Ghana’s Youth and Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, has officially requested the Office of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to consider the utilization of the $9 million earned from the country’s participation in the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar.
The Minister aims to establish a “precedent” for determining how these funds should be allocated, with a focus on funding preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2023 and rehabilitating sports infrastructure at Prampram.
Mustapha Ussif highlighted the need for executive approval from President Akufo-Addo before proceeding with the planned allocation.
During a press conference, he expressed the ministry’s intentions, stating, “We are just about going to AFCON. We also want to develop some sports infrastructure.
“The FA has written that they want to improve the infrastructure at Prampram. It’s something we need to get executive approval for.”
To ensure transparency and accountability in the use of the funds, the ministry is seeking the necessary approvals from higher authorities before announcing their decisions to the public.
The main objective is to invest in sports development and infrastructure to enhance the performance of the national teams on the international stage.
Despite an early exit from the 2022 World Cup, where the Black Stars faced tough competition in a challenging group, the country remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing footballing potential and improving sports facilities for future success.
The renowned Argentine superstar is poised to make his acting debut, indicating his interest in the world of entertainment.
Having achieved immense success in football, including four UEFA Champions League titles and seven Ballon d’Or awards, the 35-year-old has left an indelible mark on the sport.
Reports from Sportskeeda suggest that Messi will be appearing in the second season of the popular Argentine TV series ‘Los Protectores.’
The show revolves around the struggles of three football agents who have faced financial ruin and are in desperate need of money.
This acting opportunity allows Messi to explore his talents beyond the realm of football.
The second season of ‘Los Protectores’ will premiere on June 25 and features Adrian Suar, Andres Parra, Gustavo Bermudez and Lionel Messi as the star actors in the TV series.
Messi, who guided Argentina to the2022 FIFA World Cup trophy, is yet to disclose his next football club with his current deal with Paris Saint-Germain set to expire this summer.
Messi to Chelsea transfer gains momentum
Meanwhile, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has been given a last-gasp chance to sign Lionel Messi for the struggling Premier League club this summer.
Despite offers from all over the world, Messi wants to stay in Europe and win the Champions League again and the Blues will try to convince the 35-year-old to make the switch to Stamford Bridge.
While Chelsea will not be in the Champions League next season, owner Boehly will not be shy about splashing the cash, and a goal scorer is at the top of his wish list.
Messi meets with Barcelona captains
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Barcelona players got a break from training last week following their La Liga Santander title triumph against RCD Espanyol and the subsequent bus parade.
Though two are set to depart, the three club captains,Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, and Jordi Alba travelled to Paris, where they met with former teammate Lionel Messi.
The three Barcelona veterans met with their former teammate over dinner in Paris last week and many things, including their club futures, were discussed.
The Ghana Football Association has reportedly given new Black Stars coach Chris Hughton a three-year contract, according to reports in the local media.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion manager replaced Coach Otto Addo, who resigned from the position after Ghana was eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the Group Stage.
The Black Stars have had Mr. Hughton as their technical advisor for the last 12 months.
Assistant coaches Mas-Ud Didi Dramani and George Boateng will help Chris Hughton.
The technical staff for the World Cup in Qatar included the three coaches.
According to the report, Ghana’s qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations competition has been given to Chris Hughton.
Chris Hughton will be unveiled in Kumasi ahead of Ghana’s game against Angola. His unveiling delayed due to the deathof Chris Hughton’s father.
Ghanaian international football player, Andrew Dede Ayew, has received criticism once more for missing a penalty.
When Nottingham Forest faced Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, losing 3-1 on aggregate, the Black Stars captain was given the chance to save his team in the final seconds.
The 33-year-old striker, however, blew the chance to increase his team’s goal total and reduce the goal difference.
The striker for Nottingham Forest was reliving his terrifying World Cup 2022 experience.
The Black Stars forward lost a penalty at the crucial stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup when Ghana clashed with Uruguay in the last group-stage match of the competition.
It was an opportunity presented to the Black Stars and Ghanaians who were looking forward to seeking revenge against their South American rivals.
Uruguay in 2010 denied Ghana victory on her way to making history in South Africa.
On Twitter, many football fans have expressed displeasure with his latest penalty miss with most comments suggesting the sun may have set on the football career of the Black Star skipper.
Dede Ayew is a curse or what? 😂how can you be missing penalties like you don’t have bones in your legs pic.twitter.com/eQ7Bpd3daP
This thing erh Dede Ayew and Jordan want to do some but the time they wi score a goal then ebi Atsu ein 1 year celebration 😂 pic.twitter.com/WxwP8PPafz
All of the Argentina players and staff who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will receive an impressive 35 gold-plated iPhone 14s as gifts from Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi. The brilliant number 10 led his nation to its third world championship, scoring seven goals, including two in that legendary final match against France.
The 35-year-old wants to thank his teammates for helping him realise a long-held dream because their support has helped him earn individual accolades that have helped him solidify his place among the pantheon of greats and garner praise as the GOAT.
How Messi rewarded his teammates
To recognise his teammates’ role in winning the World Cup after five attempts, Messi has teamed up with iDesign Gold to treat all his teammates and Argentina’s coaching staff to 24-carat Apple devices, per Roy Nemer.
According to a report by the Sun, the luxurious gifts have reportedly been successfully delivered to the French capital for distribution. Messi acknowledges his Argentina teammates After Messi was bestowed with the honour of being the best player in the world following a landmark year, he thanked his teammates at the awards ceremony.
“It’s amazing. It’s been a tremendous year, and it’s an honour for me to be here and win this award. Without my teammates, I wouldn’t be here,” he said via the BBC. “I achieved the dream I had been hoping for so long. Very few people can achieve that, and I have been lucky to do so.”
Messi named world’s best player
Sports Brief previously reported on Messi being announced the best player of 2022 at FIFA’s The Best Awards held in Paris on February 27. The legendary Argentine forward beat his PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid star, Karim Benzema, to win the top award. Messi led the South American nation to a third World Cup title in Qatar, capping off his tournament with a brace in the Mundial final.
Veteran football administrator, Alhaji Grusah has advised Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif to stop begging Qatar for one of the dismantled Stadia.
At the end of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar is disassembling some of its stadia and will gift them to selected countries free of charge.
The information gathered is that Ghana through Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif is in talks with Qatar authorities to be considered for one of the stadia.
Speaking to Akoma FM in an interview on Thursday, Alhaji Grusah indicated that he is not in support of the idea.
“I will advise the Sports Minister not to appeal to the Qatar government for any stadium because we cannot maintain it,” the King Faisal owner argued.
Alhaji Grusah added, “We can’t even maintain it should they agree to hand over the stadium to us unless the Qatari government agrees to maintain it for us.
“We just can’t do it, the flow of water at our washrooms at various stadia is not working, and becomes difficult if not impossible to visit the washrooms when you go to the Stadium and this is because we lack maintenance culture in this country.”
Meanwhile, Alhaji Grusah has confirmed that each member of the Black Stars management committee received a whopping $100,000 as an appearance fee at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana striker Antoine Semenyo was in action for Bristol City in their 2-0 defeat to lose to West Bromwich Albion in the English Championship.
Semeny climbed off the bench in the 79th minute to replace Alex Jay Scott but could not help his side snatch a point at Ashton Gate.
West Brom took the lead through Matt Phillips who was sent clear down the left to fire in a ninth-minute opener.
Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante then came off the bench to score the second with a sublime left-foot chip on the run, just 11 minutes after coming on for Daryl Dike.
It was a first defeat in four games for former Albion assistant manager Nigel Pearson’s City, who now lie 18th in the Championship – five points behind the Baggies.
Semenyo represented Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as the Black Stars exited the group stage after finishing bottom of their group.
He has made 21 appearances, scored four goals and provided one assist for Bristol City this season.
Uruguay are likely to be banned for six months by FIFA after clashing with FIFA officials in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The South Americans defeated Ghana 2-0 in their last group game but it was not enough as both teams exited the group stage of the competition.
After the game, players from the Uruguay camp hounded the official, making their feelings known about what they thought of the decision following a decision to ignore a penalty appeal by referee Daniel Siebert, after a challenge on Cavani in the penalty box.
Jose Gimenez and Edinson Cavani were the most vocal with their heavy complaints to the officials.
An angry Cavani destroyed a Video Assistant Referee screen after the match at Al Janoub.
Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and defender Deigo Godin were also heavily involved.
Article 12 relates to the “Improper conduct of players and officials”. This means that they would potentially be banned from playing for Uruguay.
Ghana international, Joseph Paintsil has opened up on what Coach Otto Addo shockingly told him after excluding him from the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad of the Black Stars.
According to him, after his unfair axing from the final 26-man squad of Ghana, coach Otto Addo told him that football is not all about goals and assists/
“His [Otto Addo’s] decision was unfair. He gave me no valid reason to explain my absence. I told him the same thing during a phone conversation,” the KRC Genk attacker told Belang van Limburg.
