Black Stars skipper, Andre Ayew has said his only aim is to steer the Black Stars to win a major trophy (the Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup).
The West African country have not won any major trophy since winning the 1982 AFCON in Libya.
The Black Stars have come close to ending the trophy drought in 1992, 2010, and 2015.
The 32-year-old has been with the national team for almost a decade and a half, having risen through the ranks after making his debut in 2008.
Ayew was a key member of the all-conquering side that swept the U20 AFCON and U20 FIFA World Cup titles in 2009 and was also a member of the team that lost the AFCON 2010 and AFCON 2015 to Egypt and Ivory Coast respectively.
With Ghana preparing to grace the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the former Swansea City star insists his only goal is to win a trophy with his country.
According to him, he wants to end his career by winning either the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) or the FIFA World Cup.
“For myself, to be real, I don’t have personal targets. The only personal target I had— and still have — since I joined the Black Stars was to win a trophy with the team,” Ayew told Graphic Sports.
“That’s my only target and I’ve been close several times (the 2010 AFCON and 2015 AFCON final).
“I won the Under-20 AFCON and won the Under-20 World Cup trophies, but my only target is to win a trophy in the Black Stars jersey, any trophy that I can win — AFCON or the World Cup trophy. That’s my goal, that’s my aim and that’s what I pray and work hard for every day.”
Ayew was named in the starting line-up as Ghana lost 3-0 to Brazil in an international friendly last Friday in France.
The Al Sadd forward is expected to feature again when the Black Stars take on Nicaragua in their next friendly assignment on Tuesday.
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will be assessed by league leaders Arsenal ahead of the north London derby against Tottenham in the English Premier League on Saturday.
Partey picked up a thigh injury earlier this season, missing a number of games for the Gunners, but made his return to the first team in the 3-0 win against Brentford just before the international break.
The 29-year-old was due to start in Ghana’s pre-World Cup friendly with Brazil, but had to pull out of the line-up minutes before the game last Friday.
He was withdrawn as a precautionary measure and replaced by RCD Mallorca midfielder Baba Idrissu.
As a result of the injury, he miss the Nicaragua clash on Tuesday in Spain as the Black Stars prepare ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
It is unknown whether Partey will be available for the north London derby.
He has made four league appearances for Arsenal so far this campaign.
Against a less-fancied opponent in Nicaragua, coach Otto Addo has a perfect chance to convince Ghanaians of how his team could look at the World Cup.
If Brazil were too big a team for him to implement his plans to perfection, a Nicaraguan side that lie 139th on the World Ranking should give him no such headache.
Following the disastrous display against Brazil, there have been calls for changes, and here are highlights of five things Otto Addo must do in Tuesday’s game.
Change the system
Ghana found some stability in the second half against Brazil when Otto Addo switched to the three-back system.
Many believed that the players in camp are more suited to the three-back system with wings backs and three forwards.
It is the expectation of many that Otto Addo will go for a 3:4:3 formation.
Change the goalkeeper
Though he cannot be solely blamed for the goals conceded against Brazil, there is a feeling that Jojo Wollacott is not really up to scratch.
He appears to lack the confidence and presence to command the goal areas. With the game being a test match, Otto Addo should try Richard Ofori and Manaf in the post.
Sports Debate: Ghanaians share predictions for Ghana-Brazil clash
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Protect Ayews and Baba Rahman from further abuse
Baba Rahman and the Ayew brothers were the most vilified in the aftermath of Ghana’s drubbing at the hands of Brazil.
Many believe that the three players do not deserve to be in the starting team as they have consistently failed to perform in Ghana jersey.
Whiles some disagree, it will be right that Otto Addo protects from the public attack by not playing or starting them.
Learn to defend and score from set-pieces
Two of the goals that Ghana conceded against Brazil were from set-pieces. The mistakes were elementary as on both occasions, the Brazil attacks had a free run to attack the ball.
Otto Addo must show that it has taken notice of that by working on it in training and showing the result during matches.
Additionally, the team must also learn to create chances from set pieces they get. Set-pieces have now become an important avenue for goals.
Give Elisha Owusu, and Afriyie Barnieh a chance
In his brief cameo against Nigeria in March, Elisha Owusu gave an indication of what he could bring to the team.
He has however not had enough time to fully convince Ghanaians that he merits his call-up.
Afriyie Barnieh also deserves his chance to show that he was not just called up to make the numbers but as a potential candidate for the World Cup.
Hirving Lozano netted a late goal to earn Mexico an uninspiring 1-0 victory over Peru in their friendly in Pasadena on Saturday.
El Tri, who will play three more games prior to the 2022 World Cup, were made to work hard for the win in an evenly contested match with few shots on target.
Lozano’s 85th-minute strike was the difference, firing home on the volley after Cesar Montes had nodded on a corner.
Mexico forward Henry Martin pushed a 19th-minute header wide, while Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez fired a long-range effort over the crossbar early in the second half.
Peru, who missed out on World Cup qualification to Australia in the playoffs, had 9-7 shots and marginally edged possession but failed to generate much in attack.
Mexico, who are grouped with Poland, Argentina and Argentina at the World Cup, will take on Colombia in Santa Clara on Tuesday.
Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo made his Cameroon debut in a 2-0 defeat to Uzbekistan as the Indomitable Lions lost the first of two final warm-ups prior to naming their World Cup squad.
The forward represented France at junior level before switching allegiance to the central African nation of his father last month.
The 23-year-old played the full 90 minutes at Goyang Stadium near Seoul in the north of South Korea, where Nicolas Nkoulou returned for the first time since winning the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final.
The Greece-based defender, 32, was persuaded to come out of international retirement by coach Rigobert Song for November’s World Cup in Qatar.
Mbeumo joined Brentford, with whom he has scored six Premier League goals, in 2019 after coming up the youth ranks in France, who he represented between 2015 and 2020 at varying age levels.
Yet Russia-based duo Hojimat Erkinov and Oston Urunov scored either side of half-time to give Uzbekistan the win over the five-time African champions, who begin their World Cup campaign against Switzerland in November.
Cameroon, who are also grouped with Brazil and Serbia in Group G at the finals, will take on hosts South Korea in another friendly, in the capital, on Tuesday.
Later on Friday, Morocco and Ghana take on Chile and Brazil respectively as they continue their preparations for the World Cup, with African champions Senegal facing Bolivia on Saturday.
Kudus has had an interesting few weeks at Ajax, from going absent hoping to force a move to Everton, to becoming the club’s in-form forward who can do no wrong.
A couple of Kudus’ goals have been remarkable, with a cracking effort at Anfield probably the pick of the bunch.
In this feature, GOAL highlight the numbers that have typified the Ghana international’s outstanding run in front of goal, analyse some of those efforts and point out why Otto Addo will be delighted with the 22-year-old’s opportune streak.
Scoring rate
Kudus’ four Eredivisie strikes have come in seven appearances, with only two being starts.
The Ghana international is scoring a goal every 60 minutes, although this is not the best frequency in the Dutch top flight among players to have scored more than once — Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez has found the back of the net twice from five substitute appearances, with those goals coming every 55 minutes.
Among Champions League participants to have netted at least twice, only nine outdo Kudus who is averaging a goal every 88 minutes — a list that includes Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski who respectively are scoring every 55, 60 and 60 minutes.
Breakdown of goals
All four of the 22-year-old’s Eredivisie strikes have come inside the box, with the Ghanaian proving to be a menace inside the penalty area.
The theme is repeated in Europe, where none of Kudus’ strikes has come from outside the area.
Unexpectedly, four of the in-form forward’s six goals in all competitions have been netted with his left foot, with two right-footed goals making up the rest of his return.
Best goal
Kudus’ first strike in Europe’s premier competition was one to remember and carries some sentimental value, too.
The Ghana international still had much to do after receiving a pass from Calvin Bassey in the left half-space, but he held off then spun Rangers right-back James Tavernier, carried the ball into the box before arrowing an effort past Jon McLaughlin that went in off the far post.
However, the red-hot attacker’s goal at Anfield slightly edges that cracker against the Scottish giants.
Kudus sealed a 25-pass move against Liverpool which came about after Alfred Schreuder’s troops kept the ball away from the Reds for 84 seconds.
The finish was a thing of beauty: Kudus received possession from a Steven Berghuis cut-back and took a touch that created separation from Virgil van Dijk before powering his effort off the underside of the bar before Allison Becker could set himself.
It was the perfect strike to seal an outstanding team move.
