Sports Minister arrives in Segoe ahead of
Stars match
After 120 minutes of football, 85 of which was fought with reduced
strength, Senegal yesterday earned vengeance over Nigeria and booked a historic
final with Cameroon at the 2002 Cup of Nations in Mali.
Three red
cards (one to Senegal and two to Nigeria), and a missed penalty to Nigeria in
extra time sum up a thriller of a match played at such speed never seen in many
years. It was the ultimate in drama and tension, a display of Spartan courage
by Senegal in a year in which their football has taken a shape that only magic
can explain.
With all the controversy that had shaped their football rivalry, the
nerve breaking tension experienced at their semi-final clash was anticipated
and the Malian police showed their readiness to handle the situation well
before kick-off when they cleverly off-loaded loaded a small group of
Senegalese who had pitched their camp too close to the more than 2000 strong
Nigerian cheer group at the Stadium.
And Senegal showed what they were up to within one minute when Henri
Camara’s bullet rumbled off the Nigerian post and back into play, after going
round the defence.
By the sixth minute, they had established the pattern of attack,
working their way through the right side to the Nigerian defence where strikers
Khaliliu Fadigah, Henri Camara and Ousseynou Diouf looked unstoppable. But the
real turn around was in the 35th minute when defender Birahim Sarr
was shown the red card for an off-the-ball incident.
Rage over that decision by Beninios referee Coffi Codjia, was
appallingly displayed by Jules Bocande on the technical bench of Senegal and
his boss, Bruno Metsu who splashed water on a television cameraman, eager to
capture his mood.
The warriors on the pitch exhibited no such loss of temper but
tenaciously held on to their desire of avenging a defeat so painfully executed
by Nigeria at the last Nations Cup Finals in Lagos.
Within an atmosphere of similar drama, Nigeria came from a goal down to
beat Senegal 2-1 in a quarterfinal game that was held up due to crowd trouble.
Even when Senegal hosted the event in 1992 it was Nigeria who spoilt their
party with a quarterfinal elimination.
So coolly but with determination, Senegal, at reduced strength, worked
at their own revenge. The first sign of it came in the 53rd minute
when striker Bouba Diop soared over the Nigerian defence to head in Khalilou’s
cornerkick.
They held
on to it till late in the game and when convinced of victory, they withdrew
into a dangerous defensive play and with just three minutes to the end of the
game, slip-party Julius Aghahowa exploited Jamme Diatta's attempt at
shepherding the hall into the control of goalkeeper Marie Sylva.
Aghahowa slipped past the defender to slice the ball to the far corner
of the Senegalese net to bring the game alive again as the Nigerian cheer group
gave a deafening rendition of the chorus, "He is a God Who Never
Fail."
Eight minutes into the dramatic extra time, Senegal went up again when
star player Diouf made an elegant move to the right, and centred for Alassane
Diao to place at the far side with Nigerian goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu well
beaten.
In the 110th minute, a menacing Nwankwo Kanu was brought
down in the Senegalese 18-but substitute Wilson Oruma shot the resultant
penalty against the upright, immediately after which Aghahowa was shown the red
card and later another Nigerian Ifeanyi Udeze for an off the ball foul forcing
Nigeria to end the match with nine men against Senegal's 10.
In the other semi-final match, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon made
mince meat of homeboys, Mali, 3-0 to book a second consecutive final. If
Cameroon win against Senegal on Sunday, they would have equaled Ghana’s record
as the only country to have successfully defended the cup.
GRi…/
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Black Stars back home amid heavy security
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 February 2002 - The senior national team, the
Black Stars, arrived home on Tuesday amid heavy security presence at the Kotoka
International Airport and without much fanfare after failing to qualify for the
semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The Stars lost their quarterfinal encounter with neighbouring Nigeria
after scrapping through the preliminary round. The team was met on arrival by
the Minister of Youth and Sports, Edward Osei Kwaku and Vice Chairman of the Ghana
Football Association, Emmanuel Owusu Ansah and was cheered on by a few soccer
fans.
Ben Koufie told the GNA Sports that he thought the Stars could go
beyond the quarterfinal stage but failed because the boys could not raise their
game in the second half as they lost most of the 50-50 balls. He said the
current team would be retained for the future adding that plans are afoot to
arrange trial matches with some of the teams that have qualified for this
year's World Cup, to keep the boys in shape for 2006 World Cup dream.
The Chairman described as malicious and baseless reports that he has
fired head coach Osam Duodu. "They are wicked lies being told by the press
who want to spoil our programme and the team", he said.
Mr Koufie said the coach was given a mandate to take the team to the
Cup of Nations and since the tournament is over the GFA would decide on his
future. Mr Osam Duodu said they went to the tournament to make an impression
and that he was satisfied with the team's performance adding that the boys
should be kept together for future tournaments. Ask about his future plans with
the team, the coach said he is only a technical director and would consider his
future with the team.
GRi…/
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Bamako (Mali) 06 February 2002 - Two members of the Black Stars who
crushed out of the 23rd African Cup of Nations in Mali played the Good
Samaritan when they donated a total of 300 dollars to the Sports Supporters of
Ghana (SSOG) who are stranded in Bamako, Mali.
Captain of the Stars, Emmanuel Osei Kuffuor gave them 100 dollars while
Portugal based Emmanuel Duah parted with 200 dollars. The donations were made
at the Bamako International Airport, Senou, before the Stars’ departure on
Tuesday when the plight of the supporters was conveyed to the players by Nii
Lantey Vanderpuje, a Radio Ghana commentator who was scheduled to leave on the
same flight with the Stars.
The supporters who were transported to Mali by Mr James Yalley on a
Ghana Private Road Transport Union GPRTU bus are stranded because they could
not afford fuel for the bus, which was given to them free of charge by the
GPRTU.
Mr Yalley, leader of the 60-member group said he has no money to fuel
the bus back home as was the agreement between him and the GPRTU. Under the
circumstances, he approached Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of the Ghana Football
Association for assistance but the FA boss said the association was not
economically buoyant enough to assist him.
The supporters' leader also made a representation to the Chief Director
of the Ministry of Youth and Sports who told him that he had no mandate from
Ghana to dispense with 1000 dollars, which Mr Yalley was asking for. The
group's final expectation fizzled out when they failed to hear from Colonel
George Minyila (rtd), Ghana's Ambassador to Burkina Faso with oversight
responsibility in Mali, who they had contacted earlier when the Ambassador
visited Bamako to assess the level of injury inflicted on three of the
supporters by Burkinabe fans after the Stars match with the Stallions in Mopti.
Mr Yalley said he had relayed SSOG's predicament to the Ambassador and even
though he had promised to react positively to their demand when he arrived at
his base in Ouagadougou, he has not heard from him. Consequently, he approached
Mr Vanderpuje who rallied Ghanaian journalists in Bamako to appeal to the
players through skipper Kuffour, leading to the donation.
