TIG Post

Tag: Black Stars

  • PHOTOS: Black Stars getting ready to leave Abu Dhabi for Doha ahead of World Cup

    The Black Stars of Ghana are getting ready to leave Abu Dhabi for Doha ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    Coach Otto Addo and his charges have been camping in the United Arab Emirates capital for the past four days to fine tune his squad for the global showpiece.

    The team is expected to will arrive in Doha this evening to continue with preparations for the World Cup finals.

    Ghana concluded their 2022 World Cup preparation in Abu Dhabi with a 2-0 friendly win over Switzerland on Thursday at the Zayed Sports complex.

    Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Serlom Semenyo scored in the second half to ensure the West Africans head into the World Cup on a high note.

    Black Stars. who are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.

     

    Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.

    Ghana secured a 4th FIFA World Cup tournament having participated in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in Germany, South Africa, and Brazil after drawing 1-1 against Nigeria in the return leg of the final play-offs at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja to seal qualification on the away goals rule.

    The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 20 and December 18, 2022.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

    Below are photos of the team at the hotel getting ready to leave Abu Dhabi:

  • World Cup 2022: The entire country is behind you – President Akufo Addo wishes Black Stars well

    The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured the twenty-six-man Black Stars contingent and the entire technical team of the nation’s unalloyed support ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

    According to the President, the Black Stars, who will be featuring and representing the nation at the Mundial in far-away Qatar “should know and feel that the entire nation, without the distinction of politics, religion, ethnicity; the entire Ghanaian nation are 100% solidly behind them.”

    This was when the President met a delegation made up of and led by the Minister of Youth and Sports Hon. Mustapha Ussif, the Ghana Football Association, and all the Supporters Unions of Ghana, today Thursday, 17th November 2022 at the Jubilee House, to sign the national flag; a move towards rallying popular support for the team, and wish them well in this national endeavor.

    Delivering a message of optimism on the account of the Two-Zero victory today over Switzerland in a pre-tournament friendly, President Akufo-Addo said, “I know that they are not there to make up the numbers and that they are going to give a very good account of themselves.”

    Therefore, he stated, “I want first of all to thank all of you, very much for making the effort to come and see me before the competition starts, so that we can all together with the black stars the very best of luck,”.

     

    “All of us know what football means to us in this country and what a very rich history we have in football. History goes right back to the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, right up till today; and I’m very confident that the players that have been selected, right up to the excellent technical team that we have under the leadership of Otto Addo, that we are going to give a very good account of ourselves.”

    Recalling Pele’s prediction of the 1970s, the President said, “a long time ago, the greatest footballer that has ever lived, the Brazilian, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, said that very soon an African country is going to win the African Cup and I know that, when he said that, he had in mind Ghana.”

    He, therefore, called on all to “rally round the team, and make sure that we give them our maximum support. They are going to go a long way away to Doha in Qatar, but they should know that the entire nation, without distinction of politics, religion, ethnicity; the entire Ghanaian nation are 100% solidly behind them.”

    “I am impressed by the arrangements that the Minister for Youth and Sports, has made and all those who are involved in the administration of the Black Stars. Very well-organized and systematic efforts have been made to make sure that we give the Black Stars the best possible conditions, to go forward,” he stated.

  • Black Stars hold recovery training session in Abu Dhabi after Switzerland win

    Black Stars held a recovery training session in Abu Dhabi without players who participated in their 2-0 friendly win over Switzerland on Thursday.

    Coach Otto Addo put theses players through their paces in bid to get them ready for the World Cup.

    Ghana concluded their 2022 World Cup preparation with a convincing win over Switzerland at the Zayed Sports complex.

    Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Serlom Semenyo scored in the second half to ensure the West Africans head into the World Cup on a high note.

    The team has been camping in the United Arab Emirates capital for the past four days as coach Addo look to fine tune his squad for the global showpiece.

    Black Stars will leave Abu Dhabi for Doha today for Doha and are expected to arrive this evening to continue with preparations for the World Cup finals

     

    .

    Black Stars. who are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.

    Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.

    Ghana secured a 4th FIFA World Cup tournament having participated in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in Germany, South Africa, and Brazil after drawing 1-1 against Nigeria in the return leg of the final play-offs at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja to seal qualification on the away goals rule.

    The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 20 and December 18, 2022.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: We are capable of hurting any opposition – Ghana coach Otto Addo

    Ghana coach, Otto Addo, has admitted that they are in a tough group but his side is capable of beating any opposition ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

    The Black Stars, who are making their fourth appearance at the Mundial are hoping to make history after exiting the group phase in 2014 in Brazil.

    Ghana’s best performance came in 2010 where they played in the quarterfinals.

    After missing out in the last edition in 2018 in Russia, Addo, who masterminded Ghana’s return to the Mundial says his team can cause an upset should they progress from Group H, where they are pitted against Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.

     

    “Everything is possible. As I’ve said, we have three strong opponents in our group. If we don’t perform as we need to, or if we’re not able to implement our tactics then it’ll be very difficult,” he told FIFA in an interview.

    “Especially because Portugal, Uruguay, and the Korea Republic are very strong opponents with qualities on and off the pitch.

    “It will be difficult to compete with them but, as I’ve said, we have the quality to beat them. If we progress from the group, anything is possible,” Addo, who also serves as Borussia Dortmund’s talent coach added.

    The Black Stars wrapped up their preparation with a 2-0 win over Switzerland on Thursday in Abu Dhabi with Mohammed Salisu and Antione Semenyo scoring the goals.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The 22nd edition of the Mundial has been scheduled to kick off on Sunday, November 20 to December 18.

  • I only received $40,000 as appearance fees at the 2006 World Cup – Dan Quaye cries

    Former Black Stars defender Dan Quaye has disclosed that his appearance fees at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany were slashed because he was a local player.

    The then Hearts of Oak right-back was among three local players who made Ghana’s final 23-man squad for its maiden World Cup appearance in Germany.

    All players representing Ghana were paid $50,000 as appearance fees for earning a spot in the final 23-man squad but Quaye says that he and other local players were only paid $40,000 which was $10,000 less than their foreign-based counterparts.

    He says officials of the Ghana Football Association nor the Ministry of Sports did not offer any explanation for the cuts on the appearance fees of local-based players.

    Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Happy FM, he disclosed that he fears Danlad Ibrahim and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh may have their bonuses slashed like it happened to them some years ago.

     

    “The only thing they did to disturb us is that we the local players our appearance fees were slashed but the foreign-based players had their monies intact.

    “I got $40,000 out of the $50,000 but the foreign-based players received the full amount of $50,000.

    They didn’t give us any reason why the reduced the money. They are supposed to treat all of us equal. They are professionals and have more money. Same thing happened in 2014. I urge all other local players to be bold and come out.

    “Afriyie Barnie and Ibrahim Danlad will also suffer the same thing. No matter what”, he added.

    Dan Quaye was joined in the Ghana squad by Habib Mohammed then of King Faisal and Kotoko’s Shilla Illiasu as the local players

  • Black Stars hold recovery training session in Abu Dhabi after Switzerland victory

    Black Stars held a recovery training session in Abu Dhabi without players who participated in their 2-0 friendly win over Switzerland on Thursday.

    Coach Otto Addo put theses players through their paces in bid to get them ready for the World Cup.

    Ghana concluded their 2022 World Cup preparation with a convincing win over Switzerland at the Zayed Sports complex.

    Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Serlom Semenyo scored in the second half to ensure the West Africans head into the World Cup on a high note.

    The team has been camping in the United Arab Emirates capital for the past four days as coach Addo look to fine tune his squad for the global showpiece.

    Black Stars will leave Abu Dhabi for Doha today for Doha and are expected to arrive this evening to continue with preparations for the World Cup finals.

    Black Stars who are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.

    Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.

    Ghana secured a 4th FIFA World Cup tournament having participated in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in Germany, South Africa, and Brazil after drawing 1-1 against Nigeria in the return leg of the final play-offs at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja to seal qualification on the away goals rule.

    The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place between November 20 and December 18, 2022.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

    Below are photos of the players training:

    Source: Football Ghana

  • Better than Vinicius and Neymar – Ghanaians drool over Afriyie Barnieh’s performance against Switzerland

    Some Ghanaians on social media have described Hearts of Oak’s forward, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh as a better player than Brazilian duo Neymar and Vinicius Jr

    Afriyie Barnieh was handed his first starting role in Ghana’s friendly match against Switzerland on Thursday, November 17, 2022.

