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Our rebuilding process will benefit from the Japan match, says Black Queens midfielder Grace Asantewaa

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Grace Asantewaa
Grace Asantewaa

Grace Asantewaa, a midfielder for the Black Queens, thinks that the squad’s rebuilding efforts will be greatly aided by playing against Japan, a highly regarded women’s national team after the team nearly missed out on qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Asantewaa, who currently plays for FC Juarez in the Mexican Women’s Premier League after formerly playing for Ampem Darkoa Ladies, commended the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for setting up the well-known friendly encounter.

On Monday, July 8, Asantewaa travelled to Japan with her colleagues and chatted with Black Queens Media after their first training session in Kanazawa.

“This game will help in our rebuilding process and elevate us to a higher level. Japan is ranked 7th in the world and has qualified for the Olympics, which shows they are a great team.
“I believe the game will be a good exercise for me as an individual and for us collectively as a team.
“We are thankful to the GFA; the journey to Japan has been smooth, and our first training session here was very successful. We are happy with the culture here and ready for match day,” said the pivotal midfielder.

The game is scheduled for Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the Go Go Kanazawa Stadium in Kanazawa.

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Roberto Firmino was ordained as pastor

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Roberto Firmino
Roberto Firmino

Roberto Firmino, a football player from Brazil, was consecrated as an evangelical pastor three years after he and his church partner created it.

Together with his spouse Larissa Pereira and the pastors Jairo Fernandes and Keila Medeiros, the former forward for Liverpool created the Manah Church in his hometown of Maceio.

Firmino uploaded pictures of himself and his spouse receiving their church pastorates in an Instagram post.

What a memorable and unforgettable night. This church was BORN in the heart of God and we are extremely grateful for the privilege of witnessing up close all that the Lord has done,” he wrote.

“Since our encounter with Christ, a longing burns in our hearts… Let people know this love that has reached us. Now we have another craving and responsibility… Be Pastors after God’s heart and who cooperate with the Kingdom.”

He added: “Today we are totally flabbergasted when we see the size of God’s mercy upon us. He really picks the unlikely! Thank You Jesus. Thank you Pr Jairo and Pr Keila for pushing us and believing in us.”

Firmino spent eight years at Liverpool, where he helped the Reds to win every trophy, including the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

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Ghana Sports

St Johnstone coach Craig Levein hails versatility of new signing Aaron Essel

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Aaron Essel
St Johnstone coach Craig Levein hails versatility of new signing Aaron Essel

The manager of St Johnstone, a team in the Scottish Premiership, Craig Levein, is thrilled that versatile Ghanaian footballer Aaron Essel has been signed.

The teenage phenom impressed the Saints during his trial and signed a three-year contract. In a preseason friendly versus Aarboth, Essel performed admirably.

The 18-year-old, in manager Leveine’s opinion, will be a good match for the team.

Aaron is a young lad who has potential and he has a lot of the required skillsets to be a good player. He trained with us for about 10 days towards the end of last season and did really well,” he said.
“As we saw on Saturday against Arbroath, he can play in centre midfield. But he can also play full-back and at centre-back. We will see what time brings but he has impressed with his all-round ability.”

“I am so happy to sign here. It is a great step for me in my career and to develop,” said Essel after completing his move.

“I am very proud and getting the chance to be here is a blessing. I want to show my qualities on the field – my tackles, my passing. I just want to develop to become a key player of the club.

“The staff, players and manager have been amazing. The people here have been so amazing with welcoming me. I love it and I am looking to do my best.”

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Football World

16-year-old Lamine Yamal breaks more records at Euro 2024

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Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal

The 16-year-old Lamine Yamal kept up his impressive performance at his first European Championships as Spain defeated the hosts Germany 2-1 in Stuttgart to advance to the competition’s semi-finals.

Lamine Yamal, 16, made a second start on the right side for La Roja. The teenage star broke the record by playing in the quarterfinal of the Euros, becoming the youngest football player in history to do so.

The teenager gave the game a vibrant start, challenging the German defense every time and helping Spain generate opportunities.

By doing this, Yamal made history by being the first adolescent to generate more than 12 opportunities in a single European Championship competition.