Underrated movement
Kudus’ intelligent positioning off the ball, which has led to high-percentage chances or shot attempts, has been another striking theme.
This has been evident in goals against Cambuur, where he found room for a tap-in, in the 5-0 success over Heerenveen, where his second came about similarly, and Sunday’s strike at AZ Alkmaar.
Two notable incidents in the last month have not resulted in a goal but demonstrated Kudus’ recognition of the best positions to occupy.
In the 4-0 success over Rangers, he lost Tavernier and is open for a tap-in from six yards, but Devyne Rensch understandably opts to shoot after a flowing Ajax move culminated in the right-back one-v-one with the Gers’ shot-stopper.
Against Sunday’s opponents, AZ, Kudus created separation from all the bodies in the penalty area following a cross into the box. This allowed the Ghanaian to take a touch amid the cluster after Steven Bergwijn found him, but his effort was cleared off the line by Dani de Wit, preventing an equaliser with 20 minutes to play.
Ten minutes later, the ball found Dusan Tadic in the right channel inside the box, and the Ghana international moved to the far post hoping to be picked out by the Serbian. However, the Ajax captain opts for a cut-back to Edson Alvarez, whose lay-off to Bergwijn does not result in an equaliser following a goal-line block.
The ball eventually drops to Kudus in that phase of play; after Tijjani Reijnders’ opportune block ricochets off AZ goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst but the angle was already against the in-form forward.
Those situations did not result in goals, but that awareness to occupy the favourable spaces and positions should lead to “easy” strikes for the young attacker.
Sustainability
How long can Kudus keep this going?
The Ajax man has hit nine shots on target in the last five games games, resulting in six goals, and both Champions League strikes have come from Expected Goals (xG) of 0.3.
Considering one of those shots was cleared off the line against AZ, the said stat should probably read seven goals from nine shots on target.
While Kudus’ talent in occupying the favourable spaces is unmistakable, such an over-performance is ultimately unsustainable, and a mean reversion is expected sooner or later for a player whose 40 percent goal conversion in the Eredivisie will be unrealistic to sustain.
The analysis comes with the caveat of a small sample size of games, so it will be sensible to monitor his progress over the coming months.
Otto Addo’s Kudus prayer
Admittedly, there has been an influx of players who have switched allegiance, including Athletic Club’s Inaki Williams.
However, the forward is not the most prolific in La Liga, while the Ayew brothers are either unproductive in Jordan’s case, or playing outside the competitive leagues in Andre’s case.
Felix Afena-Gyan has been confined to the Cremonese bench, Benjamin Tetteh has not opened his Hull City account, and Kamaldeen Sulemana has not fired on all cylinders.
Having Kudus in this form will benefit Addo, even if the Ajax man may not play a central striking role for the Brazil game and the World Cup.
Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association [GFA], Henry Asante Twum says Otto Addo is building a team that will be difficult for opponents to crack down on.
Otto Addo’s side will be tested when they come up against Brazil in an international friendly at the Le Harve in France.
New players who switched nationality, Inaki Williams, Tariq Lamptey, Mohammed, and other players are expected to make their debut for the team.
“I think we have a good team. I think we are building a very strong team. A team with Joseph Wollacot, Tariq Lamptey, Alidu Seidu, Baba Rahman, Gideon Mensah, Ambrosius, Salisu, Dziku, Inaki Williams, Issahaku, etc,” the Communications Director told SVTV Africa.
“These are top professionals, and if you can build a team out of these names, you will be unbeatable. We have quality in the team. Age is on our side. On average, we have a team that has 22-year-olds. It indicates that the future is bright and the future stars tomorrow.”
He added that he doesn’t expect any new additions to the team ahead of the World Cup.
“As things stand, I can confidently say no. We’ve gone through a long journey with the qualifications and have tested the players. I’m sure your question has to do with bringing in some of the players whose names have popped up, but as things stand, I don’t think that is likely to happen.
“I wouldn’t say when a player is doing well in Europe or the domestic front, he wouldn’t be given the chance. I’m not in a position to say that. Anything is possible,” Henry added.
The game has been scheduled to kick off at 18:30GMT. The Black Stars will take on Nicaragua on Tuesday in another friendly game.
The games form part of Ghana’s preparations for the 2022 World Cup which kick off from November 200 to December 18.
Former Black Stars management committee member, Moses Armah Parker has said the current Black Star squad will surpass Ghana’s best finish at the World Cup set in 2010.
The Medeama owner believes the Black Stars look much strong with the inclusion of Inaki William and Tariq Lamptey, who recently switched nationality.
“Current Black Stars setup will beat the previous record set in 2010. Otto Addo is a great coach. With likes of Inaki Williams, and Tariq Lamptey coming in, it makes us much stronger,” told TV3
In 2010, Ghana came close to becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup but suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Uruguay.
Ghana will look to beat the record in the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar. The Black Stars have been drawn in Group H World Cup alongside Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament is scheduled for November 21 to December 18.
New Ghana defender, Tariq Lamptey says he feels excited and ready for Ghana’s friendly against Brazil on Friday, September 23, 2022.
The Brighton and Hove Albion right-back is among the five players who have been handed a maiden call-up to the national team having completed their nationality switch in June.
As part of the preparations for the 2022 World Cup, the four-time African champions will take on the five-time world champions in an international friendly in France.
Speaking ahead of the game, the former Chelsea defender said he feels proud and excited ahead of the game.
According to him, he is looking forward to making his debut against the South American side.
“I am very proud to be here and I am really determined to train hard, give the best as I can and I looking forward to the game on Friday,” he told the Ghana FA website.
“In this game, you have to prepare very well, you prepare based on how you want to play and we are already excited and looking forward to play against the team on Friday,” he added.
Ghana will take on Nicaragua in their next friendly game in Spain.
The Black Stars have been housed in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay for the Mundial scheduled to be played from November 20 to December 18 later this year.
Scotland will take on Austria in the first round of the European qualification playoffs for next year’s women’s World Cup, while Wales will face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal will meet Belgium after the draw was conducted by UEFA on Friday.
Scotland, Austria, Wales, Bosnia, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland are all competing in the two-round playoffs after finishing second in each of their qualifying groups.
Scotland will play Austria in their first-round playoff. ANP via Getty Images
Scotland will take on Austria in the first round of the European qualification playoffs for next year’s women’s World Cup, while Wales will face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal will meet Belgium after the draw was conducted by UEFA on Friday.
Scotland, Austria, Wales, Bosnia, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland are all competing in the two-round playoffs after finishing second in each of their qualifying groups.
The USWNT roster has plenty of question marks going into the 2023 World Cup. But some players like Alex Morgan, center, are a lock.
This is the point in the four-year cycle when the World Cup starts feeling real. The major continental tournaments of summer are in the books, teams have qualified, rosters are starting to get more consistent and opponents for friendlies are becoming more challenging. The 2023 Women’s World Cup begins in just over nine months. The draw? That’s six weeks from now.
Now, the pressure will ratchet up for players in the coming months as they try to make their dreams reality and position themselves higher up the depth chart with strong performances for club and country — or else, they will fall out of roster contention if form dips
The U.S. women’s national team head coach, Vlatko Andonovski, spent the past year overturning the core of a roster that won the past two World Cups to usher in a new generation. So which Americans will be on the plane to Australia and New Zealand in search of a three-peat?
ESPN will answer that question on a rolling basis throughout the next nine months, starting now with our USWNT Big Board, Vol. 1. A team loaded with so many bona fide stars offers some certainties, but the recent turnover within the team leaves plenty of roster spots up for grabs on the 23-player team. Add in the handful of potential starters who are recovering from injuries, and the field is further clouded.
Let’s start with the obvious: The team of 23 going right now will not be the team of 23 going to the World Cup (and for all we know, this could become a 26-player roster like the men’s edition in Qatar).
This is a ranking, by position, of how things stand right now. That means players with long-term injuries would not be on the roster if the World Cup started today. Plenty will change in the coming months as some of these players face competition unlike any they’ve faced before, including an Oct. 7 showdown with European champions England at Wembley.
Within each position, we’ve made tiers of players to add nuance to where things stand:
Tier 1: Roster locks. These players are either clear starters or pushing to be one, and as of today, would be on the plane for the World Cup.
Tier 2: The bubble. Players on both the right and wrong side of it, because if you aren’t a lock, you are part of the bubble where nothing is certain.
Tier 3: Outside looking in. Players who have had a passing look with the team without tangible progress, players performing well for club but who haven’t gotten a look, or players who were once integral but no longer seem part of the plans.