    The Hearts of Oak player put up a great performance as he was able to dazzle his way into tight areas to create a few chances at goal.

    The player who was deployed on the right wings was able to win a few free kicks for Ghana in the game including a penalty call which was overlooked by the referee.

    The Black Stars of Ghana defeated Switzerland by 2-0 in the international friendly matchat the ZSC Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

    Goals from Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Semenyo gave Ghana the deserving win over their European opponents as they head to the 2022 World Cup in high spirits.

    Reacting to Afriyie Barnieh’s performance in the game, some called for more game time for the home-based player in Ghana’s matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

  • Daniel-Kofi Kyereh congratulates Andre Ayew on making 110th appearance for Ghana

    Attacking midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh of congratulated team captain Andre Ayew on reaching the milestone of having the most appearances for the Black Stars.

    Daniel-Kofi Kyereh took to his official social media page to post: “Legend. Congrats bro Andre Ayew.”

    Black Stars captain Andre Ayew was presented with a commemorative jersey after making a record 110th appearance for Ghana today.

    The 2009 U-20 World Cup winner was in action when the Black Stars inflicted a 2-0 win over the European country in a pre-World Cup friendly in Abu Dhabi.

    The Al Sadd star lasted the entire duration and did not disappoint. The 32-year-old, on the other hand, showed no signs of fatigue, covering a lot of ground as he supported the defence whenever Switzerland attacked.

    Ayew completed 89% of his passes (25/28), attempted two long balls that were both perfect, and won three ground duels as well as two aerial duels.

    He also made two clearances and one crucial tackle, preventing Xherdan Shaqiri from firing from the edge of the box

    The match was Ayew’s 110th appearance for the Black Stars making him the outright most-capped player for the four-time African champions.

    He has surpassed the legendary Asamoah Gyan who made 109 appearances for Ghana between 2003 and 2019.

    Ayew debuted for Black Stars in 2007, then went on to captain the U20 team to win African Youth Championship and the World Cup in 2009.

    He has scored 23 goals making him the seventh all-time top scorer for the Black Stars and the highest by any active Black Stars player.

  • Salisu, Semenyo score as Ghana fire Portugal warning with 2-0 victory over Switzerland

    The Black Stars of Ghana defeated Switzerland by 2-0 in an international friendly match on Thursday November 17, 2022 at the ZSC Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

    Goals from Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Semenyo gave Ghana the deserving win over their European opponents as they head to the 2022 World Cup in high spirits.

    The Black Stars started the match on a high note creating a few chances in the game which saw Hearts of Oak forward Daniel Afriyie Barnieh coming close to scoring a goal in the game.

    Spanish-based Ghanaian forward, Inaki Williams also had a close shave at goal on a couple of occasions but was unlucky.

    After a barren first half, coach Otto Addo made few substitution which saw the likes of Kamaldeen Sulemana, Kamal Sowah, Antoine Semenyo, Daniel Kofi Kyereh introduced in the game.

    Southampton defender, Mohammed Salisu scored the first goal of the match with a header from a corner kick effected by Daniel Kofi Kyereh.

    The goal which was the first goal of the defender inspired Ghana to another goal when striker Antoine Semenyo launched on a glorious pass from Kamaldeen Sulemana to slot home a volley.

    Goalkeeper, Lawrence Ati-Zigi was resolute in post for the Black Stars as he kept a clean sheet. He was able to make a few saves in the game as the Swiss had some attempts at goal.

    In-form Black Stars players Thomas Partey and Mohammed Kudus did not play the match as they were left out of the squad.

    Ghana head into the 2022 World Cup with high hopes after defeating Switzerland who were able to beat Portugal twice in four matches this year.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Bring on Portugal – Ghanaians react to Black Stars 2-0 win over Switzerland

    There are wild celebrations on various social media platforms after a statement win from the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar which starts on Sunday, November 20.

    The Black Stars of Ghana defeated Switzerland by 2-0 in an international friendly match on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at the ZSC Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

    After a goalless first half with Accra Hearts of Oak’s Daniel Afriyie Barnieh “stealing” the show, the Stars stepped up to win the game in the second half.

    Two goals from Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Semenyo gave the Black Stars the deserving win over Switzerland who struggled to cope with the pace and tenacity of Otto Addo’s men.

    The victory will boost the confidence of the team ahead of the World Cup and also help rally Ghanaians behind the team.

    In-form Black Stars players Thomas Partey and Mohammed Kudus did not play the match as they were left out of the squad.

    Here are some of the reactions as Ghanaians continue to celebrate the victory.

  • Abdul Salis Samed stars on Ghana debut in win against Switzerland

    RC Lens midfielder, Abdul Salis Samed, marked his Ghana debut in style on Thursday, helping the Black Stars to defeat Switzerland 2-0.

    The midfielder started his first game for his national team this morning in the final friendly match of the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    Paired against Elisha Owusu for the first time, Abdul Salis Samed put up a top performance to the delight of his manager and Ghanaians who watched the match.

    In a game played at the Zayed Sports City Stadium, there were lots of action in the first half as Ghana dominated play.

    Unfortunately, the team failed to convert the chances that were created and had to settle for a draw at the break.

    In the second half, Switzerland had a brighter start and caused a lot of trouble for the defense of Ghana.

    However, thanks to a strong display from the Black Stars, the team held on for as long as they needed to.

    Following a number of changes at the hour mark, Ghana regained control of the game and continued to dominate.

    In the 69th minute, Mohammed Salisu scored his first Ghana goal to give the Black Stars a deserved lead.

    Five minutes later, Bristol City attacker Antoine Semenyo pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard box of the Swiss, and fired a shot from close range that found the back of the net.

    Eventually, the Black Stars cruised to a 2-0 win to wrap up their training camp in Abu Dhabi in style.

    Abdul Salis Samed in the game today did enough and is a strong candidate for a starting role in Ghana’s first match against Portugal on November 24.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Dede Ayew breaks Asamoah Gyan’s record to become Ghana’s most capped player

    Black Stars captain Andre Ayew now stands alone as the most capped player for Ghana after making his 110th appearance against Switzerland on Thursday.

    The 2009 U-20 World Cup winner featured when the Black Stars inflicted a 2-0 win over the European country in a pre-World Cup friendly in Abu Dhabi.

    The Al Sadd star lasted the entire duration and did not disappoint. The 32-year-old, on the other hand, showed no signs of fatigue, covering a lot of ground as he supported the defense whenever Switzerland attacked.

    Ayew completed 89% of his passes (25/28), attempted two long balls that were both perfect, and won three ground duels as well as two aerial duels.

    He also made two clearances and one crucial tackle, preventing Xherdan Shaqiri from firing from the edge of the box

    The match was Ayew’s 110th appearance for the Black Stars making him the outright most-capped player for the four-time African champions.

    He has surpassed the legendary Asamoah Gyan who made 109 appearances for Ghana between 2003 and 2019.

    Ayew debuted for Black Stars in 2007, then went on to captain the U20 team to win African Youth Championship and the World Cup in 2009.

    He has scored 23 goals making him the seventh all-time top scorer for the Black Stars and the highest by any active Black Stars player.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • Black Stars captain Andre Ayew breaks Asamoah Gyan’s record to become Ghana’s most capped player

    Black Stars captain Andre Ayew now stands alone as the most capped player for Ghana after making his 110th appearance against Switzerland on Thursday.

    The 2009 U-20 World Cup winner featured when the Black Stars inflicted a 2-0 win over the European country in a pre-World Cup friendly in Abu Dhabi.

    The Al Sadd star lasted the entire duration and did not disappoint. The 32-year-old, on the other hand, showed no signs of fatigue, covering a lot of ground as he supported the defence whenever Switzerland attacked.

    Ayew completed 89% of his passes (25/28), attempted two long balls that were both perfect, and won three ground duels as well as two aerial duels.

    He also made two clearances and one crucial tackle, preventing Xherdan Shaqiri from firing from the edge of the box

    The match was Ayew’s 110th appearance for the Black Stars making him the outright most-capped player for the four-time African champions.

    He has surpassed the legendary Asamoah Gyan who made 109 appearances for Ghana between 2003 and 2019.

    Ayew debuted for Black Stars in 2007, then went on to captain the U20 team to win African Youth Championship and the World Cup in 2009.

    He has scored 23 goals making him the seventh all-time top scorer for the Black Stars and the highest by any active Black Stars player.