The SSOG had arrived in Mali with a maxi bag of gari and shito, which
have been their main meal since reaching the Malian city of Mopti, where the
Black Stars had been hosted alongside Group B teams in the CAN 2002. Two
members of the group suffered knife injuries when they were attacked by
militant Burkinabe supporters after the Stars had sent the Stallions home with
a 2-1 victory in the last preliminary match at Mopti.
Ironically, Mr Yalley had launched his drive to convey 200 supporters
to Mali to cheer the Black Stars at the tournament at a wildly publicized press
conference in Accra. He even promised he would take two members nominated by
each of the 22 players to the competition as a motivation for the players.
GRi…/
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Bamako (Mali) 04 February 2002 - Ghana’s Nations Cup fairy tale was
brought crashing down in Mali, on Sunday when the Super Eagles of Nigeria beat
the Black Stars 1-0 after a tight quaterfinal game at the March 26 Stadium in
Bamako.
Roda FC midfielder Garba Lawal scored the only goal of the game in the
84th minute when he took advantage of a sloppy marking by John
Paintsil on the right side of the Ghanaian defence to unleash a shot that beat
Sammy Adjei to the far corner of the net.
A similar show or poor marking four minutes earlier, saw Arsenal
striker Nwanko Kano shooting over the bar and on both occasion, it was slippery
Julius Aghahowa spotting the weakness to lay on the passes.
It was a disasterous anti-climax to the Ghanaian ambition following an
impressive first half in which they met the Ghanaians so squarely it was
difficult to draw any line between the three-time World Cup aspirants and a
side made entirely of Nations Cup debutants.
Aware of their dark horse status and playing without any of the world
class stars that made Nigeria look so awesome on paper, the Stars played the
first half with the spirit of underdogs.
Super Eagles coach Amodu Shuaibu had defied earlier speculations tha he
would introduce some younger limbs to meet the stamina exhibited by the Stars
in their previous game against Burkina Faso and charged into the game at full
strength.
Shorunmu, Kano, Okocha, Oliseh, Finidi, Taribo and the rest of the 1996
Olympic gold-winning core, all at the verge of a three-time World Cup
appearance, assembled against Ghana with the obvious intention of proving to
the world that their 3-0 victory over the Stars was not contracted off the
pitch at Port Harcout.
Only Joseph Yobo, Ifeany Udeze and 2000 Nations Cup hero, Julius
Aghahowa, in the starting line-up were recruited from the present generation.
But the Stars knew that what they lacked in individual stardom, they
had in the collective will perform yet another feat to defy the form guide. In
the thrilling first half, it was midfield potential, Razak Ibrahim who took
control of the midfield and proved that he had learnt how to release his balls
on time.
With skipper Emmanuel Osei Kuffour also in command the Stars did not
take anything without hitting bank. And with Finidi George and Kano operating
well on the right, there was a lot to celebrate in the all attacking first half
game.
To slow down the Ghanaian speed, Taribo West and his colleagues in
defence adopted some hard tackles earning him and Udeze penalised yellow cards
withing 20 minutes.
The closest Ghana came to scoring was in the 34th minute
when Kuffour laid on an opportunistic pass to Isaac Boakye from just a foot
away, his shot and body struck at the midsection of Nigerian keeper to hospital
in an ambulance.
With the first half so evenly fought, the expectation was that the
younger Ghanaians would be too much for the ageing Nigerian side. But the
reverse was the result. The Super Eagles charged into the second half with such
power yet to be seen of them in the competition and forced series of corner
kicks.
As usual it was the individual brilliance of goalkeeper Sammy Adjei
which kept the Ghanaian slate still clean. And the Nigerian technical bench
must have noticed sluggish recovery of John Paintsil anytime he surged to join
the midfield, to exploit it so well to put a halt to what was becoming a
Ghanaian miracle at the Nations Cup finals.
Earlier in the day, Mali beat South Africa 2-0 in Kayes to book the
first semifinal ticket. Cameroon will on Monday play Egypt in Sikasso while
Senegal engage Congo DR in Bamako for the two other semi-final places.
GRi…
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Bamako (Mali) 04 February 2002 - Mr Ben Koufie, chairman of the Ghana
Football Association, has said Ghana football could only be redeemed and lifted
to the dizzy heights it attained in the past if discipline is instilled in all
stakeholders.
Speaking to the GNA in an exclusive interview at the 26 March Stadium
in Bamako at the 23rd edition of the African Cup of Nations, Mr Koufie said
players could only achieve their full potentials if they subject themselves to
strict discipline, on and off the field.
He said football administrators must also operate under an umbrella of
truth and adhere to the rules and conventions of fairness in order to influence
their players to behave properly.
The GFA chairman said in order to rescue Ghana football there must be total
commitment on the part of players and the only way to achieve this is to tell
them the truth when they err and subject them to a penalty commensurate with
their misconduct.
Mr Koufie advised Ghanaians to stop unnecessary praise singing, which in
his opinion, make some players think that they are super stars and therefore
above the rules and regulations of their administrators.
On the performance of the Black Stars in their match against the Super
Eagles of Nigeria in which they lost by a lone goal scored by Garba Lawal in
the 81st minute, the chairman said the boys did not disgrace the country even
though they lost.
He said they played well in the first half but failed to lift up their
game in the second half as they lost their composure and allowed the Nigerians
to steal the show from them. Mr Koufie said the team has promise and would be
retained and groomed for future assignments.
He was particularly happy about the formidable partnership between Kofi
Amponsah and John Mensah in the central defence and said with time they could
carry the fortunes of Ghana soccer on their shoulders.
The GFA chairman tactfully evaded a question on whether the technical
team of the Black Stars would be changed when he said the FA has not taken any
decision on the issue, but added that Osam Duodu was put in charge to prosecute
the championship in Mali.
Abedi Pele, former captain of the Black Stars and a member of the GFA
management committee was also full of praise for the team. He said in the first
half they matched the Nigerians in combat and possession but failed to sustain
the momentum in the second half. Pele said the team would blossom in the not
too distant future and bring the smiles back on the faces of Ghanaians.
“The Ghanaian team is a very good one. They are young and anxious to
play football. They gave us a very tough game and it was sheer experience which
won the day for us.” That was how Stephen Keshie, the assistant coach of the
Eagles summarized the match.
His boss, Amodu Shaibu agreed with Keshie's views when he described the
Ghanaian team as a bunch of talented players who gave his side a scare.
GRi…/
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Bamako 04 February 2002 - Ghanaian supporters who came to Mali on the
ticket of the Sports Supporters Of Ghana (SSOG) under the leadership of Mr
James Yalley feed on gari and shito three times a day.
Mr Yalley told the GNA Sports at their residence at the former Ghana
Embassy at Badalabougou, Bamako, that he could not afford any other meal for
the group and himself because he had to foot all the bills to get the
supporters to Mali.
He said he told them in Accra before departure that the trip was going
to be a very difficult one as he could not get any sponsors to support them.
The supporters' leader said based on his thin resources and his determination
to make the supporters available to the Black Stars, he bought enough gari and
shito for the trip and prepared the minds of his group towards it.