Wait and see: Former locks racing against time. This is a special category to account for injuries and absences — these are players who were once locks, but now need to recover quickly enough and regain their status for a spot on the plane. There are enough of them that it needs its own category because an injured starter can’t be Tier 1 right now, but we expect they should have a clear path to return to that tier – if they get back to 100% in time.
Goalkeepers
Tier 1: Alyssa Naeher, Casey Murphy
Tier 2: Aubrey Kingsbury
Tier 3: Adrianna Franch, Jane Campbell, Bella Bixby, Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Wait and see: None
Alyssa Naeher, center, has not been challenged enough to lose her starting spot for the USWNT. Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images
The No. 1 goalkeeper job remains Alyssa Naeher’s to lose. Casey Murphy made a strong run at it earlier this year on the heels of some stellar performances in 2021, but she has struggled at times this NWSL season for the North Carolina Courage, a team whose erratic form frequently allows multi-goal thrillers — not exactly a goalkeeper’s dream game.
If anyone is going to challenge Naeher, it’s Murphy, but there is work to be done. Naeher is a two-time World Cup champion and was the starter for the 2019 triumph. After that, Aubrey Kingsbury is in a bubble of her own as the choice No. 3 right now, a position which she has had locked down for the entire calendar year.
Bella Bixby and Jane Campbell are the last goalkeepers to receive call-ups outside of that trio, and those came for relatively experimental games in Australia last November. Adrianna Franch hasn’t played for the U.S. in nearly a year following her emergency duties at the Olympics, where Naeher got hurt in the semifinal. Andonovski spoke on multiple occasions this year about learning from that moment, which is why Murphy has earned significant minutes this year, including at World Cup qualifying. Kingsbury still only has one cap.
Andonovski wants two options who are ready to be the No. 1 come the World Cup and right now, his trio is as set as it could be.
On the plane right now: Naeher, Murphy, Kingsbury
Full-Backs
Tier 1: Emily Fox, Kelley O’Hara, Sofia Huerta
Tier 2: Hailie Mace
Tier 3: Carson Pickett, Imani Dorsey, Caprice Dydasco, Kristen McNabb, Merritt Mathias
Wait and see: Crystal Dunn, Casey Krueger, Emily Sonnett
34-year-old Kelley O’Hara has been one of Vlatko Andonovski’s preferred options at right-back, even as he has tested new up-and-comers. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Ah, full-back: The position of eternal questions for the U.S. men’s and women’s teams alike.
Emily Fox is clearly the starting left-back right now and has been all year. Andonovski tabbed her for that role last year, when she was an NWSL rookie, and he said he would spend the year building up her minutes to get her ready for the World Cup. That is exactly what happened and Fox offers the U.S. pace to go with a unique attacking profile in the position.
Of course, left-back was previously the position held down by Crystal Dunn, who gave birth to her first child in May and has not played yet this year. She trained with the USWNT in the most recent camp and expects to play some minutes for club and potentially country before the end of the year. Yes, she can play in the midfield, but her services are of greater need for the USWNT at full-back. At her peak, Dunn is the best the team has at the position.
By the time the World Cup kicks off, the question might not be Fox vs. Dunn, but rather who gets which side? As for now, Dunn is still trying to get back on a pitch during a game, so we’ll revisit that.
Right-back is where were find more questions. Kelley O’Hara (recently, but not significantly injured) is the incumbent there and continues to show why when healthy. The health caveat is an important one that has been a factor for some time. Emily Sonnett’s injury is significant enough to have been season-ending for the Washington Spirit, or she would otherwise be Tier 1 based on how she has rotated into Andonovski’s lineups.
play0:40Huerta’s beautiful cross helps USWNT gain 4-0 lead
USWNT’s Sofia Huerta crosses the ball in that Ashley Hatch capitalizes on to up their score to 4-0 over New Zealand.
Sofia Huerta has earned her most extensive trial as a U.S. international after making the one-time switch from Mexico, a dream she thought she had lost after blowing her initial opportunity in the previous cycle. Huerta continues to make her argument as the best crosser from wide areas in the entire USWNT pool, and her defensive game has largely improved.
She did misplay the ball that led to Nigeria’s goal on Tuesday and ended the USWNT’s 880-minute shutout streak, but she was stellar on both sides of the ball and played a role in two goals in the first game against Nigeria, a 4-0 win. Whether Huerta is the starter remains a question, but right now she is solidly part of Andonovski’s plan. How she plays against England will tell how ready she is for a World Cup.
Casey Krueger also gave birth to her first child and has not played this year. She was used semi-frequently as a reserve full-back in 2021. The wild card, though, could be Hailie Mace, who only joined the USWNT for games against Nigeria as a replacement for O’Hara, but impressed enough in training to earn looks off the bench in both matches. Mace is in her best form ever in the NWSL as a wing-back for the Kansas City Current, who play a 3-5-2, but she had not been in camp in over four years prior to last week.
For all of the above players, there’s still time to get on the roster — especially at this position.
On the plane right now: Fox, Huerta, O’Hara
Center-Backs
Tier 1: Becky Sauerbrunn, Alana Cook, Naomi Girma
Tier 2: Abby Dahlkemper
Tier 3: Sam Hiatt, Alex Loera, Sam Staab, Emily Menges
Wait and see: Tierna Davidson
Naomi Girma, right, has made a strong case to join the USWNT in 2023 as a starting or reserve center-back. Sofia Huerta, left, is pushing for a full-back spot. Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Center-back is also a curious position right now. Becky Sauerbrunn, Alana Cook and Naomi Girma have been the three players rotating into those two spots almost exclusively since Tierna Davidson tore her ACL in March. Cook is the preferred starter alongside Sauerbrunn, who is the captain, but Girma has the skillset to claim the starting role.
Is there even a bubble after that? The most likely candidate for that is Abby Dahlkemper, but since returning from broken ribs earlier this spring, she has fallen out of favor as the starting center back alongside Girma at San Diego Wave FC, and the calls from Andonovski have stopped, too. Dahlkemper needs to get back in the XI for San Diego before she gets back into a USWNT camp, and does have the potential. She played every minute for the USWNT at the 2019 World Cup and has a passing range to rival any center-back.
From there, the rest of the talent pool is inexperienced, with Cook and Girma still early into their international journeys. A peek at the 55-player preliminary roster for the CONCACAF W Championship suggests that any of Alex Loera, Sam Hiatt, Emily Menges or Sam Staab are in Andonovski’s peripheral thoughts. Combined, they have zero caps.
Davidson’s return will be the most important to this position, and she could double as an emergency No. 6. Sonnett and even Mace also provide versatility between full-back and center-back, which is always a helpful trait when deciding on bubble spots. As it stands today, the USWNT is one more injury away from a major depth problem.
It’s difficult to envision a scenario in which Rose Lavelle, pictured, is not on the plane to Australia and New Zealand. Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Midfield features the most interesting bubble section. Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan and Andi Sullivan are Andonovski’s starting trio as the Nos. 10, 8 and 6, respectively, but there are at least three spots behind them wide open for the taking, although Ashley Sanchez is looking more likely and should claim one of those reserve spots. Plus, what happens when Sam Mewis returns?
Lavelle is undroppable and in form, and Horan is best as a two-way midfielder when asked not to shoulder too much of the defensive responsibility, which can also be said for Mewis. Catarina Macario might also be part of this conversation, but we’ll get back to that.
Sam Coffey earned her first cap on Tuesday and played the entire match in the No. 6 role. As debuts go, it was solid if not necessarily spectacular, which is about as much as anyone could ask for in a thankless role. As wild as it seems to go from first cap to World Cup, Coffey’s case for inclusion right now is as good as anyone else’s in the position, especially on form.
Julie Ertz previously defined the No. 6 role, so much so that it has been difficult for observers to evaluate any of her replacements. Ertz gave birth to her first child earlier this year and her playing future is unclear. Andonovski might know more about that, but for now, he must plan for life without Ertz.
play0:55Rapinoe makes instant impact with assist on Lavelle’s diving header
Right after Megan Rapinoe comes onto the pitch, she crosses one to Rose Lavelle for the header.
Kristie Mewis has filled in at the No. 6 in a pinch, but it has largely looked forced. NJ/NY Gotham FC is rounding out an awful season, which has not helped her club form. Still, her ability to play in any of the three positions is to her benefit. Morgan Gautrat played her best club season to date in 2021, earning a recall to the USWNT, but she only played 45 minutes at February’s SheBelieves Cup and has not played for the Chicago Red Stars since April 2 due to injuries.