Joseph Paintsil added, “He told me that there were players ahead of me in the hierarchy. Among them, there were guys who, like me, play in the Jupiler Pro League.
“They didn’t have couldn’t present the same stats, but Addo said football isn’t all about goals and assists.”
With the World Cup now over, Joseph Paintsil is fully focused on club football and hopes the next Ghana head coach will give him the chance to return to the Black Stars for the next national team assignment.
Sports Minster Mustapha Ussif has disclosed that Black Stars players did not receive any winning bonuses despite beating South Korea at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ghana secured a 3-2 win over the Asian country after taking a 2-0 lead and pegged back at the start of the second half.
The West African country finished bottom of Group H with three points after losing to Portugal and Uruguay, having beaten South Korea in between.
“Mr Speaker, the reason for the surplus of over $3m, after our exit at the group stage, is as a result of the Ministry’s prudent management of resources, as well as the Ministry’s decision to negotiate a qualification bonus to the next round, instead of paying winning bonus per match,” he said at the Floor of Parliament.
“What this means is that inspite of the Black Stars defeating South Korea 3:2 in our second group match, we did not pay winning bonuses for that win. However, we would have paid a qualification bonus to the team had they been able to progress from the group to the next stage of the World Cup, regardless of the results of our group matches.
“Mr Speaker, this measure we have adopted is aimed at motivating the team to go all out and progress from one stage of competitions to the other, and also ensure prudent management of resources.
“Even though we would have been very happy for the Black Stars to progress for us to pay the qualification bonus, this measure has also saved the nation some money, which will go back to our continuous sports development,” he stated.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana has announced his retirement from the Cameroon national team, a couple of weeks after falling out with coach Rigobert Song.
WHAT HAPPENED: Onana fell out with Cameroon coach Rigobert Song during the World Cup in Qatar. The shot-stopper was sent home with Song saying he was forced to take the decision owing to a disciplinary breach by the Inter Milan custodian.
Onana played in the 1-0 loss against Switzerland with Devis Epassy playing in a 3-3 draw against Serbia and in the famous 1-0 win over Brazil.
The former Ajax keeper was unhappy with what transpired in Qatar and went on to allege he was misunderstood. Onana has now said his journey with the Indomitable Lions is over but will continue supporting the national team.
WHAT HE SAID: “Every story, however beautiful it may be, always has its end. And my story with the Cameroon national team has reached this point. Players come and go, but Cameroon always comes before any person or player,” Onana said in a statement.
“Cameroon will always remain the same as my love for the national team shirt and for our people who have always supported us regardless of the difficulties.
“My feelings have not changed. My Cameroonian heart will keep beating and wherever it goes it will fight to always raise the flag of Cameroon as high as possible.
“I will continue to support Cameroon as a fan, just like 27 million Cameroonians do at every game. I can only thank all those who trusted me and believed that I could contribute to the team.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Onana went through the Cameroon youth set-up having started his career at the Samuel Eto’o Academy.
He was in the Cameroon squad that played France in a friendly match in May 2016 but his debut came four months later in a 2-1 international friendly match win over Gabon.
The 26-year-old was part of the 2021 Cameroon squad that finished third in the Africa Cup of Nations after beating Burkina Faso in the bronze medal match.
He was expected to play a vital role for Cameroon at the Word Cup but fell out with head coach Song.
WHAT NEXT: At just 26 years of age, Onana has significant time left in his playing career. He will be focusing on his club duties but might change his mind and come out of retirement if Cameroon change the coach as seen with other players like Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech.
There will be no Live Coverage of the Ghana Premier League biggest match of the week between Karela United and Medeama at Aiyinase on Wednesday.
Premier League television right holders StarTimes will not telecast the most anticipated match in the wake of the return of the country’s top-flight after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
This is remarkably shocking given that the Western derby is the biggest fixture of the week in the Ghana Premier League.
Cash-strapped Karela United host neighbours Medeama in an explosive Western derby on the return of the Ghana Premier League on Wednesday.
The Aiyinase-based has been purchased by top Ghanaian politician Haruna Iddrisu.
The Minority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament and representative for Tamale South Constituency, who owns Division One League side Steadfast FC, has secured the top-flight status of the Nzema-Aiyinase-based side.
Ghana’s leading football website, www.ghanasoccernet.com, understands the deal was stitched up even before the 2022 FIFA World Cup break.
It is expected that the new owners will relocate the club to the Northern part of Ghana and continue playing in the Ghana top-flight.
But it is unknown if the change of name will happen anytime soon or until the end of the season.
But coach Bismark Kobi Mensah’s charges must put the boardroom drama behind them when they host the rejuvenated Mauve and Yellows.
Karela United have lost once at home since last season – a 1-0 loss to King Faisal 1-0 on Matchday 7.
Medeama SC are unbeaten in their last two games, drawing one against Gold Stars 0-0 and winning against Kotoku Royals 1-0.
The stakes are always high for these two protagonist in the Western derby with fans expected to be served with another riveting game at the Crossby Awuah Memorial Park.
After eight rounds of matches, Karela United are 14th on the table with 10 points from the available 24.
Karela United have faced financial difficulties since the death of rich owner Senator David Brigidi in 2018.
The former Nigerian senator bought Metro Stars FC in October 2013 and with financial injection, he qualified the team to elite division five years.
He was the owner of Karela Oil & Gas in Ghana and Nigeria, Karela Hotels & Resort Ghana, Re-Routine Air Limited, Adef Energy Services, Shores & Savannah (Law Partners) and South Field Petroleum.
According to FIFA, the amount is USD One billion more than budgeted for the year.
In addition, FIFA has allocated USD 9.7 billion for investments in the development of football between 2023 and 2026.
Mr Gianni Infantino President of FIFA announced this at a press conference in Doha, on Friday, adding that, a lot of investments would be made into Talents Developments Scheme (TDS) of FIFA.
Mr Infantino said, the Executive Council has also approved USD200 million TDS, which is aimed at attaining a sustainable legacy for long-term development, by helping Member Associations (MA), to reach its full potential, and ultimately give every talent a chance.
He said the allocation of funds to the MAs participating in the TDS would follow a tailor-made approach that would take into consideration their specific needs.
“These MAs would also benefit from extra solidarity funding, subject to specific criteria.
“Any TDS funds not allocated by 31 December 2026 would automatically be transferred to the Football Development Fund to provide indefinite and exclusive support to FIFA Forward 3.0 beneficiaries,” he added.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar caused the Ghana Premier League to be suspended for a month, and it will resume on Monday. Kotoku Royals and Legon Cities will square off in the ninth-week matchup.
Kotoku Royals, who have a sluggish start to the season and are now in 18th place after eight games, will be trying to get things going.
The new entrants, who sacked their head coach Seth Ablade few days ago have won one, drawn one and lost six games.
Prior to the break before the global showpiece, they lost 1-0 to Medeama and will looking to bounce back to winning ways on Wednesday.
Legon Cities, on the other hand, have not been too impressive this season as they lie 10th on the league table with 11 points.
The Royals have failed to win their last two league games after drawing with Asante Kotoko and losing to Bibiani Gold Stars.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 3pm at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
Kotoku Royals possible starting XI: Wilson Kwabena, Clinton Quaye, Joe Boateng, Fawzi Ali, Stephen Cancam, Kingsley Afriyie, Abdul Razak Seidu, Mohammed Zakari, Kwaku Owusu, Richard Dzikoe, Augustine Boakye.
Former goalkeepers Abukari Damba and Fatau Dauda presented Lawrence Ansah of Samartex FC with the player of the month award for November.
Prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals in November, Lawrence recorded two clean sheets in two games.
This is an initiative of the retired goalkeepers Association of Ghana led by Abubakar Damba and Ali Jaraah to award an outstanding performing shot stoppers in the Premier League.
Bawa Lord Martey won the September award and Lawrence Ansah is the second to receive the award in the season.
Meanwhile, the Premier League season will resume on Monday, December 19 to Thursday, December, 22, 2022 across league centres.
The competition is on a one month break due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Premier League went on break after eight round of matches that saw two-time champions Aduana Stars lead the table with 16 points, one point richer than Accra Lions who are in second place with 15 points.
Defending Champions Asante Kotoko are in third place with 14 points, same as Great Olympics who are in fourth while Hearts of Oak occupy the 5th spot with 13 points.
Dreams FC, Tamale City FC and Kotoku Royals occupy the 16th, 17th and 18th positions respectively.
The Atlas Lions’ dream of reaching the final was halted by France following a 2-0 defeat in their semifinal game on Wednesday with Theo Hernandez and Kolo Muani scoring the goals.
Despite the defeat, Morocco had already made his by becoming the first African country to reach the semifinal of the World Cup.
Regragui expressed his pride in his team’s performance versus Les Bleus in a post-game interview.
He added that they will be rooting for Didier Deschamps’ team to defeat Argentina in the final game.
“We are going to support them [France] now. The whole world is proud of this Moroccan team,” the Morocco coach said, as quoted by Goal.