Mr Yalley said he was offered a bus by the Ghana Private Road Transport
Union (GPRTU) but was asked to fuel it for the round trip and he is doing that through
his own resources.
A female member of the group who craved for anonymity said though it is
very difficult to eat gari three times a day, she is pleased to be part of the
team and that it has given her the opportunity to know Burkina Faso and Mali.
She said Mr Yalley has been very nice to all of them as he shares in
their sadness and joy. "When we eat gari he also eats gari. He joins in
prayers every day and he does not go out and leave us to our fate. He keeps
assuring us that our support would help the Black Stars to win the cup and we
shall be given the due recognition when we return to Accra," she said.
Though the two groups of supporters have merged into a formidable cheer
group for the Stars and are accommodated in the same building, they feed
separately as members of the group under "One Man Supporter," Abraham
Boakye receive allowances of 2,000 CFA a day each to fend for themselves.
Sometimes however, some of those who went on the ticket of Boakye could
be seen sharing the gari with their friends from Mr Yalley's group.
GRi…/
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Mim (Brong Ahafo Region) 04 February - A soccer fan at Mim was
electrocuted while trying to mount a television antennae to watch the last
group match between the Ghana Black Stars and the Stallions of Burkina Faso, at
the ongoing African Cup of Nations (CAN 2002) in Mali on Wednesday.
The deceased, Kwabena Agyapong, 24, in the company of three others,
whose names were not immediately known, were erecting a metal television pole
when it touched a high-tension electric line.
The Police told the GNA that all the four received electric shocks and
were rushed to the Ayum Clinic at Mim but Agyapong died soon after while the
others were treated and discharged.
The Police said Agyapong was passing by and was called in to assist
with the erection of the pole. His body has been deposited at the Goaso Government
Hospital for autopsy while Police investigation continued.
GRi…/
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Bamako (Mali) 04 February - Colonel George Minyila (rtd) Ghana's
ambassador to Burkina Faso with oversight responsibility on Mali arrived in
Bamako on Friday to visit Ghanaian supporters who were injured by Burkinabe
fans after the Black Stars win over the Stallions in Mopti on Wednesday.
Colonel Minyila met with the supporters at the former Ghana Embassy and
interacted with them about the fracas that led to their injuries. He said he
was tasked by the ministry of Foreign Affairs to get an on-the-spot report of
the incident and report back to Accra.
The Ambassador said it was believed in official circles that some lives
were lost and thanked God that the report of deaths was incorrect. Colonel
Minyila took the names of those who sustained injuries and gave them 10
thousand FCFA to take a taxi to the Black Stars CAN village camp to see the
team doctor Fordjour for further examination and treatment.
He told the supporters not to be intimidated by any person or group of
persons but to continue with their support of the Black Stars in their quest to
annex the African Cup. The supporters had arrived Bamako from Mopti the
previous night and are accommodated at the former Ghana Embassy.
They arrived with a damaged trombone, which the Malian police had
retrieved from militant Burkinabe supporters who tormented them after the
Stars-Stallions match. Two trumpets, which were also seized from the group
could however not be found and no arrests have so far been made by the Malian
police.
Emmanuel Amponsah and Francis Chi Chong Koo were stabbed while a gorge
was opened in Philip Adom's head with a rock. William Boateng, Thomas Boateng
and Kudjo Asagba were also manhandled and in the process, Asagba lost a Kodak
camera while Thomas had his wallet containing 100 dollars snatched. Another
member of the group who was reported missing surfaced an hour later and said he
went into hiding to save his life.
GRi…/
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Mopti (Mali) 31 January - The Black Stars of Ghana staged one of the
rare dramas in the 45-year history of the Confederation of African Football
(CAF) Nations Cup championships when, with a two minutes to time, they chalked
a surprise comeback to derail the quarterfinal ambition of the Stallions of
Burkina Faso in their last Group B match, beating the Burkinabes 2-1 at Mopti
on Wednesday.
Isaac Boakye who had taken over from prime striker Ishmael Addo in the
65th minute scored both goals to see the Stars through and set the stage for a
quarterfinal battle against the Super Eagles of Nigeria who topped Group A.
Host nation Mali, runners up in Group A will travel to the city of
Kayes, which is close to the Senegalese border to play South Africa who became
champions of group B after subduing Morocco 3-1 at Segou. Boakye made hay in
the 89th minute to cancel an 81st minute goal scored by Toure Amaodu from a
freekick.
The goal had raised the hopes of the Stallions and thousands of their
supporters, including seven cabinet ministers who were at the stadium. The
Obuasi Goldfields striker netted the winner for Ghana two minutes into added
time with a cannon that caught Burkinabe goalkeeper Kabore Mohammed flat-footed
and nailed the coffin on Ghana’s northern neighbours.
Though the Stars won, they had everything going wrong in the match as
their passes went astray and the Burkinabe won most of the combat in midfield. Once
again, goalkeeper Sammy Adjei was the icon in the Ghanaian side and he was
aided by John Mensah and Kofi Amponsah to halt the persistent Burkinabe
onslaught.
Upfront, Ishmael Addo found it difficult to discover a leeway in the
Burkinabe defence while Derek Boateng and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour remained
anonymous most of the time. Emmanuel Duah was sluggish and had to be
substituted. Surprisingly, the introduction of Prince Amoako for Duah on the
left flank brought some life into the Ghanaian attack and his good runs and
crafty footwork were complemented by the two late goals that restored the pride
of Ghana football.
The victorious Black Stars were hailed by Malians who lined the routes
and cheered wildly, shouting “Bien joué Ghana” (Well played Ghana) as they
drove from the stadium to their CAN Village residence to prepare for their
night flight to Bamako, which is 645 kilometres west.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 31 January - Many football fans in Ghana on
Wednesday said they were shocked at the Black Stars 2-1 victory over
neighbours, Burkina Faso in their last group B match at the ongoing Africa Cup
of Nations played at Mopti in
Mali.
The Stars' substitute Isaac Boakye scored two dramatic goals in the
last eight minutes after trailing one -nil to the later stages of the game. The
capital was surprisingly quiet as people were rather struggling for transport
back home while a few others were seen in groups discussing the outcome of the
match.
The victory was without the usual wild jubilations which includes
reckless driving by commercial drivers and continuous honking of horns. When
the GNA Sports team got to some densely populated suburbs in Accra, a group of
bare chested young men could still not believe the victory while a few others
attributed it to God.
Nii Okine, one of the men the GNA Sports interviewed said Coach Osam
Duodu was lucky, because if the team had lost, he would have signed his own
death warrant. He said even though Ghana won, they were unimpressive and
wondered why the coach failed to substitute Rasta haired Ibrahim Razak for his
retrogressive style of play.
Most of the men who spoke in the Ga language said although the team was
not in great shape, they could stand the might of Nigeria, who are billed to
meet the Stars on Sunday, February three, in a quarterfinal clash. Nii Okine
said the Nigerians themselves have not been too impressive but added that they
stand a better chance than Ghana of moving to the next stage of the
competition.