Savannah DeMelo will have something to say about all this, and Racing Louisville FC teammate Jaelin Howell might still, too. For now, though, it’s possible the final midfield spot comes down to Coffey and Taylor Kornieck. Given current injuries and the numbers game of roster composition, they both go as of today.
Also, at what point does Lo’eau LaBonta’s NWSL form warrant a look in camp? She played for Andonovski at FC Kansas City, so there is familiarity there and a precedent set by Kristie Mewis’ return to the USWNT following a great league campaign.
On the plane right now: Lavelle, Horan, Sullivan, Sanchez, K. Mewis, Coffey, Kornieck
Wingers
Tier 1: Sophia Smith, Mallory Pugh, Megan Rapinoe
Tier 2: Margaret “Midge” Purce, Trinity Rodman
Tier 3: Christen Press, Morgan Weaver, Tobin Heath, Ally Watt
Wait and see: Lynn Williams
Mallory Pugh, center, previously tumbled down the depth chart and did not even make the squad that went to the Olympics last year after playing in the preceding World Cup, but she has reclaimed her spot on the USWNT. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Sophia Smith and Mallory Pugh are NWSL MVP candidates and have the starting winger positions on lock for the U.S. national team. There really is not a debate. Both reiterated against Nigeria how dynamic they can be and why they are threats to any defense they come up against. The largest remaining criticism is their conversion rate at times, but that’s also a matter of setting realistic expectations for any forward — each is averaging better than a goal every other game in 2022.
Megan Rapinoe is also a lock as far as Andonovski’s plans go. Such a firm position sparked controversy when she returned to the team ahead of World Cup qualifying, which Andonovski said was always going to be the plan. There were some external concerns about that being too much of a choice based on leadership and not form, but those have since been squashed.
Rapinoe continues to affect games off the bench, as she did on Tuesday when she assisted Lavelle’s game-winning goal only 73 seconds after entering the match, and she is back to being a 90-minute player for OL Reign, notching four goals and three assists in four games in August. In short, Rapinoe is going to a fourth World Cup with sights set on winning a third straight.
Trinity Rodman might be next in line off the bench. In 2021, she put in an NWSL Rookie of the Year campaign that nearly doubled as worthy of MVP talk. She hasn’t quite had a sophomore slump, but the Washington Spirit’s generally horrible form has not helped Rodman’s case. Smith and Pugh are also playing extremely well, so Rodman’s role remains that of a reserve.
Margaret “Midge” Purce is in the mix after missing out on last year’s Olympics. Lynn Williams is the player who could disrupt the depth chart upon her return, but that likely won’t be until 2023. Elsewhere, Morgan Weaver will need a solid stretch run with the Portland Thorns to push her name back into the conversation, as would Tobin Heath, who was once a sure starter on the USWNT’s World Cup-winning teams but hasn’t been in the picture in nearly a year.
Christen Press’ absence from the CONCACAF W Championship roster was the most surprising given her form. She tore her ACL two days before the public announcement of the roster, but had already been informed she would not be on the roster. The necessary recovery time for that injury likely puts her back on the field around the start of the 2023 NWSL season, which would make for a tough timeline to get back into the mix for a third World Cup.
On the plane right now: Smith, Pugh, Rapinoe, Purce, Rodman
Strikers
Tier 1: Alex Morgan
Tier 2: Ashley Hatch
Tier 3: Mia Fishel, Bethany Balcer, Kristen Hamilton, Cece Kizer, Jessica McDonald
Wait and see: Catarina Macario
Alex Morgan, pictured, is the undisputed No. 1 at the No. 9 position — at least until Catarina Macario returns from injury. EPA/Miguel Sierra
Alex Morgan is once again the clear No. 9, as if nothing changed at all. That is not true, of course. Earlier this year, Andonovski began building the team around Macario as the false nine who seamlessly interchanged with Lavelle in the attacking midfielder role, which left Morgan on the outside, not earning call-ups.
The results with Macario were brilliant at times even if they featured growing pains against lesser competition. But Macario’s injury coincided with Morgan’s career-best form, and Morgan handily beat out Ashley Hatch in the competition for the starting role in the meantime.
Assuming Morgan stays in this form and Macario picks up where she left off, Andonovski has a champagne problem. He is not going to move away from the 4-3-3, and he isn’t going to drop Lavelle. So one of Morgan or Macario would have to sit, and they would rotate as needed in the World Cup (how’s that for a super-sub in either case). Otherwise, Macario could become part of a “double-10” alongside Lavelle — that would trigger a question of who as a pure No. 6 would then carry the defensive load, all while Macario would take a spot in an already crowded midfield depth chart.
Meanwhile, Mia Fishel remains in top form for Tigres as one of the best forwards in Liga MX, but Andonovski said last week that he has not had any conversations with her. Given the general lack of depth right now at the No. 9 position, and that Liga MX plays through the winter (when the NWSL is off), there remains an opportunity for her to change that.
The Juventus midfielder is recovering from a knee surgery after suffering an injury in July this year.
Due to the injury, he has not played this season.
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri said “We will realistically get him back in January.”
He revealed that “This morning Pogba trained for the second time, but then stopped, and it was then decided that he undergo surgery.”
Juventus later said the surgery – selective external arthroscopic meniscectomy – was “a complete success”.
The Serie A season will pause after games on 13 November for the first winter World Cup and restart again in January.
Asked if Pogba would be ready for France’s World Cup defence, Allegri added: “The World Cup is not my problem, Juventus’ problem is that he comes back in January.”
Pogba rejoined the Serie A side this summer after his contract with Manchester United expired.
He scored in the 4-1 win over Croatia in 2018 as France won the World Cup for a second time.
Opener Jason Roy has been dropped from England’s squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia but bowlers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes are fit to return.
England Test captain Ben Stokes is included despite missing all of England‘s T20s since March 2021.
White-ball captain Jos Buttler will miss the start of the tour of Pakistan, with Moeen Ali deputising as skipper.
England play seven T20s in Pakistan from 20 September before the World Cup starts on 16 October.
Roy, 32, has been an integral part of England’s white-ball success in recent years, but has endured a poor summer.
His highest score in his past 11 international innings is 43 and he managed only 51 runs in six innings for Oval Invincibles in The Hundred, including three ducks.
“He’s a hit a bad patch of form at the worst time,” said England managing director Rob Key, who confirmed Jonny Bairstow will be promoted to open with Buttler.
“I don’t see that this is Jason’s T20 career over. We still see the 50-over format as his strongest suit, so still see him as very much a part of that set-up.”
England have included five uncapped players in a squad of 19 for the series in Pakistan, while the squad for the World Cup is trimmed to 15, with three travelling reserves.
Buttler’s side play three matches against hosts and defending champions Australia before the tournament. England’s campaign begins against Afghanistan in Perth on 22 October.
England, the 50-over world champions, were beaten semi-finalists in the last T20 World Cup in 2021 and reached the final in the previous edition in 2016.
This will be their first global white-ball tournament since 2014 without the leadership of Eoin Morgan, the former captain who retired in June.
Both Wood, 32, and Woakes, 33, last played for England on the Test tour of West Indies in March. They return from elbow and knee surgery respectively and boost an injury hit pace-bowling department that remains without Jofra Archer.
“They are back in with fingers crossed,” added Key. “The likelihood for Wood and Woakes is they will start getting fit at the back end of the Pakistan trip.”
Stokes, who continues to be available for T20s despite retiring from one-day internationals, is rested for the tour of Pakistan, which begins little more than a week after England’s final Test against South Africa at The Oval concludes. Bairstow is also rested for the Pakistan tour but he too will join up with the World Cup squad.
Liam Livingstone is another missing the Pakistan leg as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, while World Cup reserve Tymal Mills (toe) will also go straight to Australia.
Buttler has a calf injury, but is expected to be fit for the latter stages of the Pakistan series. His absence means Moeen, whose family originates from Pakistan, will have the honour of leading England on their first tour of the country in 17 years.
Key confirmed England’s intention to tour Pakistan despite the floods that have devastated large parts of the country. England pulled out of a trip to Pakistan last year citing “increasing concerns about travelling to the region”.
“It’s a trip we’re desperate to go on,” said Key. “It’s going to take a lot for us not to get out there.
“Hopefully us going out there and playing will be a positive story in what has been a pretty harrowing time for the people of that country.”
Warwickshire quick bowler Olly Stone, who has played three Tests and four ODIs for England, makes his return to international cricket from a back injury as part of the quintet of uncapped T20 players for the Pakistan tour.
