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.
It looked as if the Philadelphia 76ers’ three-game winning streak was ending against thePortland Trail Blazers, but an impressive comeback saw them win 120-119. MVP candidate Joel Embiid scored the game-winner with 1.1 seconds remaining, giving the hosts their first lead of the game.
The win was Sixers’ fifth in six games in March. The Blazers dominated much of the contest, leading by as much as 21 points, and never tied with the hoasts until midway through the fourth quarter.
The hosts were poor in the first half, but the tide started to turn for them in the second half, thanks to Embiid’s heroics. He finished with 39 points on 13-of-20 shooting, seven rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes.
For the visitors, Anfernee Simons finished with 34 points, including eight three-pointers. Damian Lillard had a quiet game. He scored 22 points and made two of his eight three-point attempts.
Embiid’s reaction to huge win Embiid is in the race for the MVP award this season.
He is averaging 33.4 points per game, the best in the NBA. He explained his game-winner.
“Yeah, that’s the perfect spot, honestly, especially from my previous years,” Embiid said. “I’ve had a couple of opportunities of game winners and stuff and we kept trying to post. It’s easy to double and there’s not enough space.
But when you get enough in those positions at the nail or the top of the key, the court is wide open because, most of the time, guys don’t want to give up 3s, via ESPN.
The 28-year-old now has 23 games with 35 or more points this season, tying Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal in 1999/2000 as the most by a center since then. The Sixers are third in the Eastern Conference with a 444-22 record, four games behind leaders Milwaukee Bucks and 1.5 games behind second-placed Boston Celtics.
Sports Brief recently reported on Embiid becoming the fastest player in Sixers’ history to reach 10,000 career points. He eclipsed that mark in the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 29 points in 39 minutes of action. Embiid accomplished that feat in 373 games, passing Philadelphia legend Iverson for the fewest games to reach that mark.
After their Champions League elimination, four ofKylian Mbappe’s teammates from Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly not “on good terms” with him. After losing 3-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munich, the Parisians were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the round of 16 for the second consecutive year.
It was the fifth time in the previous 12 seasons that PSG had been eliminated in the Round of 16. According to Sporkskeeda, Mbappe avoids communication with three teammates, including Marco Verratti, because he is dissatisfied with the team’s performance in Europe.
The Frenchman is furious that Verratti, who was ejected twice and was the reason PSG lost 2-0 in Munich, was to blame for the team’s demise.
The reports further state that there is already a factor of jealousy between Mbappe and the Italian midfielder.
Verratti was reportedly the owner’s favourite before Mbappe’s arrival in 2017. Hence, losing that title hasn’t gone down well with the former Pescara midfielder.
Mbappe also reportedly doesn’t talk with compatriot Presnel Kimpembe and Brazil star Neymar Junior. Mbappe and Kimpembe are not friends, nor are they enemies. They have just never been close, the reports indicate.
For Neymar, he is still annoyed that Mbappe is trying to push him out of the club.
Mbappe regrets not joining Real Madrid
Meanwhile, Mbappe is apparently regretting his decision to extend his deal with Paris Saint-Germain, just a few months after signing a three-year contraction extension with the Ligue 1 champions.
The 24-year-old forward made a U-turn on joining Real Madrid last summer despite having a verbal agreement to join the Spanish giants before the start of the 2022/23 season.
According to Madrid Universal, Mbappe’s entourage called Real Madrid at the end of the last summer, admitting the forward regrets his decision to extend his contract with PSG.
‘Mbappe should join Real Madrid’ In related news, former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher believes Mbappe should leave PSG urgently for the sake of his career, Football Espana reported.
Mbappe discusses his club future
Sports Brief also reported on Mbappe discussing his club future following PSG’s early elimination from the Champions League. The 24-year-old has been linked with a move away from France despite signing a bumper deal with PSG earlier this season.
Mbappe has now revealed he is solely focused on winning the Ligue 1 title with PSG but did not discuss what the future held.
Brazil’s Neymar underwent successful surgery at a hospital in Qatar on his right ankle after suffering an injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the year.
The 31-year-old was forced off the field last month during PSG’s Ligue 1 match against rival Lille due to an ankle injury.
The Brazilian magician scored in the tense 4-3 victory, but he landed awkwardly after a tackle in the 51st minute and required extensive treatment before being carried away.
Neymar was seen arriving at Aspetar Hospital in Doha at the crack of dawn on Friday, and the procedure was over in a matter of hours.
“Neymar Jr was successfully operated on late this morning,” Paris Saint-Germain said in a statement. “The player will now follow a protocol of rest and treatment.” The operation was led by British surgeon, James Calder, who has treated several European football stars.