Contrary to what happened in Accra, Sunyani, which had virtually been a
ghost town, erupted into joyous jubilation when Ghana emerged 2-1 winners. Most
soccer fans were glued to their television sets but said they were not
satisfied with the performance of the Stars especially in the second half.
Both commercial and private drivers tooted their horns as they happily
screeched through the main street of Sunyani in appreciation of the
"miraculous" equaliser by the Stars. The deafening cheers on the
streets reached its climax when just as
everything was heading to drawn game, Boakye again scored the second
goal to seal the doom of the Burkinabe boys.
"The victory over Burkina Faso is an indication that our boys are
now set to come home with the cup" a jubilant fan told the Ghana News
Agency. South Africa who thrashed Morocco 3-1, top the group with superior
goals but share the same five points with Ghana. They clash with Mali on Monday
in yet another quarterfinal match.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 31 January 2002 - President John Kufuor on
Thursday congratulated the Black Stars for their dramatic 2-1 victory over the
Stallions of Burkina Faso on Wednesday during the last group match of the
ongoing CAN 2002 soccer tournament in Mali.
"The experts had written them off but in a true resilient Ghanaian
style, they never gave up and won a famous victory," he said attracting
cheers from the packed House that had former President Jerry Rawlings, his wife
Nana Konadu and members of the Diplomatic Corps.
"Our best wishes go to the team and we look forward to welcoming
them back with the Nations Cup to where it belongs," he said as he began
his second State of the Nation Address to Parliament.
Two late strikes by substitute Isaac Boakye after the Black Stars had
fallen behind with only seven minutes to the end of the match secured them
their ticket to the quarterfinals where they would meet traditional rivals,
Nigeria.
President Kufuor said although a lot of talent abounds in sports the
country's conquest had been in the past and called on the Black Stars to
reverse the trend. He said government was embarking on a vigorous promotion of
schools sports to regain the country's past glory.
President Kufuor announced plans by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to
develop a comprehensive sports and youth development policy that would be
subjected to public scrutiny before implementation. He said apprenticeship and
training for life skills would also be promoted under the policy.
Touching on last May's stadium disaster that claimed the lives of 126
soccer fans and the subsequent flooding of Accra that also resulted in many
deaths, he said: "Tragic though these events were, they brought out a
strong sense of humanity in Ghanaians as all of us rallied to help the victims.
It is fitting that we remember those who lost their lives so cruelly and
resolve as a people to learn the lessons from those events: the need for
discipline and concern for others."
GRi…/
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Defending champions Cameroon preserved their 100 per cent record at the
African Nations Cup in Sikasso with a 3-0 win over Togo in their final Group C
match.
The Indomitable Lions, who had already led the group after taking
maximum points in the first two games, made it three wins out of three, thanks
to second half goals from Lucien Mettomo, Samuel Eto’o Fils and Solomon Olembe.
The first came after the 52 minutes. A lovely cross by Geremi Njitap
was swept in from the right flank, and the Manchester City defender arrived on
the back post to sidefoot home on the half volley.
Real Mallorca’s African Player of the year candidate Samuel Eto’o made
sure of Cameroon’s third win at the Babemba Traore Stadium 10 minutes from
time, tapping a Patrick Mboma pass for an easy finish.
The last came on the 89th minute when Marseille midfielder
Olembe Olembe, a second half substitute, met a cross from Eto’o on the right
with a crisp finish from sixth yards. Cameroon will meet the second placed side
from Group D, expected to be either Egypt or Zambia, in next Monday’s
quarterfinals.
In Kayes, DR Congo pulled their best performance so far at the
tournament to annihilate Cote d’Ivoire 3-1 and push themselves through to the
1/8th stage of the competition which will be against Senegal.
Yves Yuvuladio opened the floodgates in the 27th, followed
by goals from Shabani Nonda in the 67th and Papa Kimoto in the 81st
minutes. However, Kandia Traore scored a late consolation goal in the 89th
minute to ensure the elephants do not go home without scoring.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 January 2002 - Contrary to the assumption that
Black Stars coach, Fred Osam Duodu, is undertaking the job without any kind of
remuneration, the coach has been receiving something “substantial”.
Apart from his salary as the Technical Director of the Ghana Football
Association (GFA), the coach is said to be receiving an additional allowance
for being responsible for the national team, sports bi-weekly Graphic Sports
reported.
Indeed since last November 2001, coach Osam Duodu has been receiving an
allowance almost four times the basic salary paid him for his normal job,
according to the paper’s investigations.
The search further revealed that the GFA decided to give Osam Duodu
some kind of incentive while awaiting a decision from the ministry of Youth and
Sports (MOYS) on his job and situation since the remuneration of senior
national team coaches are normally decided and effected by the ministry.
Last week coach Osam-Duodu stirred some controversy when he was alleged
to have requested that he be treated like a “white coach” and paid salary equal
to that which would be given a foreign coach during an interview wit a
journalist from Agence France Presse.
Coach Osam Duodu later came out to deny that he had made such demands,
explaining that the French journalist who was not fluent in English had misinterpreted
him. A GFA spokesman, however, expressed surprise at coach Osam Duodu’s
interview. He said as an ‘internal issue’ the GFA was surprised that the coach
went out of his way to make such demands without as much as hinting anyone that
he was dissatisfied with the allowance he is being paid.
“Since Osam Duodu is already an employee of the GFA, the two parties
could not have entered into a contract on the additional job, and if he really
wanted a better contractual agreement the best thing was for him to resign and
then apply for the job,” the spokesman stressed.
According to the spokesman, the element of surprise and disappointment
were even greater since coach Osam Duodu who had received his additional
allowance for November and December expressed satisfaction about the deal and
never complained when he received the pay vouchers.
GRi…/
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By Sammy Okaitey
Mopti (Mali) 29 January 2002 - The Black Stars of Ghana moved into the
heart of the Malian desert on Monday only to discover that the weather and sand
may pose a thougher challenge than the national team of Burkina Faso, the
Stallions.
It is too early to identify any casualties but the certainties are that
the dry air in Segou which caused goalkeeper Abubakari Kankani to bleed from
the nose is drier, the afternoon sun hotter and the night weather close to
winter.
In such unfriendly weather with plenty of dust, the two teams will meet
in a make or break encounter in Mopti while South Africa and Morocco play in
Segou simultaneously to determine the two teams from Group B to make it into
the quarterfinals.
Not too different from the weather conditions back at home, Burkina
Faso are dead serious and angry, according to their Argentine Coach, Luis Oscar
Fullone. Serious about the win or burst condition we find ourselves in and
angry that for all that Burkina Faso has proved now and in the past, “we are
being discussed here as if our role is to act as sparring partners for the real
competitors, not being given any chance at all.”
He said it will take another shock of Ghana for the rest of Africa to
learn that gone are the days when Burkina Faso made the numbers only to
dissipate the energies of the elites. In contemporary African football, some
who failed to notice this change have learnt it bitterly when Burkina Faso
hosted the games in 1998.