He is joined by Middlesex pacer Tom Helm, Lancashire left-arm fast bowler Luke Wood and batters Jordan Cox and Will Jacks of Kent and Surrey respectively.
England squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. Travelling reserves: Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, Tymal Mills.
England squad for T20 series in Pakistan: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Luke Wood.
Manchester City have signed Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji on a five-year deal.
The 27-year-old joins from Borussia Dortmund, where he has made 158 appearances since January 2018.
Akanji has 41 caps for Switzerland and played a key role in their qualification for the World Cup.
“I am delighted to be here and can’t wait to get started. City have been one of the best teams in Europe over the last few seasons,” he said.
“They are brilliant to watch, play an exciting brand of football and compete for trophies year in, year out, so coming here feels like the perfect next step in my career.
“Pep Guardiola is an exceptional manager and this is an exceptional squad of players, so this is an exciting opportunity for me.
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“I am really looking forward to testing myself in the Premier League and I will do everything I can to help this club be successful.”
Akanji, who began his career with FC Basel, links up with former Dortmund team-mate Erling Haaland following his move to City earlier this summer.
He is the fifth signing Guardiola has made during this transfer window as City look to win a third successive Premier League title and a first Champions League trophy.
City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain said: “Manuel has plenty of experience playing at the top level of European football and we are confident he will be a valuable addition to our squad.
“We have been impressed with his performances during his time at Dortmund, where he has developed into a very good defender and one who is ready to perform in both the Premier League and Champions League.
“He has everything we want in a centre-back. He is strong, quick, comfortable in possession, has an excellent passing range and he will complement the other defenders in this team and our style of play.”
Meanwhile, French midfielder Claudio Gomes, 22, has left to join Italian Serie B club Palermo.
He made three appearances for City, and has had loan spells at PSV Eindhoven and Barnsley.
Ayew’s posters have been noticed on well-traveled streets in the Arab nation with less than three months till the start of the world event, which will be watched by millions.
Former captain of the Black Stars, Stephen Appiah, has denied rumors that he may leave retirement to represent Ghana at the World Cup.
The former Juventus player fueled speculation that he would play for the Black Stars again at the 2022 World Cup after posting a photo of himself working out recently at a stadium.
“This was an advert I shot in Thailand for Vitamilk oooo… Retired 10 years ago and I am not turning back… Just ignore any such news,†Appiah tweeted.
Stephen Appiah was part of Ghana’s team that qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and scored against the USA to help Ghana qualify to the round of 16 where they were eliminated by Brazil.
Inter have made a perfect start to their Serie A title bid, following up a last-gasp win at Lecce on the opening day by beating Spezia 3-0 last time out.
Lukaku, who fired the Nerazzurri to the Scudetto in 2020-21 with 24 league goals before heading to Chelsea, needed just 82 seconds to find the net when making his second Inter debut at Lecce.
While the Belgian then failed to score in Inter’s routine win at San Siro last weekend, Inzaghi was content with his display and believes it will not be long until he is scoring regularly once more.
“I think he did the first two games in the best way. It is not a matter that concerns only Romelu, but the whole team,” Inzaghi said at a pre-match press conference.
“We know that the condition is improving, we know we have players with important physicality and therefore we knew we needed some important games.
“We started quite well, we want to continue trying to improve all our players, including Lukaku.
“We also want to recover [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan, who will be very important, there will be 19 games in a row before a stop [for the World Cup].We will have to try to have all the players available. Tomorrow everyone travels except Henrikh.”
Lukaku scored 47 goals in 72 Serie A appearances in his first spell at Inter. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (60 goals in 66 appearances) and Ciro Immobile (56 in 72 games) outscored him in the competition during that time.
Lukaku’s return has raisedhopes that Inter could reclaim the Serie A title this season, but holding onto defender Milan Skriniar, who was strongly linked with Paris Saint-Germain, could prove just as important.
While Skriniar struggled with a muscle injury during pre-season, Inzaghi is pleased with the Slovakia international’s progress, adding:Â “I see him very well, concentrated, attentive.
“There was a problem at the beginning of the preparation, it came from an injury with the national team, something new for him because he had never skipped a training session in the last years.
“Instead, this time he slowed down for 40 or 45 days and his condition is growing.”
Inzaghi suffered his first league defeat as Inter boss when visiting former club Lazio in October last year, with Immobile on the scoresheet.
And while Inzaghi still enjoys a close bond with last season’s Serie A top goalscorer, he is not enthused by the prospect of facing the Italy international on Friday.
“A great affectionbinds me to him, he made very important seasons with me, he did it again last year with [Maurizio] Sarri,” he added.
“I know it’s a special game for everyone, we all care about it. I hope Ciro always scores, but maybe tomorrow he rests!”
Two of Africa’s representatives at the 2022 World Cup, Ghana and Tunisia, will play five-time world champions Brazil in friendlies next month.
The two countries have lined up the warm-up matches against the South Americans to help them prepare for the tournament to be played in Qatar in November.
The Black Stars will face the Brazilians on 23 September before the Carthage Eagles clash with the South Americans four days later.
The venue of the two matches has not been decided but the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) revealed on Friday that it will be in Europe.
“Brazil will face Ghana and Tunisia on the 23rd and 27th of September. Teams are also qualified for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” a CBF statement read.
“The cities and times of the friendly matches will be announced in the future.”
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) also confirmed the agreement to play Brazil insisting it will give coach Otto Addo the chance to assess his players for travelling to Qatar.
“The match will give Coach Otto Addo the platform to continue the assessment of his players in the build up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals,” the GFA said in a statement.
The match has been made possible thanks to the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone September’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to allow the five African sides going to the World Cup to prepare well.
Ghana have been drawn in Group H at the World Cup to face Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
Tunisia was drawn in Group D alongside France, Denmark and Australia.
Annor Walker, the head coach of the Black Galaxies, thinks that camping in Austria before their CHAN qualifying match against Nigeria is advantageous for his squad.
To prepare for the final round qualifiers, the team has traveled to the European nation for a week of training.
The Black Galaxies will play the World Cup host nation of Qatar on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, while the squad is in Austria. This game will serve as a good practice for the first leg against Nigeria in Cape Coast.
“We are happy in Austria, the boys are calm and the environment is very good for us to camp ahead of such an important match,” coach Annor Walker told ghanafa.org.
The gaffer added, “We will play the main team of Qatar on Tuesday and we strongly believe that it will be a good test for the team. My players will learn a lot from that test match and it will put us in a good position for the task ahead.”
The Black Galaxies will return to Ghana on Thursday to wrap up preparations for the first leg of the CHAN qualifier against Nigeria.
That match will be staged at the Cape Coast Stadium.
Despite being known as the “Black Stars,” Ghana’s senior national team has only ever won a match wearing a black jersey.
It appears that the first time the Black Stars donned the black jersey was the last time the national team ever wore one.
Fans believed that the Black Stars’ wearing a black jersey gave them ill luck, and many found various reasons why Ghana should never wear a dark jersey.
AFCON 2006: GHANA vs ZIMBABWE: The real story
The Black Stars lost their first game to Nigeria by 1-0. Taye Taiwo struck a powerful shot to score the only goal in the match for the Super Eagles. Ghana managed to earn a 1-0 win over Senegal in their second game thanks to a goal by Matthew Amoah.
Ghana was on the verge of exiting the tournament, needing a win or draw to progress should in case Senegal lose Nigeria since both teams were tied on points.
Ghana came up against Zimbabwe in their final match in Group D. The Warriors had lost two games and needed a miracle to make it to the knockout phase.
Ghana wore their popular white jersey for the two matches but decided to use the black jersey for the first time. The Black Stars had a tough time playing the Zimbabweans who had nothing to lose in the game.
After a barren first 45 minutes of action, the Warriors came into the second half with all guns blazing.
Zimbabwe managed to find the back of the net in the 59th minute goal after Ghana defender Issah Ahmed scored an own-goal. It was a heart-breaking moment for Ghanaians watching the match.
Ghana’s woes later compounded in the 69th minute when Benjani ran on to a loose ball on the edge of the area and calmly slotted the ball into the net to put Zimbabwe 2-0 up.
At this point, the frustration was buzzing in and Ghana was faced with being knocked out of the AFCON at the group stages.
Ghana’s first serious attack in the Zimbabwe goal was squandered by Stephen Appiah, who was in the right place to latch on to a bouncing ball into the net but the skipper blasted the ball wide.