“We showed desire, played hard, and have given a good image of Morocco and of African football. We were representing our country and our continent. People already respected us but I think they respect us more now.”
He added: “Congratulations to France. I said before the match, they are a very good side and they were well-placed to win the game but in spite of all the injuries we had, the tiredness, we pulled out all the stops, gave them everything, caused them problems and that is already quite an achievement.
“You can’t win a World Cup with miracles, you need to win it through hard work and that is what we will do, we will keep working.”
The final is scheduled for Sunday, December 18, at 15:00 GMT.
Meanwhile, Morocco will take on Croatia for the 3rd and 4th place game on Saturday
After Otto Addo resigned from the position following the Black Stars‘ elimination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, George Boateng, a former junior coach for Aston Villa, has been shortlisted for the Ghana position.
Boateng was a member of the technical crew that orchestrated Ghana’s entry into the world championship, but he was unable to advance to the following round of the competition.
Ghana finished bottom of Group H with three points after losing to Portugal and Uruguay, having beaten South Korea in between.
Footballghana understands that coach Boateng who is a deputy Ghana coach is considered for the vacant role and is likely to succeed Otto Addo.
The 47-year-old left his role at Aston Villa in order to focus on his role with the Black Stars in the build up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He showed great passion for the job as he wanted to serve his country of birth, even though he represented the Netherlands internationally, making four appearances.
Boateng started his managerial career in Malaysian as head coach of Kelantan FA in 2014. After inconsistent results, he was moved to the Technical Director position in 2015 before he eventually left his post as technical director of Kelantan on 11 May 2015 in order to work as coach or manager again.
In 2018, Boateng signed as Under 13’s head coach at Championship club Blackburn Rovers where he coached different age groups at the academy.
However, one year later, it was announced that Boateng had left Rovers to take up a position as Aston Villa Under-18 Professional Development Coach.
In 2020, he was promoted to become the Professional Development Coach of the under 23 squad at Aston Villa. He left the role two years later to join Ghana on a permanent basis ahead of the World Cup.
He was named new assistant coach of Ghana in May, however his contract will expire at the end of December.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has welcomed Ghana international Thomas Partey back into his squad.
The Black Stars midfielder joined his Gunners teammates in Dubai last week after Ghana exited the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
On Tuesday, Thomas Partey played 45 minutes and helped Arsenal to beat AC Milan in the Dubai Super Cup.
Speaking after the game, Mikel Arteta disclosed that Thomas Partey is disappointed Ghana could not go far in the tournament.
The Arsenal manager also said he is happy that after resting for a few days, Thomas Partey has rejoined his squad.
“He played a lot and he was disappointed by the way he had to leave the World Cup but it happens to every nation that they are out.
“It takes a few days to reset and to focus on the team.
“The good thing we have is that everybody has been showing that they are desperate to get back as quick as possible. It was really good to have those two back today playing some minutes,” Mikel Arteta said.
Thomas Partey is expected to be in action for Arsenal on Saturday when the side takes on Juventus in another friendly match.
Ivana Knoll the 30-year-old Croatian influencer who went viral in the first matches of the Croatian team in the group stage for the clothing she chose to watch the games, was expelled from the stadium for her “provocative” latex clothing, just before the match between Brazil and Croatia begins , which would end with the victory of the Europeans on penalties in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar .
“They don’t allow the fans to take photos with me and they don’t allow me to pose for photos here at the railing,” the German-born Croatian told German newspaper Bild in 1992, referring to stadium security.
“I asked them why they were so rude,” he added. The woman herself explained that so far she had not had any problem in the World Cup .
“It’s really great. No one has ever told me to cover myself. Everyone wants photos with me, even the locals. Only on Twitter was there a negative reaction from a Qatari. But he probably just wanted attention, ”he explained to the same medium.
In addition, he advanced his plans for the rest of the World Cup : “In fact, I wanted to leave when the Croats were eliminated. But now I definitely stay until the final, no matter who plays there.”
In his last Instagram post, he asked himself: “To find out how many goals will Argentina score tomorrow?”, and added an emoji of an ear, as well as an account where you can bet with the result.
The situation in the World Cup
In Qatar, more than a million visitors came from all corners of the world warned about Muslim culture and various rules to follow: among them, the clothing to wear in stadiums. Knöll went viral for the way he dressed in the matches that his team, Croatia, played in the group stage and in the following matches of the World Cup. Tight red pants, and a bodice with the red and white squares of her country’s flag.
What’s more, the image of her going down the stairs in the match in which Luka Modric’s team eliminated Belgium at the Ahmed bin Ali stadium was questioned for “double standards” in a country with strict rules for women. In that postcard, smiling Arabs were seen in the audience with cell phones in hand, taking photos of him. After it went viral on networks, she herself shared it on her Instagram.
Although the regulations are inflexible with the local ones, neither the authorities nor the Qatari residents make the visitors, including the Argentines, feel any rigor in terms of different ways of dressing or walking down the street. You can see women wearing the same clothes as in any corner of the Western world. However, Knoll was ejected from the stadium against Brazil , as seen on video.
In the preview of the decisive clash for the round of 16 between Japan and Croatia, La Nación met Knöll. His outfit for the meeting: mini jean skirt, long stockings, belt, bow and top in Croatian colors. Although many media presented her as a businesswoman from that Eastern European country, she clarified that she is only “an influencer who came to have fun in Qatar.”
Asked in that match against Belgium, at gate 5 of the Al Janoub stadium, about whether she had any warnings about her clothes in the stadiums, she was blunt: “Nobody said anything to me about my clothes. I never had a problem with the way I dress in Qatar ”. The influencer is already a celebrity. Before entering the VIP section of the stadium, she stopped at every step to take selfies with fans, sign autographs and pose for photographers.
Supposedly, the model had declared to the German media that if Croatia won the World Cup , she would strip naked. However, Ivana herself was in charge of denying that promise on her Instagram account.
“Fake news! Media lies. I will not take off my shirt if Croatia wins the championship, ”he responded bluntly, with which the information spread in recent days remained a rumor. Driven by the diffusion that she had during the World Cup , Knoll already has more than 2 million followers on Instagram, the social network where she has shown the most in the World Cup.
Yahya Atiyatallah, a defender for Wydad Casablanca, reportedly enjoys a five-fold boost in market worth as a result of his outstanding performances for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Youssef Al-Nusairi scored the game-winning goal after Atiyatallah’s pivotal pass against Portugal in the World Cup quarterfinals helped the Arab nation advance to the semi-finals for the first time ever.
The 27-yera-old has made four appearances for Morocco and has helped his side keep four clean sheets in five matches, only denied 100 per cent record by an own goal conceded against Canada in the group stage.
Atiyatullah’s superb display is attracting interest from several clubs in Europe ahead of the January transfer window.
It believed that Wydad Casablanca will reject any offer to keep hold of their prized asset.
Morocco will face holders France in the semifinals at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday.
A win over France will see Morocco become the first-ever African country to reach the final of the World Cup.
FIFA has confirmed a new match ball will be used for the final stages of the World Cup.
The Al Hilm, which succeeds the Al Rihla, will be used in the semi-finals, third-place play-off and final of Qatar 2022, having been introduced for the last four games by adidas.
The existing ball, which has been implemented with technology to assist in tracking and helping referee decisions across the tournament, has been used so far across the group stages and initial knockout rounds.
But the Al Hilm, which will come with a gold base design and triangular pattern paying tribute to the deserts surrounding major host city Doha, will now take its place.
Adidas general manager Nick Craggs said: “Al Hilm represents a beacon of light on the power of sport and football to bring the world together.
“Millions will tune in from almost every country around the globe, united by their passion for the game. We wish all teams involved in the final stages of the tournament the best of luck.”
The semi-finals have been set for Qatar 2022, with 2018 winners France and runners-up Croatia both potentially in line for a rematch in the final four years on.
The pair will play Morocco, the first African nation to reach the last four in the tournament’s history, and former winners Argentina respectively.
Morocco became the first African country to reach the semifinal of the FIFA World Cup following their 1-0 win over Portugal.
Youssef En-Nesyri got the only goal in a dramatic 1-0 win at Al Thumama and denied Portugal what would have been a place in the last four for the first time for 16 years.
Morocco, who had substitute Walid Cheddira sent off late on finished the game with 10-men.
The North African side held onto their lead in the first half as Portugal chased for the equalizer throughout the second half with star player Cristiano Ronaldo coming on as a substitute.
Morocco has set up a semifinal against either France or England at Al-Bayt Stadium on Wednesday, where they will again be supported by a fierce crowd who roared them past Portugal.
Luis Enrique resigned as manager of the team, following Spain’s shocking World Cup loss to Morocco in the World Cup’s last-16.
The 52-year-old took over in 2018 and led Spain to the semifinals of Euro 2020.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said a “new project” should start but did not put a time frame on when a new boss would be announced.
“We would like to thank Luis Enrique and his entire coaching staff,” the RFEF said in a statement.