  • Watch: OSEY – The Official World Cup Cheer Song for Black Stars

    The Kentos Music Band with the blessing of the Ministry of Youth and Sports has released the official cheer song for the Black Stars. Dubbed “Osey” the song is to whip up support for the Stars ahead of the games at Qatar, which commences on November 20. It will be the Stars official song for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The Kentos Band wrote and arranged the beautiful composition – a simple and catchy melody admonishing the Black Stars to bring the much-coveted trophy home. Although Kentos Band is usually known for its electrifying live performances, this project allows them to explore much more and contribute to a national cause. This equally adds to the band’s weight of excellence in contemporary African music. What makes the project special is the quality of Kentos Band to incorporate the brass band music into contemporary styles, which they achieved with “Osey.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDvSmS5IbwE

    The entire project includes the song and a video featuring legendary former Black Star players like Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari, John Mensah, Asamoah Gyan, Laryea Kingston, John Paintsil and Derrick Boateng, and is sponsored by Torrid Global Limited. As an oil marketing company operating in Ghana, this offers Torrid the opportunity to support a worthy social cause. The support from Torrid Global reflects the organisation’s commitment to corporate social activities that contribute to national unity and patriotism. Equally, the contribution of the former Black Stars is a strong factor in reiterating the purpose of the project which is aimed at supporting the team they used to play for.

    Kentos Band believes that “Osey” would indeed be the sound with which fans cheer the stars in this World Cup season.

    At the launch of the official song and Music Video, the Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon. Mustapha Ussif, admonished Ghanaians to cheer the Stars on to bring the coveted trophy home as admonished in the cheer song.

    Links to Song:

    https://audiomack.com/kentos-music-band/song/ghana-osey

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDvSmS5IbwE

     

  • Ghana’s Black Stars shine bright as they beat Switzerland 2-0 in final pre-World Cup friendly

    The Black Stars of Ghana outplayed and scored two goals on Thursday morning in the friendly match against Switzerland.

    The Ghana national team as part of preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup engaged the Swiss in a pre-world cup friendly match today in Abu Dhabi.

    In a game played at the Zayed Sports City Stadium, there were lots of action in the first half as Ghana dominated play.

    Unfortunately, the team failed to convert the chances that were created and had to settle for a draw at the break.

    In the second half, Switzerland had a brighter start and caused a lot of trouble for the defense of Ghana.

    However, thanks to a strong display from the Black Stars, the team held on for as long as they needed to.

    Following a number of changes at the hour mark, Ghana regained control of the game and continued to dominate.

    In the 69th minute, Mohammed Salisu scored his first Ghana goal to give the Black Stars a deserved lead.

    Five minutes later, Bristol City attacker Antoine Semenyo pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard box of the Swiss and fired a shot from close range that found the back of the net.

    Eventually, the Black Stars cruised to a 2-0 win to wrap up their training camp in Abu Dhabi in style.

    The Black Stars will now prepare to fly out to Qatar to prepare for the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, November 20.

    The African side will not be in action until Thursday, November 24, 2022.

  • LIVE UPDATES: Ghana 0-0 Switzerland – International Friendly

    Good morning and welcome to the live text commentary for the international friendly match between Ghana and Switzerland.

    The Black Stars are facing off with their Swiss counterpart this morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in what will be the final game before the national team moves to Qatar.

    Ahead of kick-off at 10:00 am, Ghana ahead coach Otto Addo has named his starting eleven for the clash.

    The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post and will be protected by a defense that includes Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.

    RC Lens midfielder Abdul Salis Samed is in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.

    Andre Ayew is also starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.

    Ghana is using this morning’s friendly to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.

    The Black Stars are hoping to put up a good performance to inspire confidence ahead of the start of the mundial.

    Checkout the Black Stars’ starting eleven for the Switzerland friendly below:

    We are just 10 minutes away from kick-off.

    1′ We are off at the Zayed Sports City. The teams are on the pitch and the game has kicked off.

    3′ Switzerland applies early pressure after a slow start from both countries.

    4′ A very open game but players are being cautious.

    5′ Lawrence Ati-Zigi with some poor goalkeeping but is fortunate there is no Swiss player to bounce on his poor save.

    7′ A great attacking play by the Swiss creates a good opening for Vargas. His effort is poor as Ghana wins a goal kick.

    8′ Daniel Afriyie Barnieh makes a very good run and latches onto a through ball. He fires a shot at goal but is easily saved.

    10′ After a slow start to the first half, Ghana has now come in strong and currently dominating proceedings. Meanwhile, Switzerland have earned a corner kick against the run of play. The resulting kick is cleared by the Ghana defense.

    11′ OFFSIDE: Andre Ayew is through on goal but the referee blows for an offside. That was close.

    13′ So far so good for this new-look Black Stars. The team is however yet to really threaten the Swiss goal.

    15′ This has been a very lively 15 minutes for the Black Stars.

    18′ The tempo of the game is now slower. Both sets of players playing with caution to avoid injuries.

    20′ Ghana wins a free-kick in a dangerous area. Jordan Ayew attempts to find Inaki Williams but is unsuccessful.

    21′ The Swiss break and immediately gets a corner on the other end of the pitch. It is well-taken by Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi comes out to punch the ball to safety.

    23′ Jordan Ayew with a very good turn and fires a shot at goal. It’s an easy save for the Swiss goalkeeper.

    27′ Ghana continues to enjoy the lion’s share of possession. Unfortunately, still no goals.

    28′ Lawrence Ati-Zigi anticipates a through ball and dives on the carpet to make a timely interception. Smart goalkeeping.

    30′ We have done half an hour in this international friendly.

    32′ Black Stars conceded pressure through a good clearance from Baba Rahman after pressure from the Swiss attack. Corner is taken but Lawrence Ati-Zigi saves.

    34′ Tariq Lamptey fires a shot from distance. His effort is unfortunately off target. Goal kick to Switzerland.

    37′ Ghana continuously dominates play but no goal to show for it.

    40′ We are into the final five minutes of the game.

    43′ CLOSE!! Mohammed Salisu comes close to scoring. The defender latches onto an inviting free-kick from Jordan Ayew but is unable to direct his effort at goal.

    45′ No injury time as the referee blows for halftime.

    Second half:

    46′ We are back underway for the second 45 minutes.

    47′ A very lively start to the second half. Ghana and Switzerland come close to scoring in a matter of seconds.

  • Pictures and videos of Ghana vs Switzerland game

    Ghana is playing against Switzerland today as part of its preparation towards the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.

    At the end of the first half, no team had been able to score a goal.

    The second half of the game is underway.

    Here are moments before the game started:

    Now, to the match itself:



     

  • PLAYBACK: Ghana vs Switzerland international friendly match

    Ghana played against Switzerland today as part of its preparation towards the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.

    The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post. The defense that included Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.

    Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey was in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.

    Andre Ayew started starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.

     

     

     

  • Watch Live: Ghana vs Switzerland [International friendly]

    Kindly watch the live friendly match between  Ghana and  Switzerland at the Zayed Sports City Stadium -Baniyas  in  Abu Dhabi.

    Refresh the page if the link breaks.

    WATCH THE LIVE  VIDEO BELOW:

    https://youtu.be/c6U3rYO_T-0

  • LIVE UPDATES: Ghana 0-0 Switzerland – International Friendly

    Good morning and welcome to the live text commentary for the international friendly match between Ghana and Switzerland.

    The Black Stars are facing off with their Swiss counterpart this morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in what will be the final game before the national team moves to Qatar.

    Ahead of kick-off at 10:00 am, Ghana ahead coach Otto Addo has named his starting eleven for the clash.

    The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post and will be protected by a defense that includes Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.

    RC Lens midfielder Abdul Salis Samed is in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.

    Andre Ayew is also starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.

    Ghana is using this morning’s friendly to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.

    The Black Stars are hoping to put up a good performance to inspire confidence ahead of the start of the mundial.

    Checkout the Black Stars’ starting eleven for the Switzerland friendly below:

     

    We are just 10 minutes away from kick-off.

    1′ We are off at the Zayed Sports City. The teams are on the pitch and the game has kicked off.

    3′ Switzerland applies early pressure after a slow start from both countries.

    4′ A very open game but players are being cautious.

  • World Cup 2022: Coach Otto Addo hands Tariq Lamptey first Black Stars start in Switzerland friendly

    Ghana head coach, Otto Addo has handed Tariq Lamptey his first Ghana start in the friendly match against Switzerland today.