Ghana eventually scored through substitute Baba Adamu ‘Amando’s’ spectacular strike which gave hope to the Black Stars but soon after the ball returned to the center, the referee blasted the whistle to end the match to the disappointment of Ghanaians.
Ghana played the match without key players like Laryea Kingston Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari and Michael Essien.
After the match, fans phoned in on radio airwaves to register their frustration and describe the black jersey as cursed.
Later when Ghana played at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the black jersey rather used a stripped red jersey as the away kit and abandoned the black jersey.
Since the sad 2-1 defeat to Zimbabwe on Tuesday January 31, 2006, Ghana has never worn a black jersey.
Black Princesses head coach, Ben Fokuo has assured that his players will be on a competitive level for the FIFA U-20 World Cup after their heavy defeat to France in a pre-World Cup friendly.
Fokuo promised to intensify the training routines and sharpened the team to reach the level he demands before the tournament starts on August 10, 2022.
The former Ghana U-17 men’s coach said the Black Princesses have had good recovery sessions after the 4-0 defeat on July 29, 2022.
“We will train hard and make sure our strength and fitness level is on the level we want it to be at.”
“After the France game, we had recovery training and the girls are responding to treatment and picking up gradually after the loss against France.”
Fukuo pointed out that the tempo of the friendly against France took the Black Princesses by surprise but the technical team are working on getting the team to a competitive level.
“The tempo of the game with France was totally different from what we expected but now we have seen the problems and with training sessions we had, you can see that the players are picking up quickly and making sure they get their strength to the level of the competition”.
Ghana are paired with the USA, Japan and Netherlands in Group D of the World Cup.
The Black Princesses will begin their campaign against the USA on August 11, before facing Japan on August 14 and then conclude the group stages 3 days later against the Netherlands.
Female referees will officiate matches at this year’s men’s World Cup for the first time in the tournament’s history.
France’s Stephanie Frappart, Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita have been selected to take charge of games in Qatar.
They will be supported by three female assistant referees.
Premier League referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor have also been chosen for the tournament, which begins on Monday, 21 November.
Taylor refereed the Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland, and was praised for reacting quickly to ensure Christian Eriksen received urgent medical attention after collapsing on the field.
In total, 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 video match officials have been chosen for this year’s tournament.
“As always, the criteria we have used is ‘quality first’ and the selected match officials represent the highest level of refereeing worldwide,” said the chairman of Fifa’s referees committee Pierluigi Collina.
“This concludes a long process that began several years ago with the deployment of female referees at Fifa men’s junior and senior tournaments.
“In this way, we clearly emphasise it is quality that counts for us and not gender.
“I would hope that in the future, the selection of elite women’s match officials for important men’s competitions will be perceived as something normal and no longer as sensational.”
Fifa has been urged to set up a compensation fund of at least $440m (£350m) for migrant workers who have suffered “human rights abuses” during preparations for the Qatar World Cup.
Amnesty International made the request in a letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
The letter states: “Until all workers are compensated, the tournament cannot be truly celebrated.”
The sum suggested is equal to the 2022 World Cup prize money fund.
It is estimated up to 30,000 migrant labourers have been used on projects to build seven stadiums for the finals in Qatar, as well as a new airport, new metro and new roads.
Amnesty, along with other human rights organisations and fans’ groups, have called on Fifa not only to support workers who have died or been injured, but who have had pay withheld by employers or been forced to pay recruitment fees in order to secure work.
Amnesty International’s UK chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said there was a role to play for the England team, manager Gareth Southgate and the Football Association to put pressure on Fifa to act.
“Thousands of migrant workers have been exploited and many have tragically died to make this World Cup possible, so we hope the FA and Gareth Southgate and the players will back this innovative scheme to secure much-needed compensation for long-suffering workers’ families,” he said.
“Nothing can bring dead workers back to life or restore the dignity of those who were trapped in conditions amounting to modern-day slavery during Qatar’s World Cup building boom, but a Fifa workers’ fund would still be an important move.”
Fifa said it was assessing the programme proposed by Amnesty and was already looking at ways to compensate workers in association with the organising committee.
“Through the recruitment fee reimbursement scheme, for example, both Fifa World Cup and non-Fifa World Cup workers have received payments of a total $22.6m (£18m) as of December 2021, with an additional $5.7m (£4.5m) committed by contractors,” it said.
Qatar’s World Cup organisers added they had “worked tirelessly” with international groups for the rights of workers on stadiums and other tournament projects.
A spokesperson for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy said: “Significant improvements have been made across accommodation standards, health and safety regulations, grievance mechanisms, healthcare provision, and reimbursements of illegal recruitment fees to workers.”
Former Black Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah believes that he has seen it all when it comes to managing a football team at the highest level.
Speaking on Untold Stories TV, Kwesi Appiah questioned why he has to return to active football when he has already led the Black Stars at the 2014 World Cup.
According to him, having been a coach and a footballer has taught him a lot and he now wants to impart knowledge to the young ones.
“I have been a player and I have been a coach, for me to coach at the World Cup level what do I need again,†the former Black Stars coach said.
He explained that he enjoys his current work at Kenpong Academy more because there is no pressure on him and has taken him away from verbal abuse by football fans.
“It’s good to impact knowledge and for me being at Kenpong Academy, I love it more than up there.
“Because up there you do the best that you can, those who are coming to compete against you are also coming to do their best,†he stated.
Coach Kwesi Appiah managed the Black Stars at the 2014 World Cup where Ghana crashed out at the group stages for the first time.
He returned to the scene again for the 2019 AFCON where the Black Stars were knocked out at the Quarter-final stages.
Senegalese referee, Maquetta Ndiaye, who dominated the headlines after officiating Ghana’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa has been shortlisted to officiate at the tournament in Qatar.
Ndiaye has been named among a preliminary list that was announced on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, which has 36 center referees, 63 assistant referees, and 36 VAR officials.
The 35-year-old will be hoping to make his first World Cup appearance in his refereeing career.
Ndiaye was named alongside 7 other African referees on the provisional list.
The other 7 include Bakary Gassama from Gambia, Jean Jacques Ndala from RD Congo, Mustapha Ghorbal from Algeria, Redouane Jiyed from Morocco, Balmak Tessema from Ethiopia, Victor Gomez from South Africa, Janny Sikazwe from Zambia.
The final list for the tournament will be announced a month before the intercontinental competition kicks off in November 2022.
Referee Maguetta Ndiaye became topical after officiating Ghana’s Group C FIFA World Cup decider against South Africa in November 2021.
Ghana won 1-0 via Dede Ayew’s penalty goal in the 34th minute. The Black Stars, following the win, topped the group and qualified for the play-off at the expense of the Bafana Bafana.
The aftermath of the match was the penalty call by Ndiaye, in which the South African FA accused the match official of match manipulation and filed a case at FIFA.
Lo and behold, Maquette Ndiaye was vindicated after FIFA dismissed the case in December 2021.
The National Sports Authority(NSA) has reserved 2,000 tickets for Nigerian fans who would want to attend the Super Eagles‘ World Cup qualifier against Ghana at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. Â
Per FIFA regulations, the home team is to grant 5% of the stadium capacity for the traveling fans. Â
Therefore, the Communications Director for NSA, Charles Amofa, has said although Nigeria requested 10,000 tickets, Ghana will give them 2000 which is in accordance with the FIFA rules.Â
“Our Nigerian brothers who want to watch the game on Friday made a request. They wanted 10,000 that was Cape Coast Stadium. But at Baba Yara, the full capacity is 40,000 so what the Ministry of Youth and Sports has done is that the CAF requirement is 5% of the full capacity so that will be a number of 2,000. With that, the E-ticketing team will block that number for our Nigerian brothers to come and with the game,” he told Peace FM. Â
The match was initially set to be played at the 20,000-seater capacity Cape Coast Stadium but was moved to Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi after Nigeria expressed concerns about the poor state of the Cape Coast pitch. Â
The match which will be played on March 25, 2022, is 7 days away from the kickoff with the Super Eagles expected to land in Ghana on Wednesday, March 23.
Former Ghana Football Association Normalisation Committee president Kofi Amoah believes the West African nation is capable of rising above expectations to win the Fifa World Cup.
Three-time participants at the global showpiece, the Black Stars’ best performance remains a quarter-final finish at the 2010 edition of the tournament held in South Africa.
But for a missed last-gasp extra-time penalty by striker Asamoah Gyan during the last eight clash with Uruguay, Ghana would have been the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the competition.