As reported by Mirror Football, Neymar suffered the same ankle injury during Brazil’s World Cup game against Serbia in Qatar.
It was reported initially the playmaker had suffered a sprained ankle, but further tests suggest he has weakened his ligaments, which – if not treated – might end his career. Neymar spent two years sidelined Neymar joined PSG from Barcelona in a move worth €222 million in the summer of 2017.
His latest injury, which has sidelined him for four months, means he has been out of action for PSG for 731 days, equivalent to two full years, as per Marca.
Neymar failed to play 104 matches in a PSG shirt in all competitions, making only 173 appearances. This means he has been injured in approximately 37.5 percent of the games in which he has been available for the Parisian club.
Neymar keen on PSG extension
Sports Brief also reported on Neymar reportedly having unfinished business at PSG and not being willing to leave even if close ally, Lionel Messi departs.
The Argentine genius has been touted to be on his way out despite only linking up with his former Barcelona teammate at the Ligue 1 champions in 2021. However, Neymar wants to win over his critics and is eager to help deliver long-awaited European glory to PSG by winning the UEFA Champions League.
Prosper Harrison Addo, general secretary of theGhana Football Association (GFA), has remarked that it is absurd to claim that Black Stars player selections are made by president Kurt Okraku.
He claims there is no basis for that accusation.
“It’s funny to say Kurt Okraku makes the selection for the Black Stars,” Prosper Harrison Addo said during a discussion on Citi FM on Friday, March 10.
“These are all kinds of accusations without facts,” the general secretary of the Ghana FA continued. There is a method. No one person, not even the head coach, makes the team. The management committee is presented with it after he and his team have discussed it. It will surface if it is good.
“Nobody imposes a player on a coach.”
He further advised that if anyone does not like a certain player they should not expect that a coach will not invite that player.
Over 1,500 construction workers employed for the construction of the Kumasi Central Market, Kumasi International Airport, and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals Mother and Baby Units (MBU) have had their contracts terminated by a Brazilian construction firm known as a “Contractor”.
The company in December 2022 began terminating employees appointment in accordance with the Labor Act in monthly batches, affecting a total of 1500 employees.
A management member of the company revealed, under the condition of anonymity, to GHone TV’s Ashanti Regional Correspondent, that all the affected employees received a one-month notice of appointment termination followed by a compensation package.
“Management didn’t want to violate the country’s labour laws so we followed every step including medical check out. This is not something we intended to do but the situation has forced us to do that,” the management member stated.
He disclosed that the Kumasi airport phase two projects which is about 95 percent completed left with installation of gadgets, control towers, and extension of round ways.
The management member added that the demolition of existing structures is all on hold due to lack of funds to facilitate the completion of the entire project.
“The project has been affected by the ongoing government debt restructure programme. Government, I mean the finance minister has suspended external payment. So the UK government responsible for founding the project has stopped releasing funding to us to work on the project. So we are ready to work but we don’t have money to pay workers and buy material so that’s the problem we are facing at the moment,” our source explained.
He continued: “At the moment only few administrative staff are currently working with the company doing administrative work with few drivers. All our vehicles have equally been packed at our warehouse. So for now there’s no work on any of our sites.”
Central Market Phase Two Project
The Central Market project sod cutting was held on 2nd May 2019 by President Nana Akufo Addo in company of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and expected to be completed by the end of March 2024.
However, the construction firm disclosed they can’t meet the deadline due delays on the project, a development they stressed is beyond their control.
“We can’t meet the deadline for the traders to come and trade in the Central Market. This is because the former Kumasi mayor failed to relocate the traders on time for the project to start on time as we wanted. We have already wasted a lot of time on this project before this IMF recommended debt restructure programme affecting the entire project. You know money and equipment were ready but KMA didn’t show any commitment to them to support the project. At some point the UK government wanted to take their money back until Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah’s intervention.”
Meanwhile, Central Market traders who were relocated to the racecourse market and others who have no place to trade are expected to hold a major demonstration against the government on Monday 13th March 2023 over the stalled Kumasi Central Market project.
Manhyia Palace
Another source close to Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II also confirmed Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has been briefed about the stalled work on the three sites. As a result of the debt restructuring programme proposed by the IMF that the government is depending on a loan to restructure the country’s collapsing economy.
“You all know the role Otumfuo played behind the scenes on this project. The King is aware of the situation. He will soon travel to the UK for the coronation of King Charles the King of Great Britain in the coming days and this issue will be looked at. It’s unfortunate but these are priority projects which are dear to Otumfuo and fall within the Asanteman development agenda so Otumfuo will take the right stepI can assure you of that”.