    The Black Stars are facing off with their Swiss counterpart in an international friendly match this morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

    Ahead of kick-off at 10:00am, Ghana ahead coach Otto Addo has named his starting eleven for the clash.

    The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post and will be protected by a defense that includes Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.

    RC Len midfielder Abdul Salis Samed is in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.

    Andre Ayew is also starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.

    Ghana is using this morning’s friendly to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.

    The Black Stars are hoping to put up a good performance to inspire confidence ahead of the start of the mundial.

    Checkout the Black Stars’ starting eleven for the Switzerland friendly below:

  • World Cup 2022: Tariq Lamptey handed first Black Stars start in Switzerland friendly

    Ghana head coach, Otto Addo has provided Tariq Lamptey his first Ghana start in the friendly match against Switzerland.

    The Black Stars are facing off with their Swiss counterpart in an international friendly match on Thursday morning in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

    Ahead of kick-off at 10:00am, Ghana ahead coach Otto Addo has named his starting eleven for the clash.

    The team has goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi in the post and will be protected by a defense that include Tariq Lamptey, Baba Rahman, Daniel Amartey, and Salisu Mohammed.

    Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is in the starting eleven alongside Belgium-based Elisha Owusu.

    Andre Ayew is also starting with his brother Jordan Ayew while Hearts of Oak star Daniel Afriyie Barnieh has been handed his maiden start for the Black Stars.

    Ghana is using this morning’s friendly to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts on Sunday, November 20.

    The Black Stars are hoping to put up a good performance to inspire confidence ahead of the start of the mundial.

    Checkout the Black Stars’ starting eleven for the Switzerland friendly below:

    Source: Football Ghana

  • A million dollars! – Kwame Sefa shocked by alleged amount spent on every Black Stars game

    Kwame Sefa Kayi, the host of Peace FM’s Kokrokoo’s program could not believe the allegation by his colleague, Dan Kwaku Yeboah that the government spends $1million on every Black Stars game.

    Dan Kwaku Yeboah claimed during a panel discussion on Ghana’s squad for the 2022 World Cup that the Ministry of Youth and Sports has confirmed that every Black Stars game costs Ghanaians a million dollars.

    Kwaku Yeboah was bemoaning what he views to be the profligacy and mismanagement of funds on the Black Stars.

    He noted worryingly that the wastefulness is to be blamed for the failure of the country to channel funds from the World Cup into major projects.

    “We’ve been told by the ministry that we spend $1million on every Black Stars game. The ministry says we spend $1million on every Black Stars game,” he said.

    A gobsmacked Sefa Kayi retorted in disbelief “a million dollars a game? Do you know what a million dollars is? I don’t want to believe it. It has shocked me.”.

    On the same show, Dan Kwaku Yeboah lamented the inclusion of Reading defender Baba Rahman in the Black Stars.

    He asserted that the left-back is in the squad due to his association with GFA boss, Kurk Okraku, and not because he merits a call-up.

    Coach Otto Addo on Monday, November 14, 2022 announced a 26-man squad for the tournament which will be held in Qatar.

    The team had some new faces as well as some old faces led by skipper Andre Dede, his deputy Thomas Partey and his brother, Jordan Ayew.

    Ghana will begin the tournament on November 24 against Portugal before taking on Uruguay and South Korea in Group H.

  • World Cup 2022: Here are the top five games to watch in the Group stage including Ghana vs Uruguay

    The much-anticipated 2022 World Cup will kick start this weekend, with 32 countries set to battle it out for the covetous trophy in Qatar.

    These are some tough games to watch in the group stages of the tournament in the Asian country including the Black Stars and Uruguay.

    First, the Group A match between Qatar and Ecuador (1:00 a.m. on the 21st, Korea time), which will be held as the opening match, was selected

    1.Qatar vs Ecuador:  

    First, the Group A match between Qatar and Ecuador has been selected because it is the opening game of the tournament.

    2. Argentina and Mexico:

    It is the first confrontation between strong teams from each continent in the group stage.”

    Argentina and Mexico are drawn in Group C along with Saudi Arabia and Poland.

    3. Germany vs Spain- November 28

    The battle between the two European giants will be the best group stage match between the 2014 World Champion and the 2010 World Champion Spain.

    4. Iran and the United States will be playing in Group B on October 30.

    This is also a result of the two countries’ political ties.  Iran defeated the United States 2-1 in their group stage match up at the 1998 World Cup in France.

    5. Ghana vs Uruguay game- December 3

    Ghana were denied a semifinal berth at the World Cup courtesy of a Luis Suarez handball incident in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

    The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward prevent a goal-bound header from Ghana’s Dominic Adiyiah in the final minute of extra time at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

    Suarez essentially produced a save on the line worthy of a goalkeeper and he was shown a straight red card as a result.

    Ghana were also awarded a penalty, but Asamoah Gyan’s attempt from 12 yards crashed into the crossbar, which resulted in Suarez going mental on the touchline and sent the game to a shootout.

    Uruguay won the penalty shoot-out to progress to the semifinals with Luis Suarez celebrated for his demonic act.

    This means, the two teams clash will be a difficult one at the tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: South Korea targets Ghana’s lack of experience

    Out of the 32 teams competing in the competition, Ghana has the lowest ranking (#61), and South Korea believes they may take advantage of Ghana’s inexperience.

    On Monday, Ghana confirmed the final 26-man World Cup squad. The inclusion of new players such as Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams and Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey is typical of a team with new additions and a lack of major tournament experience.

    Williams has five goals in the 2022/2023 Spanish La Liga. Lamptey formerly represented England’s under-21 national team. Experienced players include Al Sadd’s Andre Ayew, Crystal Palace’s Jordan Ayew, and Arsenal’s Thomas Partey. There are just two players in the domestic league. There are 24 players competing in big and local European leagues.

    The player with the most appearances for the national team is Andre Ayew 107. Followed by, Jordan Ayew 82, defender Abdul Rahman Baba 47, and Daniel Amartey 43. The average age is only 24.7 years old, there are three players in their 30s.

    Ghana’s key player has been labeled as Thomas Partey. He has excellent passing range and long-range shooting. He has been a member of Arsenal since 2020. Until this season, he has played 59 Premier League games in two and a half seasons, scoring four goals. Thomas Partey was named Ghanaian player of the year in both 2018 and 2019.

    South Korea is in Group H with Ghana, Portugal, and Uruguay. South Korea will play the Black Stars of Ghana on the 28th of November at the Education City Stadium.

  • World Cup 2022: It was not easy for me to call players and tell them they didn’t make Ghana’s final squad – Otto Addo

    Ghana head coach, Otto Addo has disclosed that it was not easy for him to inform players of his decision to exclude them from his final 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    Before selecting his 26-man squad, coach Otto Addo submitted a squad of 55 players to FIFA as his provisional list.

    On Monday, he announced his final squad for the Black Stars’ campaign at the world cup during a press conference in Accra.

    Speaking to journalist, Coach Otto Addo noted that he was not faced with any challenge in selecting the squad.

    However, he said it was tough for him to break the news to players he omitted from his squad.

    “Announcing the final squad was not a big deal. The big deal was calling of the players to tell them they were not part. For me that was the worst part,” Coach Otto Addo told journalists at the press conference.

    Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be one of five African countries representing the continent.

    The Black Stars will compete in Group H of the group stages of the tournament. In that group, Ghana will battle it out with two-time champions Uruguay, as well as European giants Portugal.

    The other group opponent is South Korea from Asia.

    While the 2022 FIFA World Cup will commence on Sunday, November 20, Ghana’s Black Stars will play their first match on November 24.

    Subsequently, Ghana will take on South Korea on November 28 before finishing the group stages campaign with a rematch against Uruguay.

  • PHOTOS: Black Stars wrap up preparations for friendly against Switzerland before trip to Qatar for World Cup 2022

    The Black Stars of Ghana have held a final training session today, Wednesday, November 16, to wrap up preparations for the friendly match against Switzerland on Thursday.

    The Ghana national team is currently in Abu Dhabi for a short training camp before making the trip to Qatar for the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    Yesterday, the team trained to begin preparations for a scheduled friendly match against Switzerland.

    Today, the team under the guidance of head coach Otto Addo and his technical team has held another training session.

    All is now set for the friendly against Switzerland which is expected to help the coach to know his starting eleven for the upcoming world cup.

    Below are pictures from today’s training:

       

    Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be one of five African countries representing the continent.

    The Black Stars will compete in Group H of the group stages of the tournament. In that group, Ghana will battle it out with two-time champions Uruguay, as well as European giants Portugal.

