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Ati-Zigi, from villain to hero!
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Ati-Zigi making a save during the Group H match between South Korea and
Ghana at the Education City Stadium in Qatar
Hundreds of Ghanaian supporters around the world may have been stiff worried when the nation’s two top goalies – Joojo Wallocott and Richard Ofori were omitted from the Qatar World Cup for sustaining 11th-hour injuries.
What it meant was that Ghana would desperately be compelled to lean on its third-choice goalkeeper – Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
It was really an unsettling piece of news to the Ghanaian football populace because of the erratic Ati-Zigi’s past atrocious performances in Black Stars’ colours, committing a string of school-boy errors and conceding some ridiculous goals in the process.
The most recent of Ati-Zigi’s flop was in June this year during a four-nation tournament in Japan – known as the Kirin Cup, where the host nation hammered the Stars 4-1 with Jordan Ayew grabbing the consolation for Ghana.
So uninspiring was the St Gallen goalkeeper’s output that he was hauled out of the third-place game and replaced by KAS Eupen goalkeeper Abdul Manaf Nurudeen – who turned hero after saving two penalties to salvage the blushes of the Ghanaians.
It was against this saturnine backdrop that many expressed disappointments when the first and second-choice goalies dramatically picked up injuries on the last week of the unveiling of the final-26 for Qatar.
Expectations were that goalkeeper Manaf was going to take the number one spot, believing he wielded the character and mental strength to man the posts better. Wrong! The coaches and technical team thought otherwise.
They may have seen something special about Ati-Zigi that was not common to the ordinary eye. Perhaps!
As fate may have it, the ‘Zigi-man’ was named first-choice against Portugal in a taxing Qatar World Cup Group H opener that Ghana lost 3-2. The defeat, notwithstanding, the St Gallen shot-stopper was marvelously sharp on the night as he pulled a plethora of saves.
If his performance against Portugal was imposing – that against South Korea was momentously mind-blowing. Indeed, but for his bravado, the Koreans would have pulled level at the dying embers of the sweltering fixture.
First, Ati-Zigi clawed out Lee’s late dipping free-kick and endured the sort of game that makes you wonder why anyone would want to be a goalkeeper.
He had also saved well from Cho Gue-sung when Korea Republic finally managed an effort on target, and the man from St Gallen’s handling and command of his penalty area were both assured.
You could hardly blame him on the goals that he conceded; the back-line having Cho to do the damage.
Indeed, there is not a keeper in Qatar who would have been able to deny the irrepressible Cho.
When Ghana overcame the disappointment of their two-goal advantage being wiped out in the blink of an eye to restore the lead, it was time to bolt up and preserve the points – as the Koreans continued to torture the Ghanaian backline.
Limpidly, the Ghanaian goal-tender could easily have garnered away the man-of-the-match prize – only licked to it by compatriot Mohammed Kudus, whose two fatal finishes earned him the coronet.
Ati-Zigi himself took to social media to thank his maker in appreciation of a bravura performance that came 24 hours ahead of his 26th birthday (November 29).
“You’ve done it again Lord, you’re good. You’re mighty and you’re merciful. You give me more than I deserve. I’m forever grateful Lord”, he wrote on Twitter.
Indeed, after the game, social media was awashed with a transport of ecstasy from Ghanaians as they sang in praise of the Black Stars’ goalie who made four heart-stopping saves and five recoveries at the 40,000-capacity Education City Stadium.
“Ati Zigi is better than De Gea but Manchester United fans will argue,” a Twitter user, @__Sharyf said.
“Massive and impressive performance from Ati Zigi really kept us in the game,” another tweeted.
For Ghanaian entertainment journalist, Olele Salvador: “Ati Zigi, the stone that the builders rejected, became the chief cornerstone today! Thank you for your service.”
Only six months back, he was lampooned, demonized and caricatured for a bad performance. Today, he has mushroomed from villain to hero.
As of the time of putting these thoughts together, the Zigi-man was getting ready for his third game at the World Cup against Uruguay. The match would have been played before this piece comes out. Just hoped he did some great work, yet again!
By John Vigah
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Swedru All Blacks back to winning ways, Roshan humble King Faisal
Sekondi Rospak FC made it eight wins in eight successive home games after three second-half goals from John Amoah, Joseph Ntow and Stephen Anthony Kofi. John Amoah opened the scoring in the 55th minute after a barren first half. Joseph Ntow added to the tally in the 56th minute before Stephen Anthony Kofi rounded things up in the 74th minute to give Rospak a 3-0 win over former Premier League side King Faisal.
Elsewhere at Swedru – leaders Swedru All Blacks humbled PAC Academy in an emphatic 2-0 win. Zayat Bubakari scored first for Swedru All Blacks in the 27th minute before Rudolf Junior Nana Kwasi Mensah made it 2-0 in the 34th minute. Swedru All Blacks are top of the table with 36 points – 4 points ahead of second placed Rospak FC.
Meanwhile, Former Premier League side Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs recorded their fourth successive home victory after beaten New Edubiase United 2-1 at the Robert Mensah Park. Enoch Odoom struck first for Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs in the 19th minute but Steven Asante equalized for New Edubiase United before halftime. After the interval, Godfred Eshun scored from distance in the 65th minute to help Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs secure all the points.
Here are the results in Zone Two
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Cervical Cancer alert: Avoid sex at early age
The Programmes Manager of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Mary Efua Commeh, has advised young girls to avoid sex at an early age.
This, she explained, will give the cervix the opportunity to mature before they become sexually active.
“You need to delay what we call the first sexual intercourse as much as possible to give the cervix the opportunity to mature before the person becomes sexually active,” she said.
Dr Commeh stated this in an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Tuesday as a part of the Cervical Cancer awareness month.
According to her, cervical cancer was the second leading female cancer in Ghana with a total of about 3,072 cases annually, and out of that, 1,815 deaths are recorded, representing more than 50 per cent.
She indicated that “If young girls are going to be sexually active, then you need to talk to your parents about being vaccinated.”
She explained that vaccinating young girls against human papillomavirus (HPV) has been found to be a very effective way of preventing cervical cancer.
“There are countries that started HPV vaccination years ago and they are not seeing any cervical cancers now because they would have eliminated most of the high-risk HPVs in their women. So if the high-risk HPV is not there, then obviously the results on cervical cancers are going to go down,” she added.
Dr Commmey said the HPV vaccination is recommended for young girls aged nine to 14 years, adding that it had been found to be highly effective, not just for cervical cancers but for other HPV-related cancers, such as anal cancers, cancers of the vagina, genital warts, amongst others.
She further elaborated that the idea is to put up a barrier before the HPV comes in and that once a young female encounters it, she is already protected.
She also mentioned that for cervical cancers, the main cause is called HPV infection, saying generally, all sexually active women acquire HPV at some point in their lives.
However, the Programmes Manager of NCDs at the GHS mentioned that the body has a way of clearing the HPV, explaining that it is a natural mechanism that goes on, unfortunately, there are a few women whose HPV persists.
Moreover, she noted that the numbers for Cervical Cancer tend to be much higher because at times, clients would wait, and try all sorts of medications before they finally report to the health facility saying “we actually lose some women before they get to the hospitals with over 75 per cent of the cases coming in its third and fourth stages.”
Dr Commey, therefore, called for public awareness while ensuring the availability of information for prevention and control.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