Highlife musician, Lucky Mensah, has said he has put music on hold to channel his energies into running a football academy.
“I run LM Soccer Academy which has Under 17, Under 15, Under 13 and Under 10 footballers.
“That is where all my concentration has been lately, we play with teams all across the country and we are doing very well,” he mentioned to Graphic Showbiz.
Lucky Mensah added that he used to be a very good footballer himself and was referred to as Skillsman.
Born Alex Lucky Mensah, Highlife artiste, Lucky Mensah groomed his talent when he started singing in the Kristo Asafo church at Gomoa, Central Region at the age of 11.
He continued singing in the Accra New Town branch of Kristo Asafo when he relocated to Accra.
He later joined the Figo band but left the band and worked as a solo artiste and released hisdebut album in 1993.
Following a call from Liverpool owner John W Henry for stricter regulations on clubs, Eddie Howe claims that additional spending restrictions would hinder Newcastle’s success plan.
Henry, who had previously backed the defunct European Super League, this week expressed his support for additional restrictions on Premier League clubs in order to maintain healthy competition.
However, Magpies manager Howe, who has made significant purchases since taking over at St James’ Park in November 2021, said he would not appreciate additional restrictions on top of the already-existing rules.
“I wouldn’t want to see any more restrictions on spending,” he said on Friday. “We have spent money, don’t get me wrong, but future restrictions would certainly deny our ability to improve as quickly as we want to.”
Newcastle’s sizeable investment since a Saudi-led takeover in 2021 has enabled them to mount a challenge to finish in the top four of the English top flight this season.
They are currently sixth in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand despite a poor recent run.
Howe’s team also reached last month’s League Cup final, which they lost to Manchester United.
Newcastle, who host Wolves on Sunday, have won just one of their past eight league games and scored only three goals in the process.
“There’s a belief that we can win again and we need, very quickly, to fulfil that aim,” Howe said. “I’ve never sat here and talked us up in terms of targets, top four.
But I have talked us up in terms of what I believe we can achieve and the quality we have in our group and I’m not going to change now.”
Newcastle’s recent lack of goals has increased the clamour for record-signing Alexander Isak to start in place of England international Callum Wilson, who has scored only once in his past 14 appearances for the club.
But Howe issued a note of caution over a player who has missed a significant chunk of the season with a thigh injury.
He said: “He wants to play, like every player. I feel he is there, but is he 100 percent ready to play 90 minutes on a consistent basis? Probably not. I have been delighted by his attitude. I think he’s in a good place.”
Joseph Amoako, a former forward for Asante Kotoko, has been given a two-year prison term in Sweden. According to reports, the 20-year-old attacker, who was on Helsingborgs IF’s books until his conviction, was found guilty of sexual assault.
Expressen.se claims that the young person was charged with the crime following a meeting with a 16-year-old female. Amoako allegedly introduced himself to the teen via social media and gave her match tickets for a Helsingborgs match. Later, he invited her to a party at his house.
The Ghanaian will serve a two-year sentence in Sweden before being sent back home as soon as it is finished. Amoah won’t be permitted to go back to the Scandinavian nation for ten years.
GhanaSoccernet reported that the player’s contract was cancelled following his sentence. Amoako initially joined Helsingborgs IF on loan from Asante Kotoko before his move was made permanent after impressing the technical handlers of the club.
Joseph Amoako joins Helsingborg Sports Brief previously reported on Kumasi Asante Kotoko winger, Amoako joining Swedish Allvenskan side, Helsingborg IF on loan for the rest of the season.
The 19-year-old attacker moved to the top flight side after just six months since joining the Porcupine Warriors from lower-tier Ghana side, Red Bull FC.
Helsingborg formally announced the signing of the teen sensation and have the option of making the deal a permanent one at the end of his loan spell. Kotoko sign Brazilian striker Ghana Premier League champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko have announced the signing of Brazilian forward, Matheus Medeiros De Souza.
The forward joins thePorcupine Warriors on a six-month deal with the option of extending for a further year. De Souza is expected to boost the attack of the Reds, as they seek to defend the title they won last season.
Yaw Preko, a former Black Stars forward, has sided withBlack Stars head coach Chris Hughton in his decision to call no local players to join his team for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The former manager of the Accra Great Olympics thinks local players would need to earn call-ups by enhancing their performances.
Yaw Preko posited in an interview with Oyerepa FM that Hughton might not have followed the Ghana Premier League closely enough to know which players to call.