“The priority should be strengthening the local football league, including grassroots level. Sammy Kuffuor, Michael Essien and most of our top stars made their names from the grassroots level,” Amoah told Citi Sports.
“When the Germans saw their football was in decline, they took a step back and prepared a plan. It took them 11 years, but they won the World Cup in Brazil [in 2014].
“Ghana can win the World Cup. We have the talent, but the organization and the approach are wrong.
“I hope my friends at the Ghana Football Association will fix it.”
After missing out of on the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Ghana have set their sights on making a prompt return to the championship as the Qatar 2022 qualifiers beckon.
Ghana president Nana Akufo-Addo recently tasked the Black Stars to qualify for next year’s championship and go on to reach the semi-finals.
“The target is to bring the cup home by winning Afcon 2022. We must go a step further than our second-placed finishes in 1992, 2010 and 2015 and end the 40-year drought for a title,†Akufo-Addo said last week.
“We must also reach at least the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. Our exploits in 2010, where we reached the quarter-final in South Africa, tell us that once prepared, we have the quality and the talent to match any of the best teams in the world.
“The task might seem daunting, but it is exactly not insurmountable.”
In the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, Ghana have been pitted against South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe in the second round. The qualifiers start next month.
World Cup fans will be able to watch an unprecedented four games a day on television, spread out over 11 hours, during the group stage of the Qatar 2022 tournament after the schedule was confirmed on Wednesday.
With the relatively short travel distances for the venues in and around Doha, it could be possible for fans who travel to the 32-team tournament to attend multiple games each day.
The early games will kickoff at 13.00 local time with the fourth match starting at 22.00 local time and finishing just before midnight.
The tournament’s opening game on Nov. 21, will be at the 60,000 capacity Al Bayt Stadium, with its distinctive “tent” style covering.
The final on Dec. 18 will be held at the 80,000 Lusail Stadium, which, like Al Bayt, will also host a semifinal.
Nasser Al Khater, CEO of the Qatar World Cup organising company, said plans for the tournament were well on schedule with 90% of the work finished on roads and infrastructure.
“When we talk about the stadiums, more than 85% of the work has been completed and really now, the last two years, we’re focusing on our operation readiness and making sure we get the fan experience plans in place,” he said.
“The World Cup is always a festival of football, a real celebration for the fans who come on-site and watch,” FIFA chief tournaments and events officer Colin Smith said. “In Qatar, with the compact nature, this is going to be amplified even more with 32 teams and 32 sets of supporters all in and around Doha.
“FIFA will wait until the draw for the tournament is held in March or April of 2022 before assigning specific games to venues and time-slots. That will enable them to better align games with time zones for domestic television partners of the competing teams. The tournament was switched from it’s usual June-July slot due to the heat in the Gulf state and is the first that will be held in the middle of the European season.”
The tournament draw for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is set to be pushed back by two months after FIFA rescheduled qualifying playoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic.
FIFA said in June its council agreed to delay an intercontinental four-team playoff — from March 2022 to June that year — due to fixture congestion.
The 32-team tournament draw was planned for April 2022, likely in Doha. The earliest option is now to hold it in June ahead of the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 tournament.
FIFA has agreed to a $1.5 billion relief plan to help with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global game.
FIFA’s plan means it will dip into its reserves to provide national federations with a number of grants and interest-free loans to cope with budget hits.
Former Ghana goalie Ali Jarrah has revealed how the Black Starlets won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1991.
The 1991 Starlets team became the first Ghanaian side to win a FIFA World Cup following their triumph in Italy.
But according to Ali Jarrah, who was a member of the team, the Black Starlets prepared for almost two years to achieve the historic feat.
“We are an all-round team and we also started the preparations two years before the tournament, so we knew ourselves very well,” he told Citi Tv’s The Tracker Show.
“In our final qualifying game against Morocco, the game was forfeited due to the Gulf War that happened then. When we got there, we were not used to the weather as it was cold, it was only Yaw Preko, Odartey Lamptey and the guys who were already playing in Europe who were comfortable with it. So when the game was cancelled due to the war, everyone jubilated.
“The group were fortunate because right after that, we went to Germany for camping. We were there for over three months. So we acclimatized, studied the weather, played a lot of games and were also high in confidence.
“Odartey Lamptey, Yaw Preko all had European experiences of what the tournament felt like. The likes of Mohammed Gargo, Daniel Addo, Willie Brown and Ernest Opoku are extraordinary players. The calibre of players we had gave us so much confidence.
“We knew we could win the cup when we scored the German U-17 team 6-0 in one of our trial games and so we built up game by game. So we took it a game at a time before reaching the finals against Spain.”
“For me, the Uruguay game is a game I think we won,” John Paintsil says, looking back on one of the most dramatic matches in men’s World Cup history: the 2010 quarter-final between his Ghana side and Uruguay in Johannesburg.
The reality, though, is Ghana didn’t win. A handball by Luis Suarez stopped a certain goalbound shot deep into injury time, in one of the most controversial and memorable moments of that tournament. Suarez was sent off – but Ghana missed the resulting spot-kick and, ultimately, went out on penalties after extra time.
The pain for Paintsil and his team-mate Hans Sarpei still lingers, 10 years on. For many Ghanaians, Suarez is the perpetrator of one of the greatest crimes in the country’s sporting history.
“We were cheated,” Paintsil says.
“To clear the ball from the line with your hand – it’s supposed to be a goal.”
Paintsil says people still talk about the incident in Ghana.
“I can’t forgive him because it was not an accident.” Sarpei adds.
“He knows what he has done. We were crying and you see someone who has cheated us is celebrating. How can I forgive him? Never. Never ever.”
First African World Cup
On the 2 July 2010, Ghana had the footballing hopes of a whole continent on their shoulders.
South Africa was the host of Africa’s first World Cup but Bafana Bafana were unable to make it past the group stage despite a valiant effort.
The other African teams had all been eliminated at the same point, leaving just the Black Stars in the competition.
“On the way to the game against Uruguay, I think everybody knew we could beat them – I think the whole world was supporting us,” left-back Sarpei says.
“The way we play the game: we’re playing on the front, we’re attacking in front. We try to enjoy the game. When you see Ghana, it’s like you’re listening to music because the ball is flowing.”
Ghana took the lead on the stroke of half-time via a 40-yard thunderbolt from former Portsmouth and Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari.
But Diego Forlan equalised with an exquisite free-kick and the two teams proceeded to play out in an engrossing contest – undoubtedly one of the best games of the competition – with both teams spurning chances throughout the game.
But it’s the final few minutes of the match that will forever live in World Cup infamy.
Ghana won a free-kick on the edge of the box, which was whipped in by Paintsil. In an ensuing goalmouth scramble, Suarez legitimately cleared a shot off the line from captain Steven Appiah – before, seconds later, palming Dominic Adiyiah’s header away from goal.
“For me, I thought, ‘last man on the line, touch it with his hand, it’s supposed to be a goal’ – so I was already celebrating that we are through.” Pantsil recalls.
“Then I saw it was a penalty and I said, ‘What?’ I was shouting, ‘No, no, take the ball to the centre (circle), take the ball to the centre.’”
Suarez was sent off, leaving the field in tears, whilst the Ghanaian players began to celebrate.
“I think everybody from our side was thinking ‘yeah, we’re going to the semi-final’ because Asamoah Gyan had scored two penalty goals before and he made it look easy,” Sarpei says.
Gyan had been talismanic for Ghana in the tournament, leading the line and scoring the winner in the previous round against the United States – a game which had also gone to extra time.
“I was standing there and for me the ball was going into the net and we are going through to the next round.” Sarpei recalls.
“Then it hit the crossbar and my first thought was like, ‘is this real?’ Really? The ball is not into the net? What is happening? What is the problem?’
“And then it was difficult. At this moment, when he didn’t score and we had to go to the penalty shootout, the feeling was like, now it will be difficult to go to the next round.”
Suarez, who had stopped in the tunnel to watch the penalty, was pictured celebrating when Gyan missed – something that still rankles with Paintsil.
“After the penalty was missed you came out and then celebrated like you’re on top of the world by hurting people. At least be a professional, feel the pain. Just go to your dressing room and celebrate and then nobody will see it.”
Suarez was quoted in the press saying “the hand of God now belongs to me”, referencing Diego Maradona’s goal against England at the 1986 World Cup.
Ghana would go on to lose via a penalty shootout and with it went Africa’s golden opportunity to win a World Cup.
In the two tournaments since, no African team has come close to reaching the semi-final stage.
The match against Ghana is where Luis Suarez first gained international notoriety. Six months later, he would join Liverpool from Dutch giants Ajax.