Not content to stop there, the La Masia wonderkid was a major contributor to Spain’s first goal in the 51st minute when he set up Dani Olmo.

With that, Yamal has now tallied the most assists of any player in the competition with three at the UEFA Euro 2024.

In addition, he made history by being the first adolescent to ever record three or more assists at a single World Cup or European Championship.

In the sixty-third minute, Yamal exited the field to make room for his Barcelona colleague Ferran Torres, he dazzled the opposition with his cunning and wizardry on the field.

The 16-year-old had 32 touches, created three opportunities, and ended with two shots on goal (one on target) and an assist during his time on the field. Tenduels were also won by Yamal.

Yamal was identified by Germany midfielder Toni Kroos as one of the most dangerous players on the Spain team coming into the match, and the young player lived up to the hype.

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Ghana Sports

Adam Kwarasey, a former goalkeeper for the Black Stars, lays his father to rest in Ghana

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Adam Kwarasey
Adam Kwarasey

Adam Kwarasey, a former goalie for Ghana, is saying goodbye to his father, Jerry Franklin Kwarasey, who passed away at the age of 66.

On Saturday, July 6, 2024, at St. Bakhita Catholic Church in Tema, the last funeral rituals will be performed. The burial will thereafter take place at Lashibi Funeral Homes.

Additionally, St. Michael’s Garrison Catholic Church in Accra will host a Thanksgiving ceremony.

Born in Norway, Kwarasey decided to play for Ghana, and from 2011 to 2016, he made 24 appearances for the Black Stars.

He began Ghana’s opening World Cup match against the United States and was the team’s first pick in the 2012 AFCON.

Despite his consideration, Fatau Dauda was appointed goalkeepers’ trainer for the national squad last year.

After meeting with Kennedy Agyepong, the academy’s owner, in Norway, Kwarasey is currently in negotiations to become Kenpong Football Academy’s foreign relations manager.

The former goalkeeper will be accompanied by family, friends, and former teammates to pay their respects during the funeral service, which will be a celebration of Jerry Franklin Kwarasey’s life.

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Sudan FA: Kwesi Appiah’s professionalism will be put to the test when they play Ghana

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Kwesi Appiah
Kwesi Appiah

Kwesi Appiah will put his professionalism to the test in the next 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against the Black Stars, according to Badreldin Ibrahim, the Legal and Regulatory Officer of the Sudanese Football Federation.

Ghana will play in the qualifications against Sudan, Angola, and Niger in Group F. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Morocco-hosted competition.

Discussions concerning possible conflicts of interest have arisen since Sudan’s national team is now led by former Black Stars player and coach Kwesi Appiah. In addition, he serves as a member of the Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council (GFA).

While acknowledging the particular circumstances, Badreldin Ibrahim told Angel TV he was confident in Appiah’s capacity to handle it professionally.

“The conflict is there, but it is a unique and emotionally charged situation for Kwesi Appiah,” Ibrahim said. “Playing against Ghana in the AFCON qualifiers is a test of Coach Kwasi Appiah’s professionalism and his commitment to the Sudanese Football Federation.”

He added, “He has very good experience that he can bring to the table, which can be advantageous for us, but it will be proven when we see the results and performance. But the conflict is there.”

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Football World

What Spain’s supporters did when Toni Kroos made his final exit from the field is going viral.

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Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos

Following his last game as a professional football player on Friday, Spanish supporters showed their gratitude for Toni Kroos.

On Friday night, Toni Kroos announced the end of his 17-year professional football career when Spain eliminated the hosts Germany from the 2024 European Championship.

Even though Germany rallied from a 1-0 hole with a goal in the last seconds of regulation time, their night at the Euros ended in tragedy as Spain’s winner in the 119th minute eliminated them.

After winning the Champions League final with Real Madrid to end his professional career, Kroos played his farewell football game one month after Germany was eliminated from the tournament.

And even though their club was the one to end the German midfielder’s career, the Spanish supporters’ reverent response to Kroos was amazing.

Instead of bragging, as journalist Florian Plettenburg of Sky Sports captured on camera, the Spanish supporters cheered and sang along to Kroos when he came over to them to express his gratitude.