“The local players need to raise their game and see how it goes. I do not think Chris Hughton has watched the local league enough to be inviting local players.”
Hughton, on Thursday, March 9, 2023, released a 25-man squad for Ghana’s 2023 AFCON qualifiers against Angola.
The Black Stars will play Angola over two legs. They will host Black Antelopes in the first leg on March 23, 2023, before the second leg on March 27, 2023.
He endured difficult times at Old Trafford, often disrupted by injuries and inconsistent performances which made him a villain in the eyes of United fans.
The French international rejoined Juventus for the second time on a free transfer at the end of last season, after Man United brought his time there to an end after a six-year relationship.
Pogba dropped for disciplinary reasons
Pogba made his second debut for the Bianconeri on February 28 in the Turin derby against Torino, following a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury that ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup, as reported by Goal.
As reported by Sky Italia, the Frenchman has been dropped from the squad to face SC Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League later today after he turned up for Wednesday’s retreat late, much to the anger of manager, Massimiliano Allegri.
Fan reactions to Pogba’s indiscipline
The 29-year-old is no stranger to disciplinary issues, having previously clashed with Jose Mourinho during the Portuguese manager’s time with the Red Devils. This famously led to the Special One calling the World Cup winner a ‘virus’.
@jennaGottFans_ wrote: ”Why is he like this? Man that is amazingly talented but still finds a way to sabotage himself”
@prettycachy wrote: ”This was what was said about him in Manchester United”
@Danny_UTD7 wrote: ”A player with a lot of talent but lacks discipline, so sad”
@whitefooty wrote: ”Jose Mourinho told us all about his character”
Last year, he angered Allegri during injury rehab by undertaking a very risky personal activity while on holiday.
Pogba uploaded a video of himself on a ski trip despite nursing a knee injury that delayed his second Juve debut.
Pogba upsets Allegri with adventure As Sports Brief previously reported, this was not the first time Pogba has been in trouble since his returnto Juventus.
After Marcus Rashford won the monthly players’ award,Erik ten Hag has been named the Premier League’s Manager of the Month for February, giving Manchester United a hat trick.
The only blemish on United’s record last month was a 2-2 draw at home to Leeds United, which was managed by Ten Hag. Ten Hag oversaw a return of 10 points from four Premier League games for United.
United improved on that Leeds draw by defeating their adversaries 2-0 in the rematch at Elland Road four days later, along with victories over Crystal Palace and Leicester City.
By defeating Newcastle United to win the EFL Cup and eliminating Barcelona from the Europa League in February, Ten Hag’s team ended a nearly six-year trophy drought. They also carried their league form into other competitions.
Having also received the award last September, Ten Hag’s second monthly prize brings him level with other two-time winners including Kenny Dalglish, Roberto Mancini and Thomas Tuchel.
While United enjoyed an excellent February, March began with the joint-heaviest competitive defeat in their illustrious history as they were hammered 7-0 by Liverpool at Anfield.
Having bounced back with a 4-1 Europa League win over Real Betis on Thursday, United welcome Southampton to Old Trafford on Sunday, looking to extend an11-match unbeaten streak at home in the Premier League (W9 D2).
Samson Deen, the president of the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC), has visited the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Primary Education, and Sports to discuss including parasport on the agenda of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) at its upcoming meeting.
In order to include para-sport in its bid and hosting of the African Games as a stand-alone event after the Olympic event, the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC), which owns and runs the African Para Games within the African continent, has taken steps to collaborate with the African Union Sports Council (AUSC).
Samson Deen, the president of the AfPC, has started working with the African Union (AU) Member States’ Ministries of Sports to include parasport in the AUC’s Specialized Technical Committees.
During the visit, Samson Deen seized the opportunity to meet, discuss and share with the representative of the Hon. Minister of Sports, Mr Abderrazzak Akkari, who is the Director of Sports at the Ministry of National Education, Primary Education and Sports, some vital information of mutual interest regarding the Inclusion of Para Sport, bidding and hosting, participation and organisation strategy.
The AfPC also proposed it will need the support of the majority of the AU Member States to support the inclusion of the AGENDA in the next sitting of the Specialized Technical Committee.
Ghana is set to host the First African Para Games, Accra 2023, which was slated for 3rd to 12 September 2023 in Accra, Ghana, but could see the date for the commencement of the event pushed further backwards after the AUSC communicated with its members a new date had been proposed for the African Games 8-23 2024.
The Ministry presented a Souvenir of the forum and gifts as a token of appreciation and gratitude for the excellent cooperation, presented by Mr Abderrazzak Akkari, who is the Director of Sports at the Ministry of National Education, Primary Education and Sports and the President of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Sport for Persons with Disabilities Mr Hamid Al Ouni to the President of African Paralympic Committee.