    The other group opponent is South Korea from Asia.

    While the 2022 FIFA World Cup will commence on Sunday, November 20, Ghana’s Black Stars will play their first match on November 24.

    Subsequently, Ghana will take on South Korea on November 28 before finishing the group stages campaign with a rematch against Uruguay.

  • World Cup 2022: Black Stars hold final training in Abu Dhabi ahead of Switzerland clash

    Black Stars held their final training session ahead of their pre-World Cup friendly against Switzerland on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.

    The West African powerhouse will engage the European country before the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Ghana who are returning to the global showpiece will be hoping to make impact despite being paired in what seems to be a ‘Group of Death’.

    The team pitched camp in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where 23 players reported to camp to begin preparation for the friendly and the World Cup tournament.

    But on Tuesday, 25 players participated in the teams training in the Asian following the arrival of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Alexander Djiku.

     

    Otto Addo and his charges held their final training session on Thursday afternoon ahead of their clash with Switzerland.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: Football star Sulley Muntari happy about Black Stars return to global tournament

    Former Ghana midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari has expressed his delight about the Black Stars return to the World Cup.

    Ghana is returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018, where France emerged as winners.

    The West African powerhouse has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.

    According to the former Inter and AC Milan star, he is overly excited about the Black Stars return to the global showpiece considering the four-time African champions pedigree in the game.

    “With Ghana, everyone expects us to always be at the World Cup so if you don’t make it to the World Cup they are not happy, not only here but the whole part of the World”

    “So we are really happy that we are in the World Cup now and we just pray these guys will go and really do well for us” he said.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

     

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: Here are the salaries of coaches heading to tournament

    The much-anticipated 2022 World Cup will kick start this weekend, with 32 countries set to battle it out for the covetous trophy in Qatar.

    Per a research by Finance Football prior to the start of the mundial, Germany head coach Hansi Flick tops the list as the highest coach per annum going to the World and is followed by England boss Gareth Southgate, France’s Didier Deschamps and Brazil coach Tite in that other.

    Meanwhile, African coaches heading to the World Cup are among the least paid at the tournament.

    No African trainer fall in the top 20 best paid coaches ahead of the tournament in the Asian country.

    Morocco coach Walid Regragui is on £650,000 and is the best paid African coach, placing 23rd position whiles Ghana coach Otto Addo, who is taking home £351,994 as his annual salary is placed on 28th Position.

    Addo is ahead of three other African coaches namely Rigobert Song of Cameroon, Senegal’s Aliou Cissé and Tunisia gaffer Jalel Kadri who are on £299,195, £272,795 and £114,400-per-year respectively.

    The former Ghana international is also ranked ahead of Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez, who is placed on the 29th spot.

    Addo was appointed in February this year following the exit of Serbian tactician Milovan Rajevac after a shambolic showing at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

    The former Dortmund player subsequently guided the Black Stars to secure their qualification for the World Cup in March after overcoming rivals Nigeria in the playoff.

    How much will every manager earn at the 2022 World Cup;

    32. Jalel Kadri | Tunisia | £114,400-per-year

    31. Aliou Cisse | Senegal | £272,795

    30. Rigobert Song | Cameroon | £299,195

    29. Luis Fernando Suarez | Costa Rica | £307,995

    28. Otto Addo | Ghana | £351,994

    27. John Herdman | Canada | £422,392

    Canada boss John Herdman 26. Czeslaw Michniewicz | Poland | £439,992

    25. Zlatko Dalic | Croatia | £483,991

    24. Dragan Stojkovic | Serbia | £571,386

    23. Walid Regragui | Morocco | £650,000 (per Total Sportal)

    22. Gustavo Alfaro | Ecuador | £676,873

    21. Diego Alonso | Uruguay | £755,988

    20. Carlos Queiroz | Iran | £760,788 (per Iran Wire)

    19. Hajime Moriyasu | Japan | £932,008

    18. Herve Renard | Saudi Arabia | £966,961

    17. Luis Enrique | Spain | £1,010,914

    16. Kasper Hjulmand | Denmark | £1,010,915

    15. Roberto Martinez | Belgium | £1,055,038

    14. Gregg Berhalter | USA | £1,098,998

    13. Graham Arnold | Australia | £1,142,957

    12. Paulo Bento | South Korea | £1,142,958

    11. Rob Page | Wales | £1,200,000 (per Total Sportal)

    Rob Page as Wales boss 10. Murat Yakin | Switzerland | £1,406, 718

    9. Fernando Santos | Portugal | £1,978,196

    8. Felix Sanchez Bas | Qatar | £2,110,076

    7. Lionel Scaloni | Argentina | £2,285,916

    6. Gerardo Martino | Mexico | £2,549,675

    5. Louis van Gaal | Netherlands | £2,700,000 (per Total Sportal)

    4. Tite | Brazil | £3,100,000

    3. Didier Deschamps | France | £3,270,000

    2. Gareth Southgate | England | £4,990,000

    1. Hansi Flick | Germany | £5,590,000

  • World Cup 2022: Former Black Stars defender Habib Mohammed reacts to Jeffrey Schlupp’s omission from Ghana final squad

    Former Black Stars defender Habib Mohammed has reacted to the omission of Jeffrey Schlupp from Ghana’s final squad for World Cup in Qatar.

    Schlupp was not included in the final 26-man squad for the tournament despite his impressive form at Crystal Palace in the Premier League this season.

    Speaking in an interview, the former King Faisal star expressed his displeasure about the exclusion of the Crystal Palace star from the final World Cup squad.

    “For me, Schlupp is the only player his exclusion surprised me looking at his form at club level but I think this is not the time to discuss this. We cannot change anything at the moment but truth be told, Schlupp should have been included in the squad no matter how it is” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Black Stars coach Otto Addo has explained why he left out the Crystal Palace player from his final team for the tournament kicking off on Sunday.

    “I am a person who’s very much on principles and one principle is that I wouldn’t like them to do to me. So I hope you understand that I would not like to talk about players who are in the squad,” Addo said at the press conference.

    “As I said before, I have reasons on and off the pitch which were all communicated to the players so it is between me and the player. For me, that is it and they know why they are not in the squad.

    The versatile player last played for the Black Stars in 2017 but was named in the 55-man preliminary squad.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: Danlad Ibrahim can take the number 1 spot in Qatar – Habib Mohammed

    Former Black Stars defender Habib Mohammed won’t be surprised if Danlad Ibrahim becomes the first choice goalkeeper for the Black Stars at the World Cup in Qatar.

    The Asante Kotoko shot stopper earned late call up to the Black Stars due to injuries to Jojo Wollacot and Richard Ofori.

    Danlad Ibrahim is one of the two home-based players named in Otto Addo’s final 26-man squad for the global tournament in the Asian country.

    Speaking in an interview, the former King Faisal star asserted Danlad can prove why he should be the number 1 goalkeeper for Ghana at the World Cup.

    “Goalkeepers command the entire team during matches. We have captain but the goalkeepers see what transpires on the field of play. We all know Jojo Wollacot and Richard Ofori are out because of injuries but I am not surprised Danlad Ibrahim was included”

    “We know Lawrence Ati Zigi is there as the number one at the moment but believe me, Danlad can become our number one at the World Cup which will surprise many Ghanaians. I have watched him and I feel he can prove if things go on well for him at training, Danlad can become the first choice for Ghana at the World Cup”

     

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: Black Stars will make Ghana proud – Stephen Appiah

    Former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah is optimistic about the Black Stars chances ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Ghana, who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.

    The West African powerhouse will play Portugal on November 24 in its first game before taking on South Korea and the epic clash against Uruguay.

    In an interview, the former Juventus star expressed belief in the Black Stars team, saying they will make Ghana proud at the mundial.

    “We are going to Qatar but we have a young team who are doing very well in their clubs. We believe in them, I mean when it comes to football you have a coach and as a player you have to listen to instructions from him. If you want to complicate yourself that is where you put pressure in yourself because you will hear the fans shouting at you, they will start to boo you and all that”

    “So my message for them is to play and win but I think the pressure is here is too much because everybody wants the Black Stars to win the trophy but when you go to tournament you don’t have to go with that mindset because you a group stage that you have to play three games and you to take it match after match”

     

    “My advice for them, playing against Portugal in the first game, don’t even think about Uruguay, just focus on Portugal, you finish them and you go to the next game. As I said, we have a good team, we believe in the boys and I think they are going to make us proud”

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: I was disappointed – Ransford Yeboah Konigsdorffer speaks on his exclusion from Ghana final squad

    Hamburger SV forward Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer has expressed his disappointment after missing out in the Black Stars final squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    The 21-year-old who has an outstanding campaign in the Bundesliga 2 this campaign missed out in Otto Addo’s final 26-man squad for the global tournament following announcement on Monday in Accra.