While they continued proving the experts wrong, each stage of their
conquest was labelled an upset till the coronation of the Stallions as the
fourth strongest team on the continent, leaving in their trail scarred egos of
some pre-tournament favourites like Guinea, Tunisia and Algeria.
The architect of that history was Frenchman Pillipe Troussier,
nicknamed the White Wizard for his expertise in African football, acquired from
Nigeria to South Africa. And in the current Argentine coach, the Stallions have
a man of similar depth in the African game, after coaching two African club
sides to win the CAF Champions League titles.
In 1998, he was the coach of Ivorian side, Asec Mimmosa, when they won
the title and he repeated the feat in 1999 with Raja Casablanca of Morocco.
With all these up his sleeves, the talkative of a coach seems to be enjoying
his underdog status.
“With all these up his sleeves, the talkative of a coach seems to be
enjoying his underdog status. “We have drawn one match and lost one; we have
nothing more to lose so our plan is to hold nothing back but to attack with
courage. If we are to lose, we would lose fighting and not being afraid of
anything.”
He seems to have so much faith in his players that the Burkinabe appear
the most unrestrained group in the tournament. At their camp base in Segou, if
not on the field playing or training, the Burkinabe players could be seen
leisurely in the streets hanging out with thousands of their supporters who
have crossed the border into Mali to cheer them up. And sometimes at hours that
could earn a Ghanaian or Moroccan players a caution or an expulsion.
Not a Burkinabe player. And Fullone is serious about it. They need that
kind of freedom and touch of a home feeling to produce their best when they are
asked to. Their youthful enthusiasm (six of their starting line-up are products
of the Under-17 team which played in the World three years ago) will once again
challenge the marksmanship of the Black Stars.
Yet to score a goal, the only card Ghana coach Osam Duodu has not
played yet is the multiple talents of Emmanuel Osei Kuffour. In the two matches
that Ghana played against Morocco and Burkina Faso, Kuffor started and ended on
the bench. And though unwilling to discuss team selection, Osam may be under
some pressure to play him this time even if from the bench.
Having exhibited all the flair and woeful inability to take chances,
this may well be the Black stars only chance to avoid the Zambian or
Ivorian-style tragedies when they played all the game and left the clinical
finishes to Senegal and Cameroon respectively.
The line-up of Ghanaian talents as well as the strategy for the
avoidance of another no-show for the Black Stars is, for the moment, held close
to Osam Duodu’s chest and dear to many Ghanaian hearts, especially the 30 or so
Supporters Group who undertook a two-day journey from Ghana to liven up the
Stars’ training and matches.
The Burkinabe, Ivorian and Senegalese presence are the heaviest felt in
this West African town apart from the Malian. But the feeling is controlled by
Ghana musically. On the day Ghana played and drew with Morocco, the Atlas Lions
were eager to counter the Ghanaian support so they hired a group of Malian
flute blowers and equipped them with Moroccan T-shirts, caps and flags to cheer
them on.
But when they could not resist it, some of them abandoned the Moroccan
flags and secretly joined the rhythms from the Ghanaian drums and horns. The
Moroccan officials were quick to detect it and fired them instantly. The Black
Stars supporters will be on hand again to charge the atmosphere, drum and
trumpet home the only certainty about the game that Ghana cannot afford to
lose.
GRi…/
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Mopti (Mali) 29 January 2002 - The Super Eagles of Nigeria cruised to
the quarterfinal stage of the 23rd African Cup of Nations when they
pipped the Lone Stars of Liberia by a lone goal at the Barema Bogoum Stadium in
Mopti on Monday night.
Julius Aghahowa struck in the 62nd minute to produce the only goal of
the match and push the Nigerians atop group A with seven points, two points ahead
of Mali who also scale through after overwhelming Algeria by two goals to nil
in Bamako.
It was a very tactical game in which the two sides sought openings at
the rear of their opponents but fluffed many scoring chances as they came.
Crayton Louis in the Liberian goal produced an excellent performance as he
denied the Nigerians many clear chances.
The Liberian goalkeeper saved a penalty from Finidi George in the 38th
minute and made mincemeat of thunderous shots from Garba Lawal on two occasions
and
Austin Okocha.
Craytons inspirational goalkeeping gingered his team-mates and they
occasionally confused the Eagles with their attacking options. Sleek playing
Prince Daye tore through the Nigerian defence time and again but caption George
Weah and Frank Seator were defeated in physical battles any time they came face
to face with the Eagles.
Taribi West at the centre of the Nigerian defence was ably supported by
Yobe Joseph and Ifeanyi Udeze to thwart the Liberian attack and ensured that
the Eagles remain in Bamako to play the runners up in Group B, while Mali
travels to the Western tip of their country in Kayes to challenge the winner in
Group B.
Ghana is in Group B with Burkina Faso, Morocco and South Africa and
play their last group matches on Wednesday. If Ghana beats the Burkinabes and
qualifies as runner
up of Group B, the Black Stars will move to Bamako to confront the
Nigerians but if the Moroccans flop against South Africa and Ghana tops the
group, then, the Stars will go to Kayes to play the hosts, Mali.
For the Liberians and the Algerians, it is the end of the road at the
23rd edition of the Nations Cup and probably a befitting testimonial for George
Weah who announced his retirement from international football at the end of the
match.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 26 January 2002- The International Labour Organisation
(ILO) and International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
have launched a campaign in partnership with the Confederation of Africa
Football (CAF) towards the eradication of child labour in Africa.
The campaign, dubbed "Red Card to Child Labour", was intended
to coincide with the Cup of Nations tournament in Mali and would be extend to
the rest of the world from Africa to Latin America, Asia and Europe through the
football game.
A campaign material distributed to the media in Accra on Saturday said
millions of children in Africa are robbed of the chance for education and a
better life. "Virtually all of Africa's child labourers are condemned to
lifelong poverty. It is a blight on Africa's present and a mortgage on Africa's
future," the ILO said.
It said it was in the spirit of inspiration and hope that it had
launched the "Red Card to Child Labour" campaign so that billions of
people in Africa and throughout the world would through the tournament hear the
message that the worst forms of child labour must be eradicated as a matter of
urgency.
It said the campaign also aims to seize the opportunity offered by the
Cup of Nations 2002 to make the public aware of the harsh reality of child
labour and to encourage people to support the global movement against child
labour.
The ILO explained the reason for the partnership with CAF saying,
"many of the football players who have gathered in Mali for the Cup of
Nations tournament have overcome similar circumstances of severe poverty to
become the champions they are today".
It also plans to build partnerships around these events because of the
unique opportunity they offer to reach unprecedented numbers of people
throughout the world with the simple message.
"The ultimate event in this campaign hopefully will be to
celebrate the universal ratification of the convention against the worst forms
of child labour at the World Cup football tournament in 2006."
GRi…/
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Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) says the
expulsion of Ghanaian star Samuel Osei Kuffour from the 2002 Nations Cup in
Mali has not diminished his chances of winning the coveted title of the African
Football of the Year.