Naturally, many of the Spanish supporters will be well acquainted with the legendary midfielder at the Bernabeu, having spent ten years with the La Liga champions Madrid, and will have been anxious to express their gratitude for all that he has done for the team.

With Real Madrid, the 37-year-old amassed an amazing 23 major triumphs, including six Champions League crowns and four La Liga crowns.

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Despite Ghana’s challenge, Sudan’s coach Kwesi Appiah explains his plan to qualify for AFCON 2025.

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Kwesi Appiah
Kwesi Appiah

In order for his team, Sudan, and their opponents, Ghana, to get to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), head coach Kwesi Appiah has stressed the value of meticulous preparation.

Group F for the qualifications, which took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, included Ghana, Sudan, Angola, and Niger. Former Black Stars coach Appiah, who is currently in charge of Sudan, emphasized that in contemporary football, no team should be taken lightly.

“I’ve always said there are no minnows in football now,” Appiah told 3Sports. “It is really important that any team you meet, you prepare very well and make sure you have the right team to try and win the day.”

Determined to guide Sudan to a successful qualifying, Appiah counseled Ghana to go cautiously and with due diligence, even though they would be playing teams that may not have a great footballing tradition. He thinks that in order for both teams to succeed, this strategy is essential.

“Personally, I also think and hope Ghana and Sudan qualify in that group. For now, I think that is what I can say and I wish both teams the best,” he added.

With two sides predicted to advance from each group, Appiah is upbeat about Ghana’s and Sudan’s chances. The former Black Stars coach is well-aware of the difficulties of the competition. He guided Ghana to the 2019 AFCON, where they were defeated by Tunisia in the round of 16.

In the competition, which will take place in Morocco, Sudan hopes to make their tenth AFCON appearance, while Ghana hopes to make their 25th.

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How Samuel Eto’o Escaped Match-Fixing Charges

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Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o

The Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) president Samuel Eto’o has been found guilty by the CAF Disciplinary Board.

Samuel Eto’o faced accusations of ethical transgressions including match-fixing. The board concluded that there was not enough evidence to find Eto’o and Valentin Nkwain guilty of manipulating matches after carefully reviewing the available data.

Eto’o was found guilty, nevertheless, of going against CAF’s moral standards for accepting cash to serve as a brand ambassador for 1XBET.

A fine of $200,000 was imposed for this breach of CAF Statutes, Article 2, paragraph 3.

The ruling demonstrates CAF’s dedication to maintaining moral principles in African sport.

Even if Eto’o avoided harsher penalties, the fine should serve as a caution to stakeholders and football officials.

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Football World

Malik Pimpong: The Danish U17 squad includes the son of former Ghanaian striker Razak Pimpong.

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Malik Pimpong: The Danish U17 squad includes the son of former Ghanaian striker Razak Pimpong.
Malik Pimpong: The Danish U17 squad includes the son of former Ghanaian striker Razak Pimpong.

Malik Pimpong, the son of former Ghanaian striker Razak Pimpong, has gained a berth in Denmark’s U17 team, carrying on his father’s legacy.

The 16-year-old has been selected for the team in anticipation of the 2024 Nordic competition.

One of the most promising players in the Danish youth championships, Malik is currently a part of the FC Midtjylland youth team. In his rapidly developing career, being named to the national squad for the Internordic competition represents a major turning point.

The Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—contest amiably in the Internordic tournament. Malik is well-positioned to take advantage of this chance to establish himself on the global scene.

On August 1, Denmark’s Nordic campaign will begin with a match against Finland U17. Two days later, they will play Norway. Denmark will play Sweden in the tournament final on August 8.

Razak Pimpong, Malik’s father, had an illustrious career, playing as a striker and attacking midfielder for clubs such as FC Midtjylland, FC Copenhagen, and Viborg FF.

He could play as a winger or a right-sided midfielder because of his versatility. Razak also played for Ghana in the World Cup of 2006, which was the country’s first-ever participation in the competition. He only made ten appearances and scored one goal for the national team despite his versatility.

Malik aspires to surpass his father’s accomplishments in football, having previously played international football at a young age.

Malik Pimpong is still qualified to play for the Black Stars even if he is representing Denmark; this could allow him to carry on his father’s international history.

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