The former Spain midfielder stepped away from his role for a short period in 2019 because his late daughter had been diagnosed with bone cancer, before returning for the side’s impressive Euros run in the tournament that was delayed by a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Spain were knocked out of the Euros by eventual champions Italy after their semi-final went to a penalty shootout.
They thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening group game of the World Cup but their possession-based game saw them accused of being “boring” as they drew 1-1 with Germany and lost 2-1 to Japan.
On Tuesday, Spain were held to a goalless draw by Morocco before again losing a penalty shootout as they were knocked out.
Portugal followed Manchester United’s lead and decided they could be better off without Cristiano Ronaldo, reducing him to the status of the superstar no one wants.
And they were better off for it, as Portugal’s coach Fernando Santos was rewarded for his bravery in letting go of his nation’s sporting icon with a comprehensive attacking performance and a 6-1 victory over Switzerland, setting up a World Cup quarterfinal matchup against Morocco.
Santos was not only vindicated for his decision to axe Ronaldo after publicly criticising his gestures when he was substituted in the last group game against South Korea, he hit the jackpot as his young replacement Goncalo Ramos looked the real deal in hitting a superb hat-trick.
It has been a bruising time for 37-year-old Ronaldo’s considerable pride and ego as first his Manchester United career ended in acrimony following public criticism of the club and now Portugal did what was previously unthinkable – at least going as far back as 31 games and before Euro 2008 – and ditched him from their starting line-up at a major tournament.
This was certainly the bravest selectorial call of this World Cup and the biggest of Santos’ eight-year time in charge of Portugal.
Santos, despite having a Euro 2016 win on his CV, will have known what was at stake by making this seismic change. If Portugal had lost, he would have known who would carry the can for their World Cup exit and it would not have been Cristiano Ronaldo.
Instead, Santos watched with his usual stern expression as Portugal looked a more vibrant, fluid and threatening side without all their focus trained on the often overpowering presence of Ronaldo.
Portugal moved smoothly through midfield with Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes at the controls, and up front Benfica’s 21-year-old striker Ramos, previously unknown on this sort of goal-scoring stage, carried any burden he may have been feeling as Ronaldo’s replacement lightly.
The previously subdued but richly talented Joao Felix looked liberated, rather like the rest of the Portugal team.
Ramos’s hat-trick came in various very well-taken shapes via a near-post finish thrashed high past Switzerland keeper Jan Sommer, then a poacher’s near-post strike from a cross, before a clever dink for his hat-trick. Some first full Portugal start.
Ronaldo, prior to this game, had played 514 minutes of World Cup knockout football without a goal. Ramos had three in 67 minutes.
Pepe, the 39-year-old defensive warhorse, showed age was not a factor in Santos’s thoughts as he headed the second while Ramos showed he could make them as well as score them when he set up Raphael Guerriero to make it 4-0.
And through it all sat Ronaldo, cameras trained on every facial expression as the Portuguese national hero saw the first signs of his international career following his Manchester United career into the past.
He was swarmed by hundreds of cameramen once the national anthems had finished playing and there was an almost testimonial feel to what happened once Portugal proved they were superior for his absence by routing a bitterly disappointing Switzerland.
Ramos had made it 5-1, Portugal were cruising, when a huge roar of “Ronaldo” started to sweep around the vast Lusail Stadium, followed by chants of his celebratory trademark “Siu”.
It appeared to be a large number of locals who had paid their money to see Ronaldo in the flesh who were leading the demands. It may even have been the suffering Switzerland fans hoping Santos would remove their tormentor Ramos.
Santos relented with 16 minutes left, sending Ronaldo on for Joao Felix to a pop star’s reception.
It was all vaguely awkward – even a touch embarrassing – as the fading talisman trotted on to make what felt like a personal appearance rather than a meaningful contribution in a World Cup knockout game.
There was an air of anticipation every time Ronaldo received the ball, those inside the arena desperate to see some of the old magic. They almost saw it when he rammed in a shot but the boos rang out as the offside flag went up.
Even Ronaldo’s brief spell in the limelight was stolen away from him when another bright young Portugal striker, Rafael Leao, came on and rounded of this thumping win with the sort of finish, curled into the top corner, that already has the 23-year-old marked down as a future star at AC Milan.
Cristiano Ronaldo was cheered loudly by the Portugal fans and had his name chanted several times throughout the match
At the final whistle, Ronaldo applauded the crowd then was first down the tunnel, leaving the real celebrations to those who deserved it, namely his Portugal team-mates who had delivered their finest performance of this World Cup and who will threaten anyone performing like this.
Ronaldo may yet make a decisive contribution at this tournament – he is trying to attract a new club after all – but it is hard to see him making it as a starter against Morocco.
After being shown the door at Manchester United for his petulance and outspoken views on the club’s hierarchy, he now finds himself marginalised on territory where he must have thought he was even more untouchable with Portugal.
As the old saying goes, Ronaldo was the future once. He increasingly looks like the past and the future belongs to emerging stars such as Ramos and Leao.
So what now for the fallen idol of club and country? Surely the bench at best against Morocco.
Despite only playing three games, Ghana’s World Cup was exciting.
Before being eliminated from the campaign with a 2-0 loss to Uruguay, the Black Stars took part in two thrilling five-goal games against Portugal and South Korea.
The goalkeeper gave a decent account of himself, even if some of the stops against South Korea seemed theatrical.
Could have done better with Luis Suarez’s initial effort that saw Uruguay score their first in the group decider.
It was a commendable tournament nonetheless as Ati-Zigi only became the first choice due to injuries to Joe Wollacott and Richard Ofori.
Danlad Ibrahim (N/A)
The goalkeeper did not feature in the finals in Qatar.
Manaf Nurudeen (N/A)
The 23-year-old shot-stopper played no part in the global showpiece.
Centre-backs
Mohammed Salisu (7.5/10)
The Southampton centre-back was largely outstanding on his tournament debut for Ghana. He was unlucky to concede a penalty in the opening game, although he gave the referee a decision to make after going tight on Cristiano Ronaldo.
His no-nonsense approach saw him make more clearances than any member of the side and ranked third for ball recoveries in the Ghana squad.
It would be remiss to not remember Salisu’s goal and subsequent goalmouth clearance in the 3-2 win over South Korea when the Black Stars defended their slender advantage.
Daniel Amartey (7/10)
Amartey may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he gave as good as he got in Qatar, especially impressing with his passing range.
He matched Salisu for recoveries (15) despite playing fewer minutes than his centre-back partner and played an important part in their ball progression from deep.
Alexander Djiku (5.5/10)
The Strasbourg defender produced adequate performances in his two appearances, although he made only one start at centre-back as Otto Addo favoured Salisu and Amartey at centre-back.
Joseph Aidoo (N/A)
The centre-back did not feature in the finals.
Full-backs
Abdul Rahman Baba (6/10)
Often looked half a yard slow defensively but was often crucial to the Black Stars going forward.
Only Thomas Partey was involved in more open play passes leading to shots than the left-back (6-5), who was outdone by the Arsenal man for progressive passes.
Baba intermittently got stick but he was not as bad as perceived.
Alidu Seidu (6/10)
Effectively a centre-back playing at right-back and right wing-back, the Clermont Foot defender may have been underwhelming against Portugal but played commendably in the 2-0 defeat by Uruguay.
Tariq Lamptey (4/10)
The right-back had a below-par outing in Qatar, failing to pull up trees after coming on against Portugal, was overloaded down the right against South Korea and played no part in the decider vs Uruguay.
Was Lamptey’s absence of game time preceding the competition responsible for an underwhelming showing?
Gideon Mensah (5.5/10)
Mensah made just one appearance in Qatar, replacing Baba Rahman as left-back versus South Korea and was involved in the move leading to Mohammed Kudus’ winning goal.
Denis Odoi (N/A)
Came on for the final 13 minutes against South Korea. The Club Brugge right-back did not play enough minutes in Ghana’s World Cup campaign.
Getty
Midfielders
Thomas Partey (8/10)
The Arsenal man somehow got criticism despite a good individual showing at the World Cup.
No player played more passes into the final third (18), played more progressive passes (14) or was involved in more open-play involvements leading to shot attempts.
Only Kudus made more ball recoveries than Partey (22-21), further suggesting the Partey reprimand was unwarranted.
Mohammed Kudus (8.5/10)
Undoubtedly Ghana’s best player in Qatar, the Ajax man was arguably the team’s entire attacking strategy at times.
He was involved in their first goal against Portugal and netted twice in the 3-2 win over the South Koreans.
No Black Star outshone Kudus.
Salis Abdul Samed (6.5/10)
The midfielder had a shaky start against Uruguay but recovered versus South Korea and Portugal to produce an acceptable showing at the World Cup.
Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (5/10)
The Freiburg attacking midfielder played every game, with all three being cameos. Barely got involved.
Elisha Owusu (N/A)
Owusu played no part in Qatar.
Forwards
Jordan Ayew (7/10)
Even though the Crystal Palace man was culpable in one of Portugal’s goals in the 3-2 defeat, he was instrumental in all three goals the Black Stars scored vs the Taegeuk Warriors. Indeed, his assist for Kudus’ first was arguably the assist of the group phase.