CAF inside sources disclosed to Graphic Sports in
Sagou on Thursday that the winner had already been selected and last Tuesday’s
expulsion, which he described as “purely Ghanaian internal matter,” would have
no effect on it.
The source described as mere speculation, French media
reports that the winner is Senegalese international, El-Hadj Ousseynou Diouf
and reiterated that the front runners are Kuffour and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o
Fils. He indicated however, that the winner would not be known to the public
till April when CAF honours him at a banquet in South Africa.
Asked what his reaction would be if the winner turns
out to be Diouf, the official only said he would be most surprised and
explained that Diouf, the professional who plays with Lens of France, is yet to
attain the stature of Africa’s topmost player.
He explained that the 21-year-old Senegalese hit the
international limelight barely three months ago and though a great potential,
his role in his country’s historic qualification for the 2002 World Cup finals
cannot be the only measure.
Narrowing the struggle down to Kuffour and Eto’o the source
said from the 1991 Under-17 World Cup finals in Italy, where he was discovered,
the Ghanaian has built a consistent career and remained a World Class player
through the Under-20 and the Under-23 competitions, crowning it with an Olympic
bronze.
He said as a professional player, the Ghanaian has
consistently been a great influence, particularly on Bayern Munich, one of the
biggest clubs in the World, and the past year has been particularly
outstanding.
He said through the age competitions, Eto has been
equally consistent, reaching the highest point of it all with gold at the 2000
Olympics in Sydney. The Cameroonian, he said, was also profound influence in
his country’s qualification for the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan/Korea.
On the unprecedented spate of expulsions at the
ongoing Nations Cup finals in Mali, he said CAF would make no official
pronouncement on it since they are all internal matters.
He, however, hailed the stand of team officials in
insisting that African players exhibit the same standard of discipline when
playing for their countries as they do when they play for their clubs abroad.
“We don’t say don’t negotiate your bonuses; we don’t
say don’t have any differences. What we say is that negotiate your bonuses at
home but when you come here, play the game according to the rules of your team
and the competition,” he concluded.
So far, four players, including Kuffour and Morocco’s
Ouaddou Abdeslam who plays at Fulham, have been thrown out of the CAN 2002. The
latest to be expelled by his team officials is Shabani Nonda, the
Burundian-born player of Congo DR, all for various acts of indiscipline.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 January 2002 - Former head
coach of the Black Stars, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, has sent a goodwill message
to the team in Segou, Mali, as they gear up for their crunch group B match
against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Thursday.
In a statement copied to the GNA Sports late Tuesday
evening, the coach reminded the playing body that they are going to play
against a powerful enemy who is very strong, dedicated and discipline, but said
that "in spite of all these you can still do it".
"As an old player and having had the opportunity
of coaching most you, I know what you are capable of doing, I have the strong
conviction that you can rise to the occasion in Segou", the coach said.
Coach Attuquayefio, helmsman of Accra Hearts of Oak,
who also took over the reigns of Italian Guiseppe Dosenna as head coach of the
Stars in December 2000 urged the players and their technical handlers to
remember they are always winners.
He said despite the difficulty, he has no doubt in his
mind that they could even surprise all Ghanaians by winning the cup.
GRi…/
Sagou (Mali) 24 January 2002 - Mr Edward Osei Kwaku,
Minister of Youth and Sports on Tuesday, donated 800 dollars to a group of
Ghanaian supporters who arrived at Segou without the chunk of their sponsorship
money.
The supporters who arrived on Monday are being
accommodated in a house, opposite the CAN Village through the benevolence of a
Togolese couple, Julius and Patience Kwami who charge them a meagre 1,000 CFA
per head per night.
Mr Joseph Laangabell, leader of the supporters told
the GNA that his group was able to raise ¢77 million from Accra Brewery
Limited, Vanef/STC, Mid West, GLICO and Fritz Tel to facilitate their journey
to Mali.
He said after they had completed arrangements they
were joined by Mr Abraham Boakye, popularly known as ‘one man supporter’ who
assumed leadership and led them to the Castle, Osu to receive cheques for the
money.
Mr Langabell said after they had cashed the whole
money, Mr Boakye convinced them to visit the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II,
in Kumasi. He said after waiting in Kumasi for three days without seeing the
Asantehene, the group proceeded to Segou after Mr Boakye had given each member
180,000 cedis all totalling 4,320,000 cedis.
Mr Langabell said though ‘One man supporter’ promised
to join them before the Black Stars first match last Monday, he had failed to
show up, a day to the Stars' second match.
He said Mr Boakye has ¢43 million of the group's money
in his custody while they are leaving in abject poverty. We had problems with
feeding and accommodation and now face a bleak future in Segou."
He said under the circumstances, they had no other
option than to approach the Minister who was kind enough to give them 800
dollars to cater for their immediate needs.
Mr Langabell said Mr Boakye paid ¢30 million to the
transport company, which conveyed them to Segou, but the bus has since returned
to Accra even though they have to travel about 500 kilometres to Mopti for the
Stars last group match against the Stallions of Burkina Faso.
He said they are not bothered about the return journey
because they are optimistic the Stars would reach far in the competition. GNA
investigations revealed that, the Minister donated part of the per diem of
sacked Bayern Munich defender Samuel Osei Kuffour who returned his 1,200
dollars voluntarily when he was asked to decamp.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 January 2002 - Even before
the Black Stars face South Africa in their crunch second group B match at the
on-going Africa Cup of Nations in Mali, Hearts of Oak Chief Executive Harry
Zakkour has called on soccer authorities to dispense of the services of the
coach when the team arrived back home.
"The GFA management board should pay him off and
look for a more competent coach to handle the Stars", Zakkour apparently
disappointed after the Ghana-Morocco match, told the GNA sports in Accra on
Wednesday. He said even though he is not a coach, he believes the team would
have performed better if the right selection had been made.
The Chief Executive who has been in football for the
past 33 years wonders how a player like Derek Boateng of Greece team
Panathinaikos and Ishmael Addo of Hearts of Oak fame could not even form part
of the first 18 players.
He questioned how a local player who features
regularly for 90 minutes could be dropped for a foreign-based who hardly plays
for 90 minutes. Mr Zakkour said the coach made a very big mistake right from
Accra where he left out most of his seasoned local players including Ghana's
most valuable player Charles Taylor after months of camping.
He said by the coach's action Kotoko's Board Chairman,
Herbert Mensah, has been vindicated for not allowing his players to join the
Stars on grounds of wrong approach by the GFA and against the backdrop that the
players would end up as "training horses".
"You can not tell me that Alex Techie Mensah who
wasted a 90th minute opportunity is better than Issa Mohammed of Hasaacas or
that some of the defenders the coach fielded were better than Joe Hendricks of
Kotoko", Mr Zakkour said.
The Chief Executive said it was sad that the coach
chose to agitate for a higher salary in Mali, an issue he could have discussed
with the authorities in Accra.
He said much as CAF frowns on government interference
in soccer administration, President J.A. Kofuor, his vice Aliu Mahama and Youth
and Sports Minister, Edward Osei Kweku, who were all one time involved in
soccer, should liase with the GFA to find a last solution to the country's
downward trend in the sport.