Uli Hoeness thinks Harry Kane would make Bayern Munich go “gaga,” but the Bundesliga champions are still interested in signing the England captain.
Discussions about Kane’s future have been sparked by Tottenham’s failure to win any trophies this season.
Bayern is one of the very few teams that seems capable of bringing in a player of that calibre, paying the transfer fee and wages while also guaranteeing the striker the chance to finally bring home a trophy.
But honorary president Hoeness has suggested the idea of splashing out on Kane would be “completely gaga”.
Hoeness appeared to make a similar suggestion in an interview with Sky Sports, though he also discussed how Bayern could still make a bid for Kane.
“It doesn’t go over my desk,” Hoeness said. “I’m one of nine members of the supervisory board who have a say in the executive committee when it comes to large expenses of over €25million.
“I’ve expressed my personal private opinion here. I can imagine that the day is coming a player would go to Bayern and can cost around €100million, but I gave my opinion specifically on the Kane case.
“He’s almost 30 years old and last year Tottenham rejected Manchester City’s €160million offer.”
Asked what role he might have in any discussions around Kane, Hoeness replied: “I would give my private opinion.
“I’m one of nine, and if the other eight say he’s going to be bought, then he’s going to be bought. That’s how it is in a democracy.”
WhenAthletic Bilbao and Barcelona face off at Camp Nou on Sunday in week 25 of the Spanish La Liga, Ghanaian striker Inaki Williams will be looking to score against Barcelona goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen.
When the two teams meet this weekend, the Ghanaian international, who has already scored six goals against Ter Stegen, is eager to increase his total.
“I respectfully asked for Ter Stegen’s shirt after the Super Cup, and currently, I put it in a frame at my house,” said Williams.
The 28-year-old has been a key asset for Bilbao this season, racking up five goals and four assists in all competitions.
Williams is hoping to use the Barcelona game to give his side a boost in the race to qualify for Europe.
“I scored 6 goals against Ter Stegen, and I hope to score again in the next match because we need to win, as it will give us a strong impetus to qualify for Europe,” he said.
Inaki Williams has been named in the Black Stars’ 25-man squad for the2023 AFCON qualifiers against Angola later this month.
Despite rumours linking him toTottenham, Roberto De Zerbi is content at Brighton and Hove Albion and committed to helping the Seagulls break records this season.
Since taking over for Graham Potter in September, De Zerbi has made a significant impact at Brighton and helped the Seagulls contend for European qualification.
With three games remaining, Brighton is seven points behind fourth-placed Spurs in the Premier League standings. Their 43 goals this season are also a competition record.
With De Zerbi’s team performing well, he has been mentioned as a potential successor to Antonio Conte, who is expected to leave Spurs by the end of the current season, along with people like Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Frank, and Steve Cooper.
Asked about those links at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Leeds United, De Zerbi said: “I have a long contract with Brighton and I’m happy to work here.
“I’m enjoying working with these players, I’m delighted with my players for their performance and I can’t ask for more, it’s a good moment in my life.”
🧵- Welcome to @OptaJoe's Thursday Thread, where we'll look at the impact of Roberto De Zerbi since joining Brighton. Across Europe's top five leagues, only Barcelona (64%) & Bayern Munich (63%) have averaged more possession than the Seagulls (62%) since last October. Control. pic.twitter.com/tsii80Y1GT
head of the trip to Elland Road, Brighton are unbeaten in their last five Premier League away games (W3 D2), the joint-longest current run in the competition, alongside Brentford.
We need to take our chances – Howe disappointed at another Newcastle blank
Brighton have also failed to score just once in 11 away league games this term (0-2 at Brentford in October) – no Premier League side have drawn a blank on fewer road trips (Arsenal also one).
With Brighton earning plaudits for their enterprising style and with the race for European qualification wide open, De Zerbi is aware of the potential their campaign holds.
“People are speaking about our quality of play, and for that I am proud. But we have to be focused only on the next games. We have a clear target,” he said.
“We have a dream. We know we can write a new history for the club. This is a nice challenge.
“It will be difficult. We know what we can expect, but now we are able to win. I think now we have a complete squad with many young players, we are stronger.
“We want to arrive in Europe but we have to push and take it game by game. Tomorrow starts a difficult period with three games in a week, but we are ready to fight for our targets.”
Everything begins at the back for Brighton.