    “I was disappointed. I would have liked it. I think I deserved a nomination.” Königsdörffer said as quoted by German tabloid Bild.

    The Germany-born attacker who has previously presented at Germany at youth level switched his international allegiance to play for Ghana in June.

    He debuted with the Black Stars as a late substitute in a 1-0 friendly win over Nicaragua on 27 September 2022 in Lorca, Spain.

     

    The young attacker is currently on tour to California in USA with Hamburger where he scored the only goal when they beat Orange County.

    Königsdörffer scored a header in the 41st minute of the match to give Hamburger a 1-0 victory in the end in front of 4000 spectators.

  • The blessing in disguise that the Dzamefe Commission was for Elvis Afriyie Ankrah

    It remains one of the most intense moments in the country after the country’s national football team, the Black Stars, made their third appearance at the World Cup, which was fraught with a lot of scandals.

    The 2014 World Cup in Brazil saw Ghana get eliminated at the group stage of the competition, but it also came with several camp-related stories, among other stories of corruption allegations.

    Recalling the moments and some of the happenings during the period, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, who was the Minister of Youth and Sports, explained how he received one of his biggest blessings in disguise.

    He explained that, upon the return of the team to the country and the eventual setting up of the Dzamefe Commission to look into the issues surrounding Ghana’s appearance at the Mundial, he got a unique opportunity to understand things better.

    In hindsight, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah says he would not advise any politician to consider using state money to send supporters to a soccer tournament like the World Cup.

    “With the benefit of hindsight, I probably should have… I should have just left it, and they would have said whatever they wanted to say, and it would have saved me a lot of headaches.

    “It’s not worth it and I would advise – and I’ve been saying this that the current minister, in this economic crisis, don’t bother our supporters. If you want to go and watch the World Cup, if you have your own money, get your ticket and go. So, those were the lessons, of course, fortunately, or not, the Commission was a blessing in disguise,” he said.

    Speaking to Edward Smith Anamale on GhanaWeb TV’s Election Desk, the aspiring General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said that it was during the hearings of the Dzamefe Commission that he heard some of the wildest things.

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said that some of the allegations were so wild that they even involved stories that his wife and his mother were also implicit in some purported corrupt practices.

    “There were all manner of wild stories. I’d give you just a few. There’s this story that my wife was a caterer… I mean, my wife has absolutely nothing to do with cooking; the only reason she went was because we buried her mother three weeks earlier. So, I took my wife and my two kids because the other one was in boarding school, and I bought the tickets myself –Air Portugal- and took them.

    “It was not at government expense but there was the story out there. They said my mother was in charge of replica jerseys. What they didn’t know is that my mother doesn’t live in Ghana; my mother has never lived in Ghana since I was six months old. She doesn’t know the difference between a corner kick and a penalty. She has no idea so when I told her, ‘Mummy, they said you are in charge of replica jerseys, she said what is that?’ she has no idea,” he said.

    Elvis Ankrah also recalled how there was news that he had paid about $2000 just for coconuts when, in actual fact, after the Commission’s hearings, it was established that he was not guilty.

    He added that by the time he left office as the Minister of Youth and Sports, he was able to leave behind well over $4 million of the money the government gave them to go to the World Cup.

    “I woke up one day and there was one of the papers with me sitting with some ministers, with coconut in front of us. They said coconut was $200, $2000. There was nothing about coconut. I drink coconut always because I’m a health-conscious person, and at the camp, coconut was virtually free. And even if you buy it, it’s less than $1. Nothing; it was all manufactured.

    “It was later that I got to know that there were some unseen hands behind it but I keep saying that if those things had not happened, and especially if the commission had not been put in place, and a report officially there, which shows clearly I was audited by Ernst and Young… by the time I was leaving office, the World Cup money itself, which government gave to us, $4.444 million was left in the account,” he explained.

  • World Cup 2022: It’s going to be difficult – Stephen Appiah on Black Stars chances

    Former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah has refused to rule out the Black Stars despite being paired in a difficult group at the World Cup.

    Ghana, who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.

    The West African powerhouse will play Portugal on November 24 in its first game before taking on South Korea and the epic clash against Uruguay.

    Speaking to Al Jazeera, the former Juventus star asserted the Black Stars admitted it is going to be difficult considering the group but did not rule Ghana out of the tournament.

    “It’s going to be difficult, 2006 when we went to the World Cup in Germany we were underdogs”, Appiah tells Al Jazeera.

    “We played against Italy we lost our first game and beat Czech Republic 2-0 who were number two in the world, played USA, number 5 in the world, we beat them. We are capable of doing that. We have to take it game after game”.

    Appiah added: “We play Portugal and not thinking about Uruguay. We concentrate on Portugal game and see what will happen. Our players are good”.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

    Source: Ghanaweb.com

  • World Cup 2022: We need to exploit our opponents’ weaknesses – Otto Addo

    Otto Addo, head coach of the Black Stars, has said that his squad will exploit his opponents’ weaknesses in the 2022 World Cup group stage in Qatar.

    Qatar will host the World Cup from November 20 until December 18, 2022. After the tournament in South Korea and Japan in 2002, this will be the second World Cup completely hosted in Asia and the first World Cup to ever be held in the Arab world. Furthermore, the tournament is planned to be the last with a 32-team field; for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026, the field is planned to grow to 48 teams.

    The Black Stars of Ghana is in Group H alongside Uruguay, Portugal, and South Korea. Ghana will play Portugal on 24th November at the Stadium 974, South Korea on 28th November at the Education City Stadium, and play their final group game against Uruguay on 2nd December at the Al Janoub Stadium.

    Speaking after the official announcement of Ghana’s final squad Otto Addo said:

    “It’s up to us and how we adapt to their playing style, how we stop them, how we work together as a team. We need to play intelligent football, exploit our opponents’ weaknesses and bring our own strengths to the fore,”

    According to reports, Ghana will train at the famous Aspire Academy in Doha, Qatar.

    The Black Stars of Ghana will take on Switzerland in an international friendly on November 17th in UAE.

    Below is Ghana’s full squad:

    Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati Zigi, Abdul Nurudeen, Ibrahim Danlad

    Defenders: Denis Odoi, Tariq Lamptey, Alidu Seidu, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Aidoo, Alexander Djiku, Mohammed Salisu, Abdul-Rahman Baba, Gideon Mensah

    Midfielders: André Ayew, Thomas Partey, Elisha Owusu, Salis Abdul Samed, Mohammed Kudus, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh

    Forwards Daniel Barnieh Afriyie, Kamal Sowah, Issahaku Abdul Fatawu, Osman Bukari, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, Kamaldeen Sulema

  • Qatar 2022: See the 23 Black Stars players that have reported to camp (LIST)

    The Black Stars have begun camping in Abu Dhabi ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals.

    The team will stay in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for four days where they will play an International friendly against Switzerland at the Baniyas club stadium on Thursday, November 17, 2022.

    Twenty-three players have reported to camp with the rest expected to arrive Tuesday afternoon.

    They include Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Danlad Ibrahim, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Nurudeen Abdul Manaf, Mohammed Salisu, Daniel Amartey, Denis Odoi, Baba Abdul Rahman, Gideon Mensah, Alidu Seidu, Salis Abdul Samed, Elisha Owusu, Kamal Sowah, Antoine Semenyo, Tariq Lamptey, Osman Bukari, Thomas Partey, Inaki Williams, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Daniel Barnieh Afriyie, Mohammed Kudus, and Daniel Kofi Kyereh.

    Joseph Aidoo, Alexander Djiku and Kamal Deen Sulemana are expected to team up with the rest of the squad on Tuesday.

    The Black Stars will train on Tuesday evening in preparation for the friendly against Switzerland on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at the Baniyas club stadium.

    Ghana will compete with Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in the Group stage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 which kicks off on Sunday, November 20, 2022.

     

  • Black Stars complete first training in Abu Dhabi

    Black Stars held their first training session in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, with 25 players taking part as they prepare for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    According to 3Sports’ Yaw Ofosu Larbi, the only player yet to report to the Black Stars camp is Celta Vigo defender Joseph Aidoo. He is expected later on Tuesday.