It was also Jordan’s shot against Uruguay that led to the chaos that ensued before the Ajax man won the ill-fated penalty that was not converted.
Andre Ayew (5.5/10)
Ghana’s 2022 World Cup may be remembered for Andre’s tame first-half penalty against Uruguay, as it potentially denied the West Africans qualification.
The forward scored Africa’s first goal of the competition against Portugal but that turned out to be the high of his participation in Qatar.
Inaki Williams (5/10)
The Athletic Club forward struggled in front of goal, with his slip against Portugal at the death costing an equaliser and a miscue against South Korea almost costing a winner.
Williams has never been prolific, so his failure to score in Qatar was not especially surprising.
Kamaldeen Sulemana (5/10)
Sulemana impressed at the finals with his ball-carrying and dribbling. Unfortunately could not instigate a comeback against Uruguay despite coming on for 45 minutes.
Osman Bukari (5.5/10)
The wide attacker halved the deficit against Portugal but it was not to be. Against the South Americans, Bukari came on for Andre Ayew after halftime but could not bring about a turnaround.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (N/A)
Issahaku played only a minute in Qatar, coming on in the closing stages of the 2-0 defeat by Uruguay.
Daniel Afriyie (N/A)
The teenager was unused in all three games.
Kamal Sowah (N/A)
Was one of seven players who did not get on the pitch for Otto Addo.
Getty Images
Manager
Otto Addo (6/10)
While Ghana’s play appeared chaotic at times and Addo’s team struggled to control games in many instances, they came within a Williams leveller versus the Selecao or an Andre Ayew penalty conversion to secure progress to the last 16.
That said, an egregious call to withdraw Kudus in the loss at the hands of the Selecao was ill-timed even if the Ajax man had already been booked.
The 47-year-old resigned in the aftermath but he probably wonders what might have been.
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A member of the Executive Council of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), Eduardo Ache has bemoaned the decisions of officiating that went against the national team.
According to him, some decisions that should have gone the way of Uruguay were not given although there was VAR in place.
Speaking in an interview, he said it hurts that Uruguay have exited the 2022 FIFA World Cup at such an early stage.
“…the duality of criteria hurt us. In the match against Portugal, the judge did not sanction the penalty (by José María Giménez in the addition that it was 2-0) and they called him from the VAR to revoke a decision that FIFA later recognized was badly sanctioned,” Eduardo Ache said.
He added, “Today it strikes me that they are not going to see the VAR in Cavani’s action. If the same criteria had been used, Uruguay would continue.
“It is very clear that we have a competitive squad, that we made mistakes, chances and luck did not play in our favor with the balls on the sticks, but we have to look ahead. It hurts for the players and coaching staff.”
The side only won a match when they defeated Ghana 2-0 in the final group game. Unfortunately, it was not enough to send the side to the Round 16 stage of the tournament.
Social media have gone overdrive since the four-time African champions failed to progress from the group stage.
Accusation and counter-accusation has dominated the major headlines in the West African nation since the team exited the tournament.
But Bayern Munich legend and a member of the Black Stars management committee Sammy Kuffuor has urged the media to be measured by their criticism of the team.
‘’We all agree that this is not what we expected. But we believe in our team so I will plead with you not to point accusing fingers at any player for what happened here yesterday’’ the former Bayern star said in a press briefing in Doha on Saturday.
‘’I still insist we should find solutions to our problem and not to point accusing fingers at any player. We all know that we wanted to go far but that did not happen. Look at what we saw in the stadium and the people who travelled here to watch the matches’’.
‘’It shows the kind of love that people have for the team, we did not take it for granted at all. But its’ unfortunate we lost and exited the tournament. I am someone who can take pressure but it’s not every player who has that heart to take the pressure’’.
‘’These are young players, they need our support, not unguarded criticisms. When I was playing in Germany there was a lot of pressure but I am strong so I took that in good faith and performed’’.
‘’We don’t have to dampen the spirit of the players. We have to encourage the players to do better for our country in future competitions. We need to look at avenues to get better results from here and not to blame anyone, that’s my humble appeal to all of you.”
Ghana lost 2-0 to eternal rivals Uruguay 2-0 to crash out of the tournament in Doha.
The Black Stars were eliminated after the first round of the tournament following a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay. A game Lamptey missed.
The Brighton and Hove Albion right-back made two appearances at the World Cup, coming on as a second half substitute against Portugal before starting and excelling against South Korea.
Lamptey, who switched nationality to Ghana in June played no part as the Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay at the Al Janoub Stadium.
After defeating South Korea in their second group game, the Black Stars needed a draw or win against Uruguay to advance to the last 16 stage.
But the team failed to negotiate for points against their ‘enemies’ Uruguay.
In a post the enterprising right-back asserted their exit from the tournament will motivate them to work harder for future tournaments.
“I thank God for this moment and the opportunity we have been given, we would have liked things to have turned out differently but Godstiming is best. We’ll use this as more motivation and work even harder”
“A big thank you to everyone for all the support, really appreciate it” he t
We will be back stronger this is just the start” he tweeted.
The Black Stars will now focus on the remaining qualifiers for the 2023 Africa Cup of Natio
Defending world champions, France are through to the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The European giants on Sunday afternoon locked horns with Poland in the third match of the Round 16 games.
In a game where Poland defended most of the time, France did not score until the 44th minute.
Talented PSG star Kylian Mbappe assisted Olivier Giroud to score to give France a deserved lead to take into the break.
That equalizer has seen Olivier Giroud becoming the all-time top scorer of the defending World Champions after surpassing the great Thierry Henry.
Later in the second half of the match, France doubled their lead in the 74th minute.
This time around, Kylian Mbappe found the back of the net with an assist from Dembélé. In stoppage time, the forward was presented with another chance and scored to make it 3-0 for France.
Mbappe now has five goals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and is in the race for the golden boot award.
With Robert Lewandowski converting a penalty kick in the dying minutes, Poland pulled one back while succumbing to a 3-1 defeat at full time.
Courtesy of the win, France are through to the last eight stages of the world cup and will face the winner of the tie between England and Senegal.
Ghana’s hopes of progressing to the round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup were dashed yesterday following a dramatic defeat to Uruguay.
On the brink of that, many Ghanaian celebrities have taken to social media to express their disappointment about the team’s performance, particularly the decisions of the Ghanaian coach.
Prior to the match, the Black Stars had a clear picture of what they needed to do before progressing; either win or draw against Uruguay.
However, just as it happened in Ghana’s previous encounter with Uruguay, the Black Stars missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead through a penalty given in the match’s early stages.
After Captain Dede Ayewmissed the penalty, Ghana conceded two goals against the team many saw as our fiercest rival.
While some were happy about the Portugal – South Korea match’s results, which prevented Uruguay from sailing into the following stages, a faction expressed their disappointment with the team’s mentality towards the game and the poor decision-making of the technical team.
Celebrities who have commented on the loss include Sarkodie, Black Sherrif, Nana Aba Anamoah, Sandra Ankobiah, Rev Erskine, and Kwame Bee, amongst others.
Below are some of their reactions after the Ghana vs Uruguay match.
The MP stated in a tweet that one benefit of the Black Stars’ loss to Uruguay in their final World Cup group match in Qatar in 2022 is that the authorities who disregarded their responsibilities will return home.
Parts of the MP’s tweet said, “Now can our government officials come back home to their real duties.”
The minority caucus in parliament expressed concern on Tuesday about the absence of members from the Majority side of the House.
Though no official reason was given for the mass absence of the majority members, GhanaWeb checks show that some of the majority Members of Parliament (MPs) were out of the jurisdiction.
At least three of them were spotted in Qatar, where the 2022 FIFA World Cup is ongoing.
One of the MPs who has been in Qatar for the past two weeks is Mustapha Ussif of Yagaba-Kubori, who doubles as Minister of Youth and Sports.
Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, was also spotted in Qatar, according to social media posts.
Minister of Energy and Manhyia South MP, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is also in Qatar cheering on the Black Stars.
Patrick Yaw Boamah, Okaikwei Central MP is also in Qatar, where he has been sharing photos of himself on the streets and at the stadium supporting Otto Addo and his charges.
The Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing by 2-0 to Uruguay in their final match of the group stages.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay were not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.
The Black Stars had a slow start in the game as Uruguay was on fire from the blast of the whistle.
However, Ghana’s first chance in the game which fell to Jordan Ayew nearly saw him score but Sergio Rochet pulled a good save which saw Kudus go in for a rebound.
The Minority Caucus in Parliament on Tuesday raised concerns about the non-attendance to the House of members on the Majority side of the House.
The concern was anchored on the premise that the debate on the 2023 budget as presented by the Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta was expected to start with a race to pass the Appropriation Bill in time.
Though no official reason was given for the mass absence of the Majority members, according to reports some of the Majority Members of Parliament (MPs) were out of the jurisdiction.