Since the start of October, Lewis Dunk has averaged more passes per 90 than any other player in the Premier League (92.8). He also leads all defenders for involvement in build-up sequences that end with a shot (52). Initiator. pic.twitter.com/hetl5rHqa4
Regardless of the situation, Pierluigi Collina has urged referees to add the appropriate amount of stoppage time at the conclusion of games.
The match between Liverpool and Manchester United on Sunday at Anfield was discussed byFIFA’s head of refereeing. Only three minutes were added to the game’s final score, which resulted in a 7-0 victory for the hosts despite the fact that six goals were scored in a second half that also featured 10 substitutions and a VAR delay.
Although games at the World Cup in Qatar were extended by additional time that was meant to reflect actual time lost during the 90 minutes, this trend has largely not continued in club football.
“Last weekend in the Premier League, there were 10 matches,” Collina told reporters. “Four had additional time of 10 minutes or more [across the first half and second half], and two should have been higher but weren’t only because they had scores of 7-0 and 4-0.
“In the game at Liverpool, there was four minutes added, one in the first half and three in the second. But there were six goals in the second half.
“Maybe at some point in the future we will have a rule which says: if the difference between the two sides is big, the additional time is not to be given. But this would be in the laws of the game.
“Now it is common sense, but it is [only] common sense when it doesn’t affect someone.
“I can understand that showing the right amount of time when it is 7-0 is difficult to understand. But in some competitions, the goal difference in the entire competition may be decisive at the end for the ranking.
“So, even one goal scored or not scored could make the difference.”
Former referee Collina believes adding on as much time as necessary would eventually stamp out time-wasting, much like the introduction of VAR appeared to reduce the amount of simulation in the game.
“It’s time to compensate time that was not played during the match,” he said. “We are not considering to go from 70 to 75. No, we want to avoid just playing 43 minutes.
“The effective time at Aston Villa vs Brentford [earlier this season] was 43 minutes. I don’t think someone wants to pay to watch a match that lasts 43 minutes.
“We have seen implementing VAR has reduced simulation. How many cards are now given for simulation? Very little because the players know it is meaningless to try.
Due to the incredible achievements they have made in their careers,Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are regarded as the best players of the twenty-first century and among the greatest players of all time.
They have been in a head-to-head competition to see who is the better, and this has led to a worldwide cult among football fans and celebrities.
Rival fans often make fun of each other’s players during bad games to annoy them. Ronaldo experienced this during Al- Nassr’s 1-0 loss to rivals Al-Ittihad on March 9, 2023.
In a video, Ronaldo was seen upset as he left the pitch angry after Al-Ittihad fans chanted Messi’s name.
Ittihad fans, while their team lead the game, chanted Messi’s name and got the Portuguese irritated as he responded with a keep-talking hand gesture.
After Nassr lost the game 1-0, the fans continued to chant while Ronaldo walked off the pitch as he furiously kicked a bottle on the pitch side.
The Real Madrid legend and five-time Ballon d’Or winner expressed his disappointment after the defeat but acknowledged the Nassr fans for their support.
“Disappointed with the result, but we stay focused on our season and the games ahead.
Thank you Al Nassr fans for your support, we know we can count on you!”
Ghana’s Accra is where Patrick Kpozo, a player for FC Sheriff Tiraspol in the Moldovan league, was born and raised.
The 25-year-old began his professional career with Inter Allies of Division 2 and made seven appearances before receiving a breakthrough transfer abroad to Swedish club AIK.
The player made two appearances for the national team in 2015 after receiving a call-up to Ghana’s under-20 team, the Black Satellites, before moving abroad.
The left-back made 11 club appearances before spending the next two seasons on loan in Tromso.
After a torrid spell at AIK, the Ghanaian player moved to Ostersunds FK also in the Swedish league. Kpozo was able to find his footing at Ostersunds and played in 48 matches scoring 3 goals.
In between his five-year spell at Ostersunds, Kpozo was sent on loan to IFK Lulea and managed to score 6 goals in 28 appearances for the club. After spending seven years in the Swedish league, Kpozo decided to join Moldova’s top side, FC Sheriff Tiraspol.
Since joining the club at the start of the season, Kpozo has played 25 matches which have seen him record 1966 minutes under his sleeves. The Ghanaian left-back was instrumental in FC Sheriff Tiraspol’s campaign in the Europa League where they faced the likes of Manchester United and Real Sociedad.
Patrick Kpozo first earned Black Stars call-up in the provisional squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but was dropped after the squad was pruned to a 26.
Patrick Kpozo’s additionto the Black Stars is expected to bring more competition to the left-back department of the team.
For this month’sAFCON qualifiers against Angola, Ghana coach Chris Hughton has left seven players off the national team roster.