On the Stars chances in Thursday's match, he said,
"football is football, you could be the best and yet could be
beaten". The Chief Executive said the Stars could pull a surprise win over
the South Africans who have beaten them twice since 1996.
Asked whether Samuel Kuffour expulsion from the team
could affect the morale of the boys, Mr Zakkour said, "that is why the
authorities should have exercised restraint in their action". He said that
notwithstanding, the Black Stars could still surprise all.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 January 2002 - Samuel Osei
Kuffour, the expelled deputy Skipper of the senior National team, Black Stars
arrived back home from CAN 2002 in Mali on Tuesday and declared that he would
consider his future with the Stars after being humiliated by the team's
authorities.
Kuffour, who plays for German giants, Bayern Munich,
told reporters at the Kotoka International Airport that the charge of
indiscipline levelled against him was untrue. Kuffour was expelled on Monday
from the team by head coach Fred Osam-Duodu for various acts of indiscipline.
Narrating his side of the story, Kuffour said he went
out to phone his wife, to inquire about the health of his baby. On his return
his colleagues told him that the coach wanted to see him.
"It was during the discussion with the coach that
he told me I should leave the camp and return home." He denied all
allegations against him and said whatever he complained of was with the consent
of the entire team and that he was surprised he was singled out.
Kuffour said most of the players complained of the
poor accommodation, food and beds without pillows adding that he wondered why
he was made a scapegoat. "We even have to walk 600 metres to the training
ground. On apparel, I was surprised why Adidas, the kits sponsor of the team,
should leave out the logo of the team from the jersey."
He was, however, hopeful of the chances of the Stars
in their next match against South Africa saying that his departure should not
affect the team negatively. "I hope that my fans will not be disappointed
in me even though they would have wished to see me in action for the
team".
Meanwhile, Ghanaian Soccer fans seem divided over the
sacking of stalwart defender from the senior national team. Some soccer fans
are of the view that the writing was on the wall right from the announcement of
the squad to represent the country, in which most of his compatriots were left
out, that Kuffour was not conditioned for the tournament. He had earlier
downplayed the team's ability to perform creditably.
A number of football fans are also of the view that
Kuffour was being made the scapegoat for the inadequacies of the team already
known to the officials of which he justifiably complained about. The GFA,
according to the fans, were only passing the buck.
GRi…/
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Bamako (Mali) 23 January 2002 - A miserly goal-count
at the African Nations Cup has left coaches and players scratching their heads and
wondering whether football on the continent is starting to shed its reputation
for naivety. The steady flow of goals usually seen in the Nations Cup has been
reduced to a trickle thus far, with the first round of eight group matches
yielding a meagre total of five goals.
Compared with previous Nations Cups, that represents a
steep drop-off. In the 2000 tournament 21 goals were scored in the first eight
games, an average of 2.62 per match, while at the same stage of the 1998
competition 18 goals had been netted. So is the age of African football drawing
to a close, or is Mali 2002 just a freak one-off?
Zambia coach Roald Poulsen was left in no doubt as the
tournament paused for a rest day on Tuesday. “I have to be a bit careful what I
say, but I think that naïve African football is over,” said the Dane, whose
team held World Cup qualifiers, Tunisia to a 0-0 draw in Group D last Monday.
“Most of the teams have footballers from Europe who
are used to being well organised and are used to the demands. So subtle areas
like defensive positioning will of course see an improvement. “So far I haven’t
seen any naïve football and that’s understandable isn’t it? In a tournament
like this only one thing counts and that’s the result – you can’t win if you
entertain but lose 5-0.”
“Having said that, I don’t think the teams are setting
out to play negative or defensive football. Many of the matches which have
ended 0-0 have had a lot of scoring chances,” Poulsen told AFP.
The Zambian coach’s words were echoed by his Nigerian
counterpart, Shaibu Amodu. Amadu’s Super Eagles are one of the few teams to
have got on the score-sheet so far, recording a single-goal victory against
Algeria in Group A last Monday.
“What you are seeing is African players playing with a
European or westernised mindset,” Amodu said. “Tactically, they are playing a
very disciplined sort of football – keeping it tight, playing close, not giving
much away.”
Amodu however, also blamed a lack of adequate
preparation for the slow start to the tournament. “I think as the competition
continues and the best teams get stronger and other teams get weaker you will
see games start to open up more.”
Nigeria’s experienced centre-half Taribo West whose
defensive skills have been honed during spells in Serie A, the English
Premiership and the Bundesliga said the past decade had seen a steady
improvement.
GRi…/
Segou (Mali) 22 January 2002 - Ghana's Black Stars
started their campaign at the 23rd African Cup of Nations at the
Amary Daou Stadium with a barren draw against the Atlas Lions of Morocco.
The Stars had the best chance of the game on the 90th
minute when Alex Techie Mensah sneaked through the Moroccan off side trap and
came face to face with the goalkeeper but shot wide.
Though the Ghanaians appeared to have more possession,
it was the Moroccans who brought out the best of Ghana’s goalie Sammy Adjei as
he had to pull out a couple of dramatic saves to save his side.
In the 24th minute Adjei was alert enough to stop a
point-blank shot from Zarouali Hicham while the Black Stars barely survived
when the Moroccans caught them on the counter on three occasions during the
last ten minutes of the first half.
Michael Essien, Emmanuel Duah, Baffour Djan and Isaac
Boakye all took turns to shoot over the bar in desperation, denying the Moroccan
goalkeeper Roumani Akran a real taste of the action
Princeton Owusu Ansah who was playing at an unusual
left back position was visibly uncomfortable and coach Osam Duodu pulled him
out for George Blay in the 51st minute.
Soon after the substitution, Safri Youssef powered a
header into the hands of Sammy Adjei who pumped the ball upfront, creating a
chance for Boakye. But the striker failed to connect.
The Stars tried on many occasions but could not
provide the final pass that would have wrecked the Moroccans as Nurudeen Naybet
and Fahmi Abdellah remained attentive and blocked the opening at the rear.
In the 76th minute Samuel Osei Kuffour set the stadium
agog with a superlative performance when he thwarted a Moroccan counter attack
and turned two attackers inside out before clearing his line. In the last seven
minutes there was a catalogue of misses by the Ghanaians as Duah shot wide and
Techie Mensah froze at the best opportunity of the match.
Coach Osam Duodu attributed the draw to the slow pace
of the Stars build up and promised to address it before the next match. He said
there were many wasted chances because his boys lost concentration while in the
box of their opponents.
He assured Ghanaians that the Stars would survive the
group stage and enter the quarterfinals. “The group is wide open as everybody
is on one point. We are just starting and I believe the best is yet to come
from my team,” the coach added.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 22 January 2002 - Accra, the
commercial capital of the country went dead after Monday's barren 0-0 match
between the youthful Black Stars and the Atlas Lions of Morocco in their group
B match played in the Malian city of Segou.