At least three of them were spotted in Qatar where the 2022 FIFA World Cup is ongoing.
One of the MPs who has been in Qatar for the past two weeks is Mustapha Ussif of Yagaba-Kubori, who doubles as Minister of Youth and Sports.
He has been with the team through their training cap in Dubai through to their arrival in Doha for the games. He was among the delegation that received President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo when he met the team before their match against Portugal.
Minister of Communications and Digitalisation who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful was also spotted in Qatar according to social media posts.
On Wednesday, November 30, Ursula took to her Facebook page to share a ‘unique’ photo of herself and former Dutch footballer, Patrick Stephan Kluivert.
She captioned the photo: “With Patrick Kluivert; for those old enough to remember this legendary footballer from the Netherlands!! Loving the atmosphere in Qatar!!”
Minister of Energy and Manhyia South MP, Matthew Opoku Prempeh is also in Qatar cheering on the Black Stars.
He spoke in a recent interview with Metro TV reporters after the Black Stars defeated South Korea by 3 – 2 at the Education City Stadium on Monday.
Patrick Yaw Boamah, Okaikwei Central MP is also in Qatar, where he has been sharing photos of himself on the streets and at the stadium supporting Otto Addo and his charges.
Senegal are under investigation for violating FIFA rules at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
This investigation comes after head coach, Aliou Cisse refused to attend a pre-match press conference with a player, prior to a 2-1 win over Ecuador.
According to a statement released by FIFA on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, Senegal have potentially breached article 44 of the regulations for the World Cup in Qatar.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Senegalese Football Federation due to the potential breaches of article 44 of the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, article 2.7.2 of the Media and Marketing Regulations and article 8.5.3 of the Team Handbook.
“The potential breaches relate to the mandatory press conference that took place on 28 November ahead of the Ecuador v. Senegal FIFA World Cup™ match.”
Senegal, who will face England in the last 16 stage, could suffer a fine of £8,800 for breaching the rules.
Germany, who broke the same rule before their 1-1 draw against Spain, were fined £8,800.
Former Uruguay defender Hugo De León has urged players to put in all effort to defeat Ghana in the final group game in the World Cup.
Uruguay have managed just a point after suffering defeat against Portugal on Monday afternoon after two games in Group H
Meanwhile, Ghana earned an important win to boost their chances of progressing to the round of 16.
The Black Stars inflicted a 3-2 win over the Asian giants to boost their chances of qualifying to the knockout phase.
The four-time African champions must avoid defeat against Uruguay to book a spot in the Round of 16.
Ahead of their clash with Ghana, the former Uruguay international has charged the players to play until the end of the game.
With six points, the 2016 European Champions are now leading Group H ahead of Ghana, who has three.
Prior to Friday’s final group games, Uruguay and South Korea both have one point each.
In the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, a Luis Suarez handball incident prevented Ghana from advancing to the semifinals.
Dominic Adiyiah of Ghana’s blocked the former Liverpool and Barcelona forward’s goal-bound header in the final second of extra time at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.
Suarez effectively made a goalkeeper-caliber stop on the line, and as a result, he received a straight red card.
A penalty kick was given to Ghana as well, but Asamoah Gyan‘s shot from 12 yards hit the crossbar, causing Suarez to lose his mind on the sidelines and forcing a shootout.
Luis Suarez was applauded for his diabolical act as Uruguay advanced to the semifinals following the penalty shootout victory.
Former Ghana captain, Stephen Appiah, has eulogized Ghana’s 2006 World Cup squad for their confidence in Germany, describing them as ‘players who are not afraid of games’.
The Black Stars resurrected their campaign after bouncing back from an opening day defeat to Italy beat Czech Republic in Ghana’s first-ever World Cup appearance.
Speaking on Betway’s “Top 10 World Cup Moments with Stephen Appiah,” the former Ghana captain told host Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo, “I was lucky to play with players who were not afraid of games.
“Because these are games if you lose the first game and at that high stage, you will never go through in the second game playing against, I mean, the second best.
“We showed them that we are not just there to participate. We are there to make a name and we beat them.”
Stephen Appiah made history by captaining Ghana to qualify for its first World Cup in 2006 after several unsuccessful attempts.
He added that the 2-0 win “was a difficult game because we lost the first game against Italy and we are playing with the second-best team in the world. The players that they had [were very good].
“After Gyan scored, we played like 20 minutes and I was telling the boys, ‘I think that today is our day’. We should continue playing like the way we are playing.
“After the game I went to Pavel Nedved, we played together at Juventus, and I was like, ‘did you see the ball that we played with today? Was it Adidas or Nike?’
“I cracked a joke and he started laughing because they didn’t see the ball. We played like 80% of the ball.”
He, however, insists that it will only be possible if the national team players fight to win the final Group H match.
In a post on social media after the 2-0 defeat to Portugal on Monday, Sebastian Coates rallied his national team to recover well and prepare for the task ahead.
“Time to recover, be positive and prepare well for the final that is coming!!! All together to achieve the first goal,” Sebastian Coates who plays for Sporting Lisbon in Portugal posted on Instagram.
The defender is expected to be in action for Uruguay when they take on Ghana in the final Group H match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Uruguay will need to win that game to stand any chance of advancing to the Round of 16 of the tournament ongoing in Qatar.
The opponent, Ghana only needs a draw to secure qualification to Round 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, has applauded goalkeeper, Lawrence Ati Zigi, for his impressive outings in Ghana’s opening two at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Ati-Zigi was handed the first-choice role ahead of the tournament following injuries to Jojo Wollacott and Richard Ofori, ruling them out of the competition.
In the two games against Portugal and South Korea, the shot-stopper has been crucial for the Black Stars and has kept hopes alive ahead of the final group game against Uruguay.
‘’I think it’s been a great tournament up to this point for him, he really did well especially in the last game, he had some great saves,’’ Addo told the GFA Media.
‘’We knew before that the goalkeepers we have are almost all on the same level so it was very, very sad when we got the news that Joseph Wollacott and Richard Ofori were not able to come due to injuries.”
‘’But on the other hand, we were surely confident that we have other goalkeepers like Ati Zigi, Manaf Nurudeen and also Danlad Ibrahim who are really doing well in training and Zigi obviously playing very, very, good,” he added.
Ati-Zigi will hope his qualities will be key on Friday at the Al Janoub Stadium when Ghana take on Uruguay in the final Group H game.
2021 Africa Cup of Nations champions, Senegal, booked a place in the last 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup following their win over Ecuador on Tuesday, November 29.
A first-half penalty goal from Ismaila Sarr and a Kalidou Koulibaly header ensured that the Teranga Lions overcame their first-game loss to progress to the next stage of the competition.
Senegal started the game on a stronger foot as they needed a win to see them go past the group stage ahead of the South Americans.
Sarr turned up to score the opening goal of the game after stepping up to score from the penalty spot after he had been fouled in the box.
The Watford forward sent the goalkeeper the wrong to give Aliou Cisse’s side a deserved lead in the opening half.
Moises Caicedo drew Ecuador levelled 22 minutes after the recess as he ended up on a Felix Torres cross to beat Edouard Mendy.
But their joy was shortlived as Koulibaly scored three minutes later to restore Senegal’s lead and secure their victory.
The win sees the West African side qualify alongside the Netherlands, who beat Qatar in the other Group A fixture.
The Netherlands on Tuesday afternoon progressed to the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup after beating Qatar 2-0 to top Group A.
The Europeans secured the win thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo and midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
Meanwhile, Senegal have also become the first African country to qualify for the knockout stage of this year’s mundial.
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions on Tuesday afternoon locked horns with Ecuador in the final Group A contest of the tournament.
In need of a win to advance to the Round of 16, Senegal played above their strengths and deservedly picked the much-needed victory.
Before the first half break today, the African champions had already taken the lead thanks to a penalty kick expertly converted by youngster Ismaïla Sarr.
After the break, Ecuador came in strong and equalised through midfielder Moisés Caicedo in the 67th minute.
Unfortunately, they could not hold on after scoring. Shortly, after scoring that important goal, the team conceded from a corner kick and trailed again.
This time around it was defender Kalidou Koulibaly who scored for Senegal to give the African giants a 2-1 win at the end of the game.
Courtesy of the result, Senegal qualifies for the Round 16 stage with six points.
The Black Stars of Ghana set new records after their 3-2 win over South Korea at the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Monday, November 29, 2022.
It was the first of many for the Black Stars, as two goals from Mohammed Kudus and Mohammed Salisu were enough to overcome Cho Gue-Sung’s two goals for South Korea.
Although the win does not certainly give the Black Stars a surety of qualification, however, it has given them an upper hand going into their final group match against Uruguay.
Here are the records set by Ghana after win over South Korea at the World Cup
First win for a Ghanaian coach
Ghana’s 3-2 win over South Korea was the first win for not only a Ghanaian coach at the World Cup but also Coach Otto Addo’s first-ever win at the tournament.