    Freiburg midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh trained normally with the group, confirming his recovery from a fever that forced him to miss the German club’s last three games before the World Cup break.

    The training took place at the Abu Dhabi Cricket Complex under the supervision of head coach Otto Addo, who was assisted by other members of the Black Stars technical team.

    Ghana Football Association officials, including president Kurt Okraku and Black Stars management committee member Sammy Kuffour, were spotted at the training session.

    Black Stars will train again on Wednesday before facing Switzerland in an international friendly on Thursday.

    Ghana’s first World Cup match will be against Portugal on November 24, followed by other group games against South Korea and Uruguay.

  • World Cup 2022: I’m not surprised of Afriyie Barnieh’s inclusion in Ghana squad – Samuel Inkoom

    Former Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom says he was not surprised of Daniel Afriyie Barnieh’s inclusion in Ghana’s World Cup final squad.

    Barnieh, who been instrumental for the Phobians was included in the 26-man squad for the mundial released on Monday and will compete in his first World Cup with the Black Stars.

    The Black Meteors captain was among the two-home based players to have made Coach Otto Addo’s final 26-man squad for the tournament.

    Afriyie-Barnieh was with his teammates and coach when the squad was announced on Monday, November 14.

    According to Inkoom, Barnieh’s inclusion in the Black Stars did not come as a surprise to him due to his outstanding performance for Hearts of Oak.

    “I’m happy for him because you can see that he is doing very well and I’m surprised that he is in the squad. I think when you are doing a good job, you deserve to be honoured. In my opinion I am very happy for him but the most important thing is that he has to believe in himself, he has go there and show that he can do it and I believe he can do it”

    “He has a lot of potential but what he has to do is to stay focus, work hard and I think that the sky will be his limit” he said.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

    Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.

  • World Cup: Aidoo, Djiku and Sulemana to miss first training session

    Black Stars trio Joseph Aidoo, Alexander Djiku and Kamal Deen Sulemana may miss the team’s first training session today, Tuesday.

    The three are yet to link up with the rest of the squad in Abu Dhabi as the team begins preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

    According to reports, 23 players have reported to camp and arrived in the Arab country on Monday evening.

    The players currently in camp include, Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Danlad Ibrahim, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Nurudeen Abdul Manaf, Mohammed Salisu, Daniel Amartey, Denis Odoi, Baba Abdul Rahman, Gideon Mensah.

    The rest are Alidu Seidu, Salis Abdul Samed, Elisha Owusu, Kamal Sowah, Antoine Semenyo, Tariq Lamptey, Osman Bukari, Thomas Partey, Inaki Williams, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Daniel Barnieh Afriyie, Mohammed Kudus, and Daniel Kofi Kyereh.

    The team will stay in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for four days where they will play an International friendly against Switzerland at the Baniyas club stadium on Thursday, November 17, 2022.

    Coach Otto Addo announced his 26-man squad on Monday with several notable names dropped due to injury or loss of form.

  • World Cup 2022: FC Nordsjaelland congratulates Mohammed Kudus and Kamaldeen Sulemana for making final Ghana squad

    Danish Superliga side, FC Nordsjaelland have reacted to the inclusion of former players Mohammed Kudus and Kamaldeen Sulemana in the final Ghana squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    In a statement, the club has congratulated the attacking duo and wished the Black Stars good luck at the upcoming mundial.

    “Congratulations, @Kamaldeenho10 and @KudusMohammed. And good luck to @GhanaBlackstars in the World Cup,” a post on the Twitter page of FC Nordsjaelland said on Monday, November 14.

    Below is the full Ghana squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup:

    Goalkeepers:

    Ibrahim Danlad (Asante Kotoko SC)

    Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (KAS Eupen)

    Lawrence Ati-Zigi (FC St. Gallen)

    Defenders:

    Daniel Amartey (Leicester City)

    Mohammed Salisu (Southampton)

    Alexander Djiku (RC Strasbourg)

    Alidu Seidu (Clermont Foot)

    Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion)

    Abdul Rahman Baba (Reading FC)

    Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre)

    Denis Odoi (Club Brugge)

    Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo)

    Midfielders:

    Salis Abdul Samed (RC Lens)

    Thomas Teye Partey (Arsenal FC)

    Elisha Owusu (KAA Gent)

    Daniel Afriyie Barnieh (Hearts of Oak)

    Kamal Sowah (Club Brugge)

    Mohammed Kudus (Ajax Amsterdam)

    Andre Ayew (Al Sadd SC)

    Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (SC Freiburg)

    Attackers:

    Osman Bukari (Red Star Belgrade)

    Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace)

    Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

    Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Sporting Lisbon)

    Kamaldeen Sulemana (Stade Rennes)

    Antoine Selorm Semenyo (Bristol City)

    Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be one of five African countries representing the continent.

    The Black Stars will compete in Group H of the group stages of the tournament. In that group, Ghana will battle it out with two-time champions Uruguay, as well as European giants Portugal.

    The other group opponent is South Korea from Asia.

    While the 2022 FIFA World Cup will commence on Sunday, November 20, Ghana’s Black Stars will play their first match on November 24.

    Subsequently, Ghana will take on South Korea on November 28 before finishing the group stages campaign with a rematch against Uruguay.

     

     

  • World Cup 2022: Real Mallorca motivates Baba Iddrisu after missing tournament

    La Liga outfit Real Mallorca has posted a message of support for midfielder Baba Iddrisu who missed the 2022 World Cup due to injury.

    The Black Stars midfielder started for his club in their matchday 14 encounters against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish La Liga.

    Unfortunately, he could not finish the first half of the intense encounter. In added time, he limped off and had to be substituted during the break.

    After further examination, Baba Iddrisu will spend some time on the sidelines to recover club insiders told footballghana.com

    This injury came as a huge blow for Black Stars coach Otto Addo ahead of the Mundial because he has been present in most of the games played under the Dortmund tactician.

    The 27-year-old midfielder has made eleven appearances in the Spanish top flight this season.

    Baba Iddrisu made his debut for the senior national team the Black Stars on 14th November 2019. The former Leganes B midfielder has played 18 times for the Black Stars.

    The club took to its official Twitter page to tweet:

    “Example of fight and delivery. The sun will shine again. The future is yours,”

    The Black Stars of Ghana is in Group H alongside Uruguay, Portugal, and South Korea. Ghana will play Portugal on 24th November at the Stadium 974, South Korea on 28th November at the Education City Stadium, and play their final group game against Uruguay on 2nd December at the Al Janoub Stadium.

    According to reports, Ghana will train at the famous Aspire Academy in Doha, Qatar.

    The Black Stars of Ghana will take on Switzerland in an international friendly on November 17 in UAE before flying to Qatar.

    Ejemplo de lucha y entrega. El sol volverá a brillar. El futuro es tuyo ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sjcS6M5BcM

    — Real Mallorca (@RCD_Mallorca) November 14, 2022

  • World Cup 2022: Profile of Thomas Partey

    Arsenal’s in form midfielder has been named in Ghana’s final squad for the 2022 World Cup which will be held from November 20th and end on December 18th.

    Partey was born in Krobo Odumase and came up through the youth ranks of local team Odometah. After a brief stint with Leganes, he joined Atlético Madrid in 2012 and was dropped to the reserves a year later.

    Partey was called up to the main team for the match against Real Sociedad on March 10, 2013. He did not, however, play in the final 0-1 home defeat.

    On November 28, 2015, he made his Atlético Madrid debut, replacing Luciano Vietto in a 1-0 home win over Espanyol. On 2 January of the following year, he scored his first league goal for the club, scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win over Levante at home. On May 28, he appeared in the UEFA Champions League Final against Real Madrid, coming on in the 116th minute to replace Koke as his team lost on penalties.

    On October 31 2017, Partey scored his first European goal with a long-range strike to equalize at home against Qarabag in a 1-1 draw in the Champions League group game, becoming the club’s first African to do so.

     

    Arsenal confirmed the signing of Partey on a long-term contract on 5 October 2020, after triggering his £45 million release clause with Atlético Madrid.

    Partey made his Arsenal debut as a substitute for Granit Xhaka in a 0-1 league away loss against Manchester City on October 17, 2020.

    Partey scored his first goal for Arsenal in a 3-1 win over Aston Villa on October 22, 2021.