Few patches of enthusiastic soccer fans gathered in
front of their houses and workers joined in the debate at lorry stations on the
performance of the inexperienced Black Stars.
The Stars, mostly graduates of the last under-20 World
Youth Championship lacked the killing instinct when it mattered most and this
was manifested on the stroke of full time when substitute Techie Mensah fired off
target with only the Moroccan goalkeeper to beat.
A cross-section of Ghanaians later in the evening
during a TV sports programme called for the inclusion of Ghana's goalking
Ishmael Addo and his Hearts of Oak's team-mate Emmanuel Osei Kuffour in their
next match against South Africa on Thursday.
A lot more fans were not bothered, for they had
predicted, even before the tournament started in Mali, that the right calibre
of players had not been called to camp. Kwame Nsiah, a second year student of
the University of Ghana said Ghanaians must stop blaming the boys for their
lacklustre performance, "they were only reproducing what they had
rehearsed".
A group of young men at Banana Inn, in Accra, gathered
in front of a newspaper vendor to debate the match. They lampooned the veteran
coach Fred Osam Duodu for his match strategy and selection.
They were of the view that if players like Dereck
Boateng, Ishmael Addo and Osei Kuffour had been part of Monday's game, they
could have converted at least one of the numerous chances that were squandered.
The BBC on Tuesday morning, described the
Ghana-Morocco match as the worst in the four-day old tournament scheduled to
end in February 10 and tipped minnows Burkina Faso and South Africa to qualify
from the group.
GNA has also gathered that most Ghanaians are no
longer enthused about the Black Stars against the backdrop that the team was
being groomed for the 2006 World Cup.
CAF said last Thursday it would use the Cup of Nations
to select Africa’s candidates that would represent Africa in the World Cup,
beginning in 2006. Ghana-South Africa second group match is schedule to kick
off at 1600 GMT on Thursday.
GRi…/
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Segou (Mali) 22 January 2002 - Hours after helping his
side to a pulsating goalless drawn game with Morocco, Ghana’s brightest spot,
Sammy Kuffour received the sack from the Cup of Nations tournament when he was
asked to pack bag and baggage home for what Ghanaian officials termed as
indiscipline.
Reports trickling in from the games village, monitored
on radio, indicate that Kuffour left Sagou on Tuesday morning accompanied by
the Black Stars welfare officer, Kojo Fianoo, to Bamako enroute to Ghana.
Kuffour allegedly has been flouting rules in camp and
had shown great disrespect to the Ghana’s Sports Minister, Mr Edward Osei
Kwaku, which was bad example to the younger players.
GRi…/
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Segou (Mali) 22 January 2002 - Players of the senior national
team, the Black Stars, were in no mood for a serious game hours before they
took to the field against Morocco.
Sources revealed that there were serious disputes
raging in the Stars’ camp among players over room allocation. As at last
Sunday, the weary officials, were struggling to resolve the problems.
A member of the South African delegation staying
opposite the Black Stars’ village said they were stunned to see younger players
having heated argument with Coach Fred Osam Duodu.
Significantly, the row erupted when the players had
kitted themselves hoarse and refused to be calm. Osam Duodu could not control
the situation and the players rudely abandoned the training.
The training programme was subsequently cancelled and
shortly afterwards, they were seen in ordinary clothing. Rather strangely,
Coach Osam Duodu was seen telling journalists who quizzed him over the reported
row that the cancellation of the training was to give his players enough rest
for Monday’s game. He refused to comment on the incident.
Observers believe that the whole psyche of the team
had been wrecked which affected the game of the Stars.
GRi…/
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Sports Minister arrives in Segoe ahead of Stars
match
Segou (Mali) 21 January 2002 - Mr Edward Osei Kwako,
Minister of Youth and Sports arrived in Segou on Sunday to cheer up the Black
Stars who play their opening match against Morocco on Monday.
He was met on arrival by the technical team led by Mr
Osam Duodu, Black Stars headcoach and Mr Kojo Quarshie, co-ordinator of the
Black Stars Management Committee.
Mr Osei Kwaku plunged into business with the technical
and management teams soon on arrival and had discussions with them. He said a
set of off field kits should be purchased for the Stars for the meantime while
they await a delivery from Adidas.
Adidas had delivered playing kits to the Stars without
their off field kits.
Reacting to the situation, Mr Quarshie said that the
off field kits which include T-shirts, slippers, caps and training shoes would
further boost the morale of the boys for them to match up with their colleagues
who are dressed in uniforms on and off the pitch.
On the preparedness of the team, Mr Duodu said there
is great commitment and determination in camp and that the boys are confident
of victory.
He said training has been approached with absolute
commitment, resulting in players taking knocks here and there. He has therefore
declared Sunday a day of rest to enable them relax their minds towards Monday's
match. The teams in Segou are accommodated in the 'village Cocah' a games
village meant for the tournament.
GRi…/
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Bafana draws with Stallions in Group B opening
match
Segou (Mali) 21 January 2002 - Hostilities in Group B
of the 23rd African Cup of Nations opened at the Amary Daou Stadium in Segou on
Sunday when the Stallions of Burkina Faso and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa
sold a classic match to over
25,000 spectators, which however failed to produce any
goals.
The South Africans dominated the early part of the
game as Quinton Fortune, Benny McCarthy and Delron Buckly strung passes and
surged forward on many occasions but were halted by a sturdy Burkinabe defence
anchored by superlative goalkeeping of Sawadogo Yousfou.
South captain Shaun Bartlett took an early knock and
was substituted in the 11th minute by Bradley August who produced a fantastic
form to justify his introduction.
The youthful Burkinabe players relied on swift counter
attacks which nearly gave them a first half lead when a move initiated by
Pananteguiri Saidu Mady caught the South African rear line made of Mbulelo Old
John, Bradley Carnel and Pierrre Issa flat footed and exposed Johannes Vonk in
goal.
Predating Traore Amadu and and Dagano Beli Moumouni
failed to connect and allowed the best chance of the match to slip from their
feet. With three minutes to the end of the first half the Bafana Bafana had a
half chance and Fortune riffled a left footer which connected the side netting.
The Burkinabe who had thousands of their nationals at
the stadium rooting for them came into the second half more determined and
worked themselves into shooting range on many occasions but they never pressed
the trigger on target. New entrant Sanou Wilfred produced some excellent
footwork at the right flank despite the vigilance of South African wingback
Carnel.
With time running out and both sides looking for an
opportunity to break the deadlock, action swung from one end of the field to the
other. The tackles became crunchier but none of the side could register a goal
until Senegalese referee Ndoye Fall blew off the match after three minutes of
added time during a tense goalmouth action in the Burkinabe half.
The South Africans however rushed on him and one of
them hurled the ball at him for a reason that was not immediately clear. By
this result South Africa and Burkina Faso are on one point each.
In other matches Mali drew 1-1 with Liberia in the
opening game, while Senegal picked the first victory of the tournament beating
favourites Egypt 1-0. Cameroon also posted a similar victory over Congo DR with
a 25-yarder canon from Patrick Mboma midway in the first half.
GRi…/