Although Kwesi Appiah was the first Ghanaian coach to be at the World Cup, he never won a game at the 2014 World Cup. Four of Ghana’s previous wins were under Ratomir Djokovic and Milovan Rajevac.
First goal scored by a Ghanaian defender
Mohammed Salisu’s goal against South Korea made him the first Ghanaian defender to score a goal at the World Cup. Ghana’s previous goals at the World Cup were scored by midfielders and strikers. Salisu scored the opener for Ghana with a header against South Korea.
First time Ghana scored 3 goals
The match against South Korea was also the first time Ghana had ever scored three goals in a match at the World Cup. Prior to this game, the highest goal scored in a match was two; however, the Black Stars were able to break the jinx and scored their first three goals in a match. Senegal, Morocco, and Ghana have now scored three goals in their second round of matches at the tournament.
First 2 goals scored by a Ghanaian
Kudus’ brace in the match also made him the first Ghanaian player to score two goals in a match at the World Cup. He also became the youngest African player after Ahmed Musa of Nigeria to net a brace in a match at the Mundial.
First player to score 2 goals against Ghana
Cho Gue-Sung also broke the record of being the first player to score two goals against Ghana at the World Cup. Never in the history of the World Cup has any player scored two goals against Ghana. Not even the great Ronaldo of Brazil or Portugal or Andre Pirlo was able to do that. However, the Korean player scored two headers against Ghana to become the first to score a brace against Ghana.
Record for most passes for a goal
Kudus first goal against South Korea was the result of a long streak of passes leading to a goal for Ghana at the World Cup. Up to 31 unintercepted passes led to Kudus’ first goal in the game. Andre Ayew’s goal against the USA in 2014 held the previous record of 14 passes leading to a goal for Ghana.
7 goals in 7 matches for Ghana
Since June 26, 2010, Ghana has scored a goal in each of its matches at the World Cup. The last time Ghana failed to score a goal at the World Cup was in a match against Germany. Ghana has so far scored 10 goals in 7 of their last 8 matches at the World Cup. This is the longest goal streak for the Black Stars at the Mundial.
After two rounds of games, Africa’s five World Cup representatives now know what they need to qualify for the last 16 in Qatar.
Three sides from the continent have their destiny in their own hands going into the final round of group games, but two others need to win and then hope other results go their way.
If two sides finish level on points, final group standings will be decided by goal difference, then goals scored before head-to-head results and fair play records come in.
If records are still identical, lots will be drawn – and if the latter sounds far-fetched, do not forget that Senegal became the first side to be eliminated on fair play in Russia four years ago.
Ghana – Uruguay revenge can seal progress
Ghana held their nerve to beat South Korea 3-2 on Monday and secure a vital three points after a defeat by the same scoreline to Portugal in their opener.
Monday’s win keeps the Black Stars’ fate in their own hands, and while a draw could be enough if Portugal beat South Korea, the West Africans know that victory over Uruguay in their final match on Friday (15:00 GMT) will see them through.
The prospect of knocking out Uruguay at the same time adds further spice to a tie already smothered in it since the game is a rematch of the 2010 quarter-final, which saw Ghana narrowly miss out on becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals.
In an unforgettable clash, Uruguay’s Luis Suarez was sent off deep into extra-time for a handball on the goalline to stop a certain goal – prior to Asamoah Gyan missing the resulting penalty, and the South Americans going on to win via a shoot-out.
Suarez could again feature as one of three survivors from the Uruguay starting XI from that match in Johannesburg, while Andre Ayew is the only member of Ghana’s 2010 squad in Qatar – even if he did not feature in the last eight matches in South Africa.
“It will be very difficult but I’m not a guy that thinks much of revenge,” coach Otto Addo said.
“It was a really, really long time ago. I am a strong believer if you don’t seek too much revenge on these kind of things, sometimes you get the blessings.”
Ghana scored three goals in a World Cup match for the first time
Senegal – Win needed, but draw could do
The equation is fairly simple for the African champions – the Teranga Lions must beat Ecuador on Tuesday (15:00 GMT) to be sure of progressing from Group A, while the South Americans need just a point to go through themselves.
Senegal could go through with a draw but only if the Netherlands lose to Qatar, which seems unlikely, by a margin of three goals – or a margin of two goals and Senegal outscore the Dutch by a goal.
Given the hosts have lost both their games so far, Aliou Cisse should not count on such a favour and has promised “not to overthink the game” against Ecuador.
“We understand that winning will allow us to continue the adventure and that’s what we want to do,” Cisse said. “We are OK, we are dealing with pressure and stress. For me, it is good stress.”
Senegal knocked Qatar out of their own World Cup last time out
Tunisia – Three points may not be enough
Tunisia are up against it as the Carthage Eagles sit bottom of Group D after a goalless draw with Denmark preceded a 1-0 defeat by Australia.
The North Africans have to beat defending champions France, who are already assured of a last-16 place and must score their first goal in Qatar on Wednesday (15:00 GMT) to have any chance of doing so.
Even then, that will not be enough if Australia beat Denmark.
Tunisia will progress on goal difference if they win and Australia-Denmark ends in a draw, but a win for Denmark would see it come down to goal difference, goals scored or even, possibly, the fair play record.
Tunisia were the first African country to win a game at the World Cup when they beat Mexico 3-1 in Argentina in 1978, but they once again look set to fail to reach the knock-out stages – for the sixth time out of six.
Tunisian fans have backed their team in great number but have yet to see them score a goal
Morocco – One point will do
Sunday’s stunning 2-0 victory over Belgium leaves Morocco in a strong position in Group F, with four points from two games.
A draw in their final match against Canada on Thursday (15:00 GMT) will be enough to reach the knock-out stages for just the second time, and first since topping their group in 1986.
Morocco could win the group if they win and Belgium beat Croatia in the other match – or if the Atlas Lions and Croatia are both victorious and the North Africans better Croatia’s margin of victory by two goals.
“We’ve matched two of the best teams in the world,” coach Walid Regragui said. “Of course it will be tougher if we get to the knockout stage but that’s the level I want to get to.
“With these fans, with these players and this spirit we can do anything. The competition is not over, we have to recover quickly for the game against Canada.”
Morocco celebrate their stunning win, their first at the World Cup since 1986, over Belgium
Cameroon – Win and … hope for the best
The Indomitable Lions seemed to be crashing out early when trailing Serbia 3-1 with half an hour left in their second group game, but a Vincent Aboubakar-inspired comeback saw the Central Africans draw 3-3 and live to fight another day.
Similar to Tunisia, Cameroon need a victory against one of the heavyweights of world football – in this instance, five-time World Cup winners Brazil themselves – in their final game on Friday (19:00 GMT).
The Brazilians are already through to the last 16 but for Cameroon, like the North Africans, a win may not be enough depending on the result of the Serbia-Switzerland game.
“It is possible to beat Brazil,” coach Rigobert Song said. “We believe in ourselves, we did not come here to just go through the motions. Cameroon still has a contribution to make to this tournament.”
After trailing by two goals, Cameroon produced a stunning comeback to draw 3-3 with Serbia on Monday
The RC Lens midfielder was in action for the Black Stars on Monday afternoon and helped his national team to cruise past the South Koreans with an important 3-2 win at the end of the 90 minutes.
In a post on social media after the game, Abdul Salis Samed has expressed appreciation to Ghanaians for their support at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“Until the last second. Thanks for the support,” Abdul Salis Samed posted on Instagram
Black Stars second group game at the 2022 World Cup ended in victory on Monday afternoon. The game at the Education City Stadium ended 3-2.
The Black Stars of Ghana in the first half battled the South Koreans who put pressure on the back four of Ghana for close to 20 minutes. Before halftime, Ghana broke the deadlock after some interesting play.
Ghana was the first to score through Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu in the 24th minute after a corner by Jordan Ayew. The goal was checked by VAR and the referee whistled for a goal.
Ghana scored again in the 34th minute through Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus after receiving a wonderful ball from Jordan Ayew.
After halftime, the South Koreans made a couple of changes and started putting pressure on Ghana. The pressure made off and Gue-sung Cho scored from a pass from Kang-in Lee. They scored a few minutes later through Gue-sung Cho again.
Ghana’s third goal was scored by Mohammed Kudus his second of the game. His game was assisted by Inaki Williams.
The Black Stars will now focus on getting a positive result against Uruguay on 2nd December.
Black Stars second group game at the 2022 World Cup ended in victory on Monday afternoon. The game at the Education City Stadium ended 3-2.
The victory changed the positions in Group H, Ghana played two games and South Korea also played two games. Ghana took on Portugal and South Korea. South Korea played Uruguay and Ghana.
Portugal and Uruguay have played just one game so far. They will clash tonight at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Ghana is currently second in Group H with three points after two games while South Korea is bottom with 1 point after two games.
Portugal leads the group with three points but with a better goal difference. Uruguay is third with one point.
In today’s game, the Black Stars of Ghana in the first half battled the South Koreans who put pressure on the back four of Ghana for close to 20 minutes. Before halftime, Ghana broke the deadlock after some interesting play.