The seven players were not included in the current squad for the AFCON qualifiers even though they were a part of the group that qualified Ghana for the Qatar-hosted 2022 World Cup.
The seven players who were cut from the team consist of: Elisha Owusu (Auxerre), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (Freiburg), Alidu Seidu (Clermont Foot), Baba Rahman (Reading), Daniel Afriyie Barnieh (FC Zurich), Ibrabim Danlad (Asante Kotoko) and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Sporting Lisbon).
While Elisha Owusu, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, Alidu Seidu and Baba Rahmanhave been dropped due to various injuries suffered while representing their respective clubs, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Ibrabim Danlad and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku have been left out of the squad due to poor form.
The Black Stars are scheduled to play Angola in a doubleheader this month, with the first leg set to be played on March 23 in Kumasi while the reverse fixture comes off in Luanda four days later.
Jamie Carragher thinks Mauricio Pochettino would be wrong to return to Tottenham because doing so would be like Kevin Keegan going back to Newcastle United.
Tottenham’s coach Antonio Conte is under increasing pressure following a desperate run that dashed their chances of taking home a trophy this year.
Spurs entered the top four in the Premier League after back-to-back wins, but after losing at Wolves in the league, the FA Cup at Sheffield United, and a miserable goalless draw at Milan, they were eliminated from the Champions League.
Conte’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign, so it seems likely that the former manager of Juventus, Chelsea, and Inter will soon leave Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Pochettino, who spent five years at the club, would be a popular appointment for many fans, and he remains out of work after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
But Liverpool legend Carragher sees concerning parallels with Keegan’s 2008 homecoming at Newcastle, where he soon left following a dispute with owner Mike Ashley.
“Never go back. That is what they say in football,” Carragher wrote in The Telegraph.
“Mauricio Pochettino would be wise to remember that if he is tempted to return to Tottenham Hotspur.
“Don’t do it, Poch. All parties need to move on. Comebacks are usually more romantic than logical.
4 – Tottenham Hotspur finished in the top four in four of their five previous completed seasons under Mauricio Pochettino, this after having finished in the top four in just two of their 22 Premier League campaigns before his arrival. Improved. pic.twitter.com/Ie8mo6MhNO
“Pochettino may see Spurs as the best chance to return to the Premier League. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy could curry favour with the supporters by re-appointing a popular ex-manager.
“They must know how rarely old magic is recreated in football.”
While noting Carlo Ancelotti has enjoyed a successful second spell at Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho won the title after rejoining Chelsea, Carragher added: “Pochettino returning to Spurs would be like Kevin Keegan going back to Newcastle United.
“Like Keegan’s Newcastle in the mid-90s, Pochettino’s Tottenham charmed neutrals without winning trophies.
“Keegan’s re-appointment in 2008 was greeted like the second coming, but he walked into different conditions and was gone eight months later.”
Tottenham finished second under Pochettino in 2016-17, their best performance since the 1960s, and also came third twice.
He was unable to end their wait for silverware, however, losing in the Champions League final in 2019 and EFL Cup final in 2015.
Thomas Partey’s call-up to the Black Stars for the upcoming international break has some Arsenal supporters upset.
The said incensed fans advised Partey to decline the invitation and focus on improving his fitness instead because he had just recovered from an injury.
Since he recovered from a muscle injury he sustained in February 2023, the Ghanaian has played 160 minutes in four games.
Thomas Partey was selected for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations team by Ghana, which will consist of 25 players.
The Black Stars will play Angola over two legs. They will host the Black Antelopes in the first leg on March 23, 2023, before the second leg on March 27, 2023.
The Black Stars are tied at the top of Group E with Angola on four points each.
Ghana began their campaign with a 3-0 win over Madagascar before being held to a one-all draw against Central African Republic.
Manchester United bouncedback from their embarrassing 7-0 loss to Liverpool at the weekend by beating Real Betis 4-1 in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 16. Marcus Rashford, Antony, Bruno Fernandes and Wout Weghorst were all on the scoresheet for the Red Devils, and a former Premier League star Ayoze Perez got the only goal for the Spanish team.
Fernandes, who retained his captaincy after his antics against Liverpool, got fans talking after he escaped with only a yellow card after a horror tackle on former Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
The Portuguese went in with a two-foot lunge at the Chilean goalkeeper, who got to the ball first but then got caught on the shin by the United captain. The referee immediately issued a yellow card, as reported by Sun UK.
Ten Hag defends Fernandes
United boss Erik Ten Hag defended his captain for the bad tackle during his post-match conference with BT Sport, which Manchester Evening News quoted. ”It’s his strength and his passion, but you are right. Sometimes he has to control that, and he has to bring it.