    Partey was called up to the Ghana national team for the first time by manager Avram Grant in May 2016, ahead of a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Mauritius. On June 5, he made his debut, replacing Frank Acheampong for the final 11 minutes of a 2-0 away win.

    The former Atlético Madrid midfielder has made 40 appearances for the Black Stars of Ghana and scored 13 goals.

  • World Cup 2022: Charlton Athletic disappointed in Jojo Wollacot’s global tournament miss due to injury

    Charlton Athletic have expressed disappointment in Jojo Wollcott’s 2022 World Cup miss due to injury setback.

    Wollacot, who plies his trade for English League One club, Charlton Athletic goalkeeper was ruled out of the tournament after picking up an injury.

    The 25-year-old pulled out of the Burton Albion clash on Saturday after injury to his finger in the warm up.

    Since his debut in 2021, Wollacot has featured 11 times for the national team.

    According to Ben Garner, who is the manager of Charlton Athletic, the club is totally disappointed in the Wollacot’s World Cup miss and has therefore backed him to recover from his disappointment.

    “Everyone at the club is bitterly disappointed for Jojo. He played such an important part in Ghana getting to the World Cup and we all know how much he was looking forward to it. For the injury to happen so close to the tournament and in such innocuous fashion is very cruel.

    “My understanding is that following surgery he will still meet up with the Ghana squad and remain a key member of their travelling party. Knowing Jojo as I do he will respond to this setback with great maturity and a determination to come back even stronger. I think the world of him both as a person and as a player. It goes without saying that Jojo will receive our full love, care and support throughout this coming period.”

     

    Ghana will open camp in Abu Dhabi on Monday, November 14 before taking on Switzerland on November 17 in a pre-World Cup friendly.

    The team is expected to fly Doha on November 19 before their opening game against European powerhouse, Portugal.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

  • #PayToPlay: Stonebwoy accuses GFA of bribery in World Cup team selection

    Dancehall artiste, Stonebwoy, has called out the Ghana Football Association (GFA) over the absence of some key players in the squad for the 2022 World Cup tournament.

    In a tweet on Monday, following the unveiling of the 26-man squad by Otto Addo, Stonebwoy could not understand why the list did not reveal the some players who could assist Ghana claim this year’s trophy.

    He believes this is due to what he describes as “PayToPay” which goes to suggest bribery and corruption-related activities.

    Stonebwoy, however, did not reveal the identities of the players he expected to be in the squad heading to Qatar but were not included.

    This comes after President Akufo-Addo cautioned the leadership of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to desist from interfering with the Black Stars team selection for the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.

    The President issued the warning on Thursday, October 20, 2022, when the GFA paid a courtesy call at the Presidency.

    The Black Stars technical team is mandated to select the players fit to represent the country, however, there are rumors of GFA interference.

    According to the President, such grapevines must not materialise in Qatar this November.

    For Stonebwoy, the GFA did not adhere to the President’s directive.

    Andre Dede Ayew will be leading the senior national football team to Qatar.

    Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Danlad, Lawrence Ati Zigi and Manaf Nurudeen.

    Defenders: Alexander Djiku, Salisu Mohammed, Daniel Amertey, Tariq Lamptey, Gideon Mensah, Baba Rahman, Dennis Odoi, Alidu Seidu and Joseph Aidoo.

    Midfielders: Andre Ayew, Thomas Partey, Elisha Owusu, Salid Abdul Samed and Daniel Afriyie Barnie.

    Attackers: Daniel Barnieh Afriyie, Kamal Sowah, Issahaku Abdul Fatawu, Osman Bukari, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew and Kamaldeen Sulemana.

    Ghana will open camp in Abu Dhabi and will take on Switzerland on November 17 before flying to Doha for the tournament on November 19.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

  • World Cup 2022: Danlad Ibrahim – Player Profile

    Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Danlad Ibrahim has been named in the final Ghana squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    The young shot-stopper is one of 26 players included in the squad list officially announced by Ghana head coach Otto Addo on Monday, November 14.

    The 19-year-old was born on December 2, 2022, and spent his early days learning the sport at Sunyani Hamburg SV.

    With vast experience playing for various national teams, Danlad Ibrahim has gone through the mill and is now going to the World Cup as a reward for his consistency over the last few years.

    Not only did Asante Kotoko excel in the Ghana U17 team at the youth level but has he also been superb for the U20 and U23 tea in recent times.

    Danlad Ibrahim currently is playing his football in the Ghana Premier League, a team he has been contracted to for so many years.

    Even in his teenage years, Danlad Ibrahim is already a Ghana Premier League winner with the Porcupine Warriors.

    The goalkeeper is also an Africa U-20 Cup of Nations winner in 2021 and a WAFU Zone B U-20 Tournament winner in 2020.

    Danlad is just one of two Ghana Premier League players going to the 2022 FIFA World Cup with the Black Stars.

    The other player is Hearts of Oak’s poster boy Daniel Afriyie Barnieh.

    Below is the full Ghana squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup:

    Goalkeepers:

    Ibrahim Danlad (Asante Kotoko SC)

    Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (KAS Eupen)

    Lawrence Ati-Zigi (FC St. Gallen)

    Defenders:

    Daniel Amartey (Leicester City)

    Mohammed Salisu (Southampton)

    Alexander Djiku (RC Strasbourg)

    Alidu Seidu (Clermont Foot)

    Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion)

    Abdul Rahman Baba (Reading FC)

    Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre)

    Denis Odoi (Club Brugge)

    Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo)

    Midfielders:

    Salis Abdul Samed (RC Lens)

    Thomas Teye Partey (Arsenal FC)

    Elisha Owusu (KAA Gent)

    Daniel Afriyie Barnieh (Hearts of Oak)

    Kamal Sowah (Club Brugge)

    Mohammed Kudus (Ajax Amsterdam)

    Andre Ayew (Al Sadd SC)

    Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (SC Freiburg)

    Attackers:

    Osman Bukari (Red Star Belgrade)

    Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace)

    Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

    Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Sporting Lisbon)

    Kamaldeen Sulemana (Stade Rennes)

    Antoine Selorm Semenyo (Bristol City)

  • World Cup 2022: The plan is to survive the group stage – Ghana coach Otto Addo

    Ghana coach, Otto Addo says players that have made it to the final list can aid the Black Stars to survive at the group phase of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    A final list for the Mundial have been named for the by Addo on Monday.

    With Richard Ofori and Jojo Wollacott missing out due to injuries, Ibrahim Danlad has made the final list.

    With Ghana expected to come up against Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in the group stage games, Addo says the plan is to survive group stage.

    He added that the players selected for the tournament will help the team achieve it target.

    The first aim is to survive the group stage; we have a very good squad,” he said during the announcement of the final squad at the Multichoice Office in Accra.

    “I am a coach who can change my tactics mid-game if need be to win games!

    “We have a very good mix of players who can play to win and I am very happy with the technical staff who are behind me to provide support at the World Cup 2022,” he added.

     

    Ghana will open camp in Abu Dhabi today and will take on Switzerland on November 17 in a friendly game.

    The Black Stars, who are making their fourth World Cup appearance, will arrive in Doha on November 19.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars will return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars, having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018, will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

  • World Cup 2022: Spanish side Celta Vigo congratulate Joseph Aidoo after making Ghana squad

    Spanish side Celta Vigo have reacted to the inclusion of defender Joseph Aidoo to the Black Stars squad ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.

    Aidoo has been named in Ghana’s final 26-man squad for the tournament which begins in Qatar in six days’ time

    The German-based trainer, Otto Addo announced his final team on Monday during a press conference in Accra after pruning down from the 55-man preliminary squad.

    The final list will be submitted to FIFA on Monday, November 14 with the highest football governing body announcing it the next day.

    The squad list included the Aidoo who has been in a rich vein of form the Celta Vigo this season.

     

    Ghana will open camp in Abu Dhabi on Monday, November 14 before taking on Switzerland on November 17 in a pre-World Cup friendly.

    The team is expected to fly Doha on November 19 before their opening game against European powerhouse, Portugal.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

    The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

  • LIVESTREAMING: Otto Addo reveals 26-man squad for 2022 World Cup

    Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo will today reveal the 26-man squad who will represent Ghana at the 2022 World Cup at Qatar.

    Already, some players have been dropped and would not join the Black Stars at Qatar for the tournament.

    They include Baba Iddrisu, Jojo Wollacott, among others.

    Ghana will open camp in Abu Dhabi and will take on Switzerland on November 17 before flying to Doha for the tournament on November 19.

    Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

    Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

    Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.