Ghana was the first to score through Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu in the 24th minute after a corner by Jordan Ayew. The goal was checked by VAR and the referee whistled for a goal.
Ghana scored again in the 34th minute through Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus after receiving a wonderful ball from Jordan Ayew.
After halftime, the South Koreans made a couple of changes and started putting pressure on Ghana. The pressure made off and Gue-sung Cho scored from a pass from Kang-in Lee. They scored a few minutes later through Gue-sung Cho again.
Ghana’s third goal was scored by Mohammed Kudus his second of the game. His game was assisted by Inaki Williams.
The Black Stars will now focus on getting a positive result against Uruguay on 2nd December.
One can recall that Daniel Afriyie Barnieh delivered an impressive performance for Ghana in their 2-0 win over Switzerland in their final pre-World Cup friendly on November 17, 2022.
The 21-year-old footballer has since won the heart of many Ghanaian fans who have tipped him as one of the great players selected for the World Cup tournament.
But touching on this feat, Yaw Dabo has shared his excitement as a proud former manager.
“Yes, yes, I am impressed. Because when I look at where he came from, his background and all that he has been through, I am so happy for him. You see, in this world, not all glitters are gold. It can be that through the help I have offered him, I will also land a great opportunity somewhere which will also help the academy. It’s a good thing. I am very happy and proud,” he stated in an interview with Zionfelix.
Asked whether he (Yaw Dabo) has got high expectations with regards to drawing financial assistance from the player, he indicated;
“I talk to him. We communicate. As for blacks, we might have the perception that he is supposed to be supporting me at least every month but I don’t see it like that. I don’t disturb him with money issues because I think he is yet to achieve more than he has. I want him to focus. There are times he even calls me for money because he still sees me as his boss. He doesn’t even make enough money from Hearts of Oak. He is now building his foundation and I don’t want to give him pressure. You’ll be surprised to know that maybe his pay at Hearts of Oak isn’t even up to 2,000.”
Portugal is expected to win Group H, which includes the Black Stars at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, according to Ghana coach Otto Addo.
The Black Stars lost their initial World Cup game to Portugal, and they’ll be hoping to rebound against Korea.
Last Thursday, Cristiano Ronaldo made World Cup history by becoming the first player to ever score five goals. His second-half penalty gave Portugal the advantage over Ghana.
Andre Ayew of Ghana then equalized, but Portugal won and topped Group H despite Osman Bukari’s late winner with two goals in three minutes from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao.
The Black Stars will take on South Korea in their second Group H game on Monday afternoon at the Education City Stadium.
Ahead of the clash, the Germany-based trainer says Portugal are favourite at the moment to top Group h.
“At the moment, it looks like Portugal, we were a bit unlucky like we could have earned a point against them”
“You see everything is possible, Uruguay is good and South Korea also, I think it’s equal group and anything can happen. I think there might be surprises” he said.
Fifa+ has worked out all the potential scenarios for every team in terms of qualifying and going out.
France are the first team to progress, while Qatar and Canada are out
Brazil and Portugal have the chance to qualify in their second fixtures
These calculations will be updated after every match
Who needs what to make it through to the Round of 16 at the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022™? And who could soon be on their way home?
With Matchday 2 now underway, Fifa+ has analyzed all the key scenarios going forward.
Group A
Ecuador-Senegal (29 November, 18:00 local time)
Netherlands-Qatar (29 November, 18:00 local time)
Netherlands need to win or draw to qualify. They will still qualify if they lose, provided Ecuador beat Senegal.
Ecuador need to win or draw to qualify. They remain in contention to qualify if they lose and Qatar beat the Netherlands.
Senegal need to win to qualify but remain in contention if they draw and Qatar beat the Netherlands.
Qatar are eliminated.
Group B
Wales-England (29 November, 22:00 local time)
IR Iran-USA (29 November, 22:00 local time)
England will qualify with a win or draw. Depending on goal difference, the Three Lions could also make it through in defeat.
Wales must win to have any chance of progressing.
IR Iran are guaranteed to progress if they beat the USA.
A draw will also take the Iranians through provided Wales do not beat England (in which case goal difference will come into play).
For the USA, it’s simple: win and they are through. Lose or draw and they will be heading home.
Group C
Saudi Arabia v Mexico (30 November, 22:00 local time)
Poland v Argentina (30 November, 22:00 local time)
Poland will be through with a win or a draw but would be knocked out by a defeat coupled with a Saudi Arabia victory. If Poland lose and Saudi Arabia draw, the two teams will have to be separated by goal difference. If Poland lose and Mexico win, their fate will also be decided by goal difference.
Argentina must win to be sure of progressing, while a draw would be enough if Mexico and Saudi Arabia also draw. However, a draw coupled with a Saudi Arabia victory would see La Albiceleste knocked out, and a draw coupled with a Mexico win takes the group to a goal difference. Argentina are out if they lose.
Saudi Arabia will reach the Round of 16 if they win. A draw would be enough if Poland defeat Argentina, but if both matches are tied, they will go out. Should Argentina defeat Poland and Saudi Arabia draw, progress will be decided othe n goal difference between the European and Middle East sides. Defeat would see them knocked out.
Mexico must win to have any chance of staying in the competition. They will be sure to go through if Poland win. If they win and Argentina and Poland draw, it will come down to goal difference with Argentina. Should Argentina win, goal difference will be required to separate Mexico and Poland.
Group D
Tunisia-France (30 November, 18:00 local time)
Australia-Denmark (30 November, 18:00 local time)
France are already qualified and will top the group unless they lose to Tunisia and Australia beat Denmark, which would leave them tied on six points with the Socceroos.
Victory will see Australia qualify, while a draw would be enough unless Tunisia beat France, which would see the North African side go through on goal difference.
Denmark must win against Australia and, if they do so, will be certain to qualify unless Tunisia beat France, which would leave them tied on four points with the Carthage Eagles.
Tunisia must beat France and hope Denmark avoid defeat by Australia to be in contention to qualify.
Group E
Costa Rica-Germany (1 December, 22:00 local time)
Japan-Spain (1 December, 22:00 local time)
Spain will qualify for the Round of 16 with a win or a draw. Defeat to Japan will leave them relying on their currently superior goal difference to progress unless Costa Rica beat Germany, in which case Luis Enrique’s side will be out.
Japan can go through with a victory against Spain, while a draw, coupled with deadlock in Costa Rica v Germany clash, will ensure they progress. They will go out if they are beaten by Spain, or if the match ends in a draw and Costa Rica triumph against Germany. Goal difference will be required to decide their fate if they draw and Germany are victorious.
Costa Rica can reach the last 16 by defeating Germany. A draw for Luis Fernando Suarez’s side would also guarantee a spot in the next phase if Spain overcome Japan, but if the current group leaders are beaten then goal difference comes into play. A draw in both games or a defeat for Costa Rica puts them out.
Germany must pick up three points to stay in contention. Victory over Costa Rica coupled with a win for Spain against Japan will see them qualify. A draw between Luis Enrique’s side and the Samurai Blue, or a win for Japan, would take the equation to goal difference. All other results would see Hansi Flick’s men out of the competition.
Group F
Canada-Morocco (1 December, 18:00 local time)
Croatia-Belgium (1 December, 18:00 local time)
Croatia are through if they win or draw. Defeat would leave them needing eliminated Canada to overcome Morocco, in which case goal difference would be required to separate Zlatko Dalic’s side from the Atlas Lions.
Morocco are through if they win or draw. Defeat would leave them needing Belgium to overcome Croatia, in which case goal difference would be required to determine if they or the 2018 runners-up progress to the last 16.
Belgium will qualify for the Round of 16 with a victory over Croatia. Defeat will see them knocked out. A draw will only be enough if Morocco are beaten by Canada, with a goal difference then set to determine where Roberto Martinez’s side and Walid Regragui’s outfit finish in Group F.
Canada are already eliminated after losing their opening two fixtures.
Group G
Cameroon-Serbia (28 November, 13:00 local time)
Brazil-Switzerland (28 November, 19:00 local time)
A defeat would knock Serbia out if Brazil fail to win against Switzerland.
A win would Brazil see through if Cameroon fail to win against Serbia.
A defeat would knock Cameroon out if Switzerland fail to win against Brazil.
A win would see Switzerland through if Serbia fail to win against Cameroon.
Group H
Korea Republic-Ghana (28 November, 16:00 local time)
Portugal-Uruguay (28 November, 22:00 local time)
A win would see Portugal into the Round of 16.
A defeat would put Ghana out.
Uruguay and Korea Republic can neither qualify nor be eliminated on Matchday 2.
TIEBREAKER INFORMATION
If two or more teams in the same group are equal on points after the completion of the group stage, the following criteria, in the order below, shall be applied to determine the ranking:
STEP 1:
(a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
(b) superior goal difference in all group matches;
(c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
STEP 2:
If two or more teams in the same group are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:
(d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
(e) superior goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
(f) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
(g) highest team conduct score relating to the number of yellow and red cards obtained;
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