It is his strength, and when it’s too much, it becomes a weakness. That’s true, and he knows that, and there are always small margins,” he said.
The former Ajax boss also praised how his captain adapted to his role change and felt he was the best player on the pitch
”I think he was the best player on the pitch. It shows his personality. He played a little deeper role tonight, I asked him to do, and I think he was brilliant,” he added.
Ten Hag instructs players to score more goals Sports Brief earlier reported that United boss Erik Ten Hag appeared to tell his players to score more goals despite being 4-1 up against Real Betis.
The Dutch manager named an unchanged XI after the loss to Liverpool. While his team were four goals up, he made a gesture with three fingers which fans interpreted meant he wanted three more goals.
The former Ajax boss ended United’s trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup and currently has the team on 21 home games unbeaten run.
After Vinicius Junior endured racist taunts once more duringReal Madrid’s goalless draw with Real Betis on Sunday, LaLiga filed a complaint at a Seville court.
Two games this season against Atletico Madrid involved racist taunts directed at Vinicius, and matches against Real Mallorca and Real Valladolid have also been the scene of alleged incidents.
During Sunday’s scoreless draw at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, a Betis fan was caught on camera shouting racist epithets at Vinicius, prompting LaLiga to once more turn to legal action.
“This is the seventh complaint made to the relevant authorities by LaLiga regarding racist insults against Vinicius Junior.”
Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti last month said racism was a problem throughout Spanish football, adding: “Vinicius is the victim of something that I don’t understand. It must be solved.”
In the midst of their ongoing dispute with the national team and coach Jorge Vilda, Spain’s striking players have refuted the claim that they are “rebels,” according to Alexia Putellas.
15 players declared themselves unavailable for selection after Spain’s Women’s World Cup qualification in September, citing the “situation” surrounding La Roja.
There is currently a deadlock before the tournament in July as a result of the RFEF’s decision to stand by Vilda in the face of requests from the striking group for him to be replaced due to concerns for their emotional well-being.
The Barcelona midfielder has vehemently emphasised the opinion of her teammates and rejected the notion that those players are at fault.
“We are not rebels,” she told beIN SPORTS. “It’s exhausting having to constantly claim improvements to perform better. I don’t think you have to put adjectives of this type.
“It is a problem between the players and the federation. Private conversations have been leaked, and this situation does not benefit anyone.
“We want the players to be able to focus one hundred percent on performing. It’s exhausting having to constantly claim upgrades. The leaders should improve our conditions without [us] having to ask all the time.”
Vilda omitted striking players from his squad for the 2023 Cup of Nations, whereLa Roja finished second behind hosts Australia, ahead of a return to the country for the World Cup later this year.
They play friendlies against Norway and China in Ibiza in April, as they step up their preparations for the tournament, where they will hope to be among the contenders.
Just four months before the Women’s World Cup, the coach of the French national football team has been fired. Several of the key players on the national team had revolted against Corinne Diacre.
Corinne Diacre will no longer serve as the head coach of France’s national team, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Thursday.
The FFF praised Diacre’s “involvement and seriousness” in a press release, but claimed that a four-member committee that had been formed to examine how the women’s national team is run had “unanimously” recommended firing the coach.
“The numerous hearings conducted have made it possible to establish a very important gap with some top players,” it said. “This gap has reached a point of no return that damages the team’s interests.”
Player resignations
The move wasn’t completely unexpected, as Diacre had been under growing pressure since captain Wendie Renard announced her resignation from the national team last month.
“I can no longer support the current system which falls a long way short of the demands required to compete at the highest level,” Renard said.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kadidiatou Diani, the top scorer in the French league, who like Renard was nominated for last year’s Ballon d’Or, also quit, along with her PSG teammate Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
The federation said interim President Philippe Diallo had asked a committee to speak to potential candidates to replace Diacre as head coach “as soon as possible.”
Le COMEX de la FFF a reçu les conclusions de la commission missionnée par Philippe Diallo pour dresser un constat sur la situation de l’Équipe de France Féminine.
The move could hardly have come at a more inopportune time, with France set to compete in the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
The French federation was already in crisis following the resignation of its scandal-hit 81-year-old president, Noel Le Graet, last week.
Diacre, who took charge of the French national team in 2017 and was under contract until August 2024, said on Wednesday that she had become the victim of a smear campaign.
Under Diacre, France, as hosts, lost to the United States in the quarterfinals at the last World Cup in 2019. Les Bleues then lost to Germany in the semifinals of last year’s Euros in England.
