that we went through a difficult time, but with this victory, we are getting back to being the Milan we were before.”
Milan have now won four games without conceding in all competitions for the first time since February 2018, with their latest victory moving them level with second-place Inter.
The Rossoneri wasted a number of good chances with the game at 1-0, but Atalanta failed to offer any sort of attacking threat.
Indeed, they had only three attempts all match – their lowest tally since April 2013 – and did not test the returning Maignan on a single occasion.
“We gave our all and tried everything, but Milan were superior on the night and we must learn from these games to focus on the next one,” Gian Piero Gasperini said.
“What we saw tonight was that despite our best efforts, it is evident Milan simply had more than we did.”
The only blemish for Milan is that Rafael Leao – who set up Messias’ goal – and Rade Krunic will miss next week’s trip to Fiorentina after being booked for the fifth time this term.
After making his comeback in Milan’s win over Atalanta following a nine-month injury layoff, Zlatan Ibrahimovic compared himself to basketball player Nikola Jokic.
The dependable striker entered in the second half of Sunday’s 2-0 victory at San Siro after going unused in three previous games this month.
At 41 years and 146 days, he broke the record for the oldest Serie A player for Milan during the three-points-per-win era (since 1993–94), Alessandro Costacurta (41y and 25d).
Similar to Denver Nuggets’ two-time NBA MVP Jokic, the international player from Sweden believes he still has a significant role to play even though he will turn 42 later this year.
“I want to help the team in every way by doing what I have to do to be there on the field,” he told Sky Sports. “I want to be there when the coach and the team need me.
“It’s obvious things change between the age of 30 and 41, but I feel like Jokic in the NBA.”
Ibrahimovic’s previous appearance for Milan came in a 3-0 win over Sassuolo on May 25 last year, with the former Barcelona striker injuring his knee and undergoing surgery.
Given his age at the time of the operation and the length of the layoff, many expected Ibrahimovic to call time on his legendary career.
“I’ve lived this year with great suffering,” he said when asked what it means to be back playing again at the highest level. “I’ve been out for a year.
“I didn’t feel well, and I couldn’t do what I wanted to do. I went on suffering to help the team, but in reality, I wasn’t well.
“Today I can say that I’m fine and that I can give what I can to the team. Then obviously the more you play, the more you train, and the more you improve.”
Juan Musso’s own goal—after Theo Hernandez’s volley hit the post and went in off the goalkeeper’s back—and Junior Messias’ late strike earned Milan a fourth win in a row.
That includes three Serie A wins on the spin without conceding for the first time in a year, helping to lift the Rossoneri level on points with second-place rivals Inter.
“I’ve done everything I can to recover, but in the last few weeks I’ve seen the team do well,” he said. “We must continue doing more if we are to do well.
“I feel important and have a great responsibility here. I started an adventure with this team and helped to bring it where we are today.
“When I’m not available, I suffer, and perhaps the team lacks a bit of my pressure as a result.”