Suarez took a gamble that helped his country get into its first semi-final since 1970, but they were beaten 3-2 by the Netherlands without him.
“One has to do what one has to do to make his country proud and that’s what he did to us,” says Paintsil – but asked if put in the same position as Suarez, whether he would handle the ball, he was adamant.
“There’s no African player that would have done that,” he argues.
“Africans are more athletic. Even when the ball is on the other line, I would have tried to kick the ball, kung-fu style.”
They say time heals old wounds. But 10 years on, the wound still appears to be open for Hans and John.
“It still pains. I’m still feeling it anytime I think about it,” says Pantsil.
“A lot of things would have changed in Ghanaian football, in our country and also in Africa. Maybe adding numbers to the next World Cup, the more an African team goes forward, the more we can add more countries to our package. For me I don’t know when I’m going to forget about this memory but now it’s part of me.”
Legendary Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan has shared memories from the 2010 World Cup, describing the tournament in South Africa a decade ago as the turnaround in his career.
Gyan was in top form netting three times as the Black Stars reach the quarter finals of the World Cup, becoming only the third African country to achieve the feat.
Ghana’s all time leading scorer, Gyan revealed the World Cup made him a household name despite his exploits before 2010.
“Honestly, it changed my life,” he told Tv3. “I always say the 2010 year was the best year in my career. Everything I did was working, even I came to music I had so many awards, businesses was working, I was having contracts, winning awards, my whole life changed,” he added
“I became an icon and everybody saw in the whole world and even in the tournament I was in the top three, I was on top of the world and leaving the life I wanted,” he continued.
“I started the form from 2009 entering 2010 through to the World Cup so I was in top shape physically, mentally. So I was enjoying my football, scoring goals.
“Obviously the World Cup made me a household name. In Ghana everybody knew who I was but this World Cup made me very very famous and everywhere I went everybody knew me.”
Ghana were billed to begin their qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in October but with the current Covid-19 disruptions, much seems to be up in the air.
Having failed to qualify for the 2018 gathering in Russia, the West Africans are eagerly anticipating the next round of qualifiers.
A bye in the first round means the Black Stars are having to wait until the commencement of the second round to stick out a leg in action.
Ghana have qualified for the World Cup on three occasions.
On their maiden appearance at Germany 2006, the Black Stars surpassed expectations, beating the Czech Republic and the United States to finish second behind Italy at the group stage and qualify for the Round of 16 where they bowed to reigning champions Brazil.
At South Africa 2010, the West Africans went one step further as they reached the quarter-finals. Brazil 2014 would, however, end on a disappointing note for the four-time African champions as they suffered a first-round elimination for the first time.
Status quo before coronavirus
Caf’s second round of World Cup qualifiers was originally set to begin in March but was later moved to October to make way for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers after the final tournament for the latter was brought forward from June/July 2021 to January/February 2021.
A January draw pitted Ghana against familiar foes South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia in Group G to battle it out for the sole qualification ticket for the third and final round in the race to Qatar.
Matchday 1’s set of games are scheduled to come off between October 5-13 while Matchday 2 action is billed to take place between November 9-17.
There will be no further matches until March next year when a double-header takes centre stage with matchdays three and four.
The penultimate matchday of second-round matches have been set for August 30 – September 7, 2021, with the last round coming off between October 4 -12, 2021.
Will Covid-19 cause a change to the qualifying calendar?
Caf has already been forced to make a major change to its international calendar as Afcon 2021 qualifying matches billed for March were all postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus.
June’s round of games has also been similarly affected as many nations are yet to open their closed borders to permit their international travels.
Caf has stated it will announce a new programme in due time.
With all the disruptions, it is currently unclear if Caf will be altering the current World Cup qualifying schedule which is still five clear months away from kicking in.
On the face of things, particularly with football beginning to return in many jurisdictions, it may be possible to play international games by October.
However, with the Afcon final set for January/February next year, the continental football’s governing body may be forced to move the World Cup qualifying matches further away to enable the completion of the Afcon qualifiers in time should it hesitate to reschedule the final Afcon tournament one more time.
The Ahmad Ahmad-led administration is soon expected to announce the way forward for its competitions.
Football’s world governing body FIFA has announced new dates for the U-17 Women’s World Cup which was postponed due to Coronavirus.
The new dates for the tournament to be hosted by India will be from February 17 to March 7, 2021.
The competition was originally scheduled for November 2 to November 21, 2020, but changes had to be made following the impact of COVID-19 on sports forcing all qualifying games to be postponed.
Meanwhile, the eligibility criteria for the tournament still remains the same with players born on or after 1 January 2003 and on or before 31 December 2005 cleared to compete.
The Black Maidens of Ghana will now wait on the Confederation of Africa football for it’s final round qualifiers against Nigeria.
Ghana reached the final round of qualifiers after beating Liberia 10-0 on aggregate.
The women’s Under-17 World Cup, due to be held in India in November, has been postponed for three month, FIFA said Tuesday, adding to a growing list of sporting events hit by the pandemic.
The tournament, to be played in five cities across the country, will now start February 17, football’s governing body said.
India is looking to boost its international standing as a host of top sporting events after holding the men’s Under-17 World Cup in 2017.
“All the host cities have put in a lot of effort and commitment so far, and we are happy that the new dates will allow them to make up for the lost time and provide momentum going forward,” the local organising committee said after the FIFA announcement.
FIFA also unveiled new dates for this year’s U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica and Panama. It will now be played from January 20 to February 6, 2021.
The 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania has been pushed back to September 12 next year.
Meanwhile, the 70th FIFA Congress, which was due to be held in Addis Ababa, will be run as an online event on September 18.
The coronavirus has brought international sport to a standstill, but some football leagues are restarting — albeit behind closed doors.
South Korea’s K-League came back to life last Friday and Germany’s Bundesliga football championship is to restart this weekend in empty stadiums.
The season would also kick off one week earlier and finish a week later.
It means that there would be only six weekends without Premier League games.
The issue will be discussed at the next Premier League shareholders’ meeting in November.
Any such proposals would clash with national associations’ plans, given they usually allow several weeks for their players to prepare for the tournament.
Shampoo and baby oil have become essentials in the training kit in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup as Japan’s unpredictable weather threatens to have a significant influence on the tournament.
The prospect of snap changes from dry to wet and back again, and in intense humidity, have coaches working on plans to cover every scenario.
“The big thing will be the ball. That’ll be the constant thing. The humidity will be high and the ball will be wet so skills will be really important,” says All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
Hansen, on a mission for New Zealand’s third consecutive World Cup win, has been happy just to soak the ball in water during training sessions to mimic wet conditions.
But other teams have taken a more out-of-the-box approach.
Warren Gatland has admitted to using baby oil to make the balls slippery during Wales training sessions, while Scotland have turned to hair care, applying shampoo and conditioner to replicate a sweaty ball.
“The sweat is more of an issue. The wet is obviously not ideal, but the sweat is difficult to deal with,” assistant coach Mike Blair said.
England coach Eddie Jones, who has forecast an England-New Zealand final, has made Japan’s notorious autumn weather a central element in his planning over the past four years.
Having previously coached in Japan, the Australian-born England mentor has marked physical and mental resilience as key elements he wanted from players in his World Cup squad.
– ‘Shocking conditions’ –
England?s hooker Jamie George explained: “We have buckets (of water) on the side of the pitch and we put the ball in that before we throw it.”
But there have been no novel training tricks for Ireland, even though there is the prospect of torrential rain when they play their first game against Scotland on Sunday.
Loose forward Rhys Ruddock says the world’s number one-ranked side are quite at home in the wet.
“We’ve had some big performances in the past in shocking conditions so it’s not dampening excitement for the match,” he said.
However, the issue for Ireland was adapting to what could be varying weather conditions during the 80 minutes of playing time, and which could prove crucial.
“I would think we’re going to have to prepare for all outcomes, in terms of the weather,” Ruddock said.
“We might just have to adjust things on the day. We’ve got a plan for best-placed scenario and worst-placed scenario, with as little tweaking in between as we have to.
“The guys who are making those decisions on the day will have options depending on how the game’s going, what the score is, the time on the clock and the weather definitely comes into it.”
The forecast for the opening weekend of the tournament is for temperatures around 22 degrees Celsius (72 Fahrenheit) with fine weather interspersed with heavy rain.
Two people died when Typhoon Faxai battered Japan earlier this month, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without power and disrupting travel for some arriving World Cup teams.