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Benjamin Asare, Razak Simpson set new standards …as Samartex emerges 13th winner of competition

 The 2023/24 Ghana Premier League produced a 13th differ­ent winner in the history of the competition following Medeama SC’s inability to retain the title.

The Tarkwa lads finished eighth in the just ended campaign as they were ‘overthrown’ by Sameraboi based, FC Samartex 1996.

Statistics released by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed three clubs, Accra Great Olympics, Bofoakwa Tano and Real Tamale United as sides to have suffered relegation while, FC Samartex 1996, Accra Lions, Berekum Chelsea and Nsoatreman FC finished in the top four.

FC Samartex successfully won the Premier League title for the first time to become the 13th different winner of the competition having qualified for the elite league only two seasons ago. They finished the season with 61 points – same points as Accra Accra Hearts of Oak in the 2021/22 season. Record holders, Asante Kotoko, lifted the 2021-22 League title with 67 points, while Medeama SC won the trophy with 60 points last season.

Abrankese based, Nations FC, played in the Premier League for the first time yet set an impressive record as the only unbeaten side at home.

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Kasim Mingle’s team won 10 and drew 7 in 17 home games at the Dr Kwame Kyei Sports Complex. Strik­er Stephen Amankona is the second Berekum Chelsea player to win the top scorers award with 19 goals as he joins Kofi Owusu who scored the same number of goals (19) to win the golden boot in 2015. Stephen Amankona also becomes the second best top scorer in the last four League seasons – three goals behind Yaw Annor who netted 22 in the 2021-22 season.

Berekum Chelsea’s Stephen Aman­kona made the headlines with his goal scoring prowess as he ended the season with 19 goals with Steven Muk­wala Desse of Asante Kotoko netting 14 goals of which nine were scored on the road.

Agyenim Boateng Mensah of Dreams FC scored 14 goals –his best perfor­mance in the League since his move from Division One side, Nzema Kotoko. Ebenezer Abban of Heart of Lions scored 13 goals to become the most prolific defender in the last four years.

Benjamin Asare completed the sea­son with 16 clean sheets yet suffered relegation with Accra Great Olympics after the ‘Dade Boys’ finished in the bottom three. Asare becomes the first goalkeeper in the last four seasons to be relegated after winning the golden gloves.

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Still on Benjamin Asare, he is the League’s second best goalkeeper in terms of clean sheets in the last two seasons. Only Iddrisu Abdulai, formerly of Bechem United, has a better record of 18 clean sheets in the 2021-22 season.

Among the debutants in the Gha­na Premier League, Hamza Issah who joined Hearts of Oak from feeder club, Auroras, scored 13 goals in his debut campaign. Heart of Lions’ Ebenezer Abban also netted 13 goals in his first League season having played a role in the Kpando Boys’ return to the Ghana Premier League.

Heart of Lions centre back, Ebenezer Abban, scored nine goals from the spot to equal Vincent Atinga Addae’s record (9 goals) for Medea­ma SC in the 2022-23 Ghana Premier League.

Among the 18 Premier League teams, only Accra Lions played the entire season without a single goal from a spot kick. Heart of Lions were awarded the most (11) penalties this season.

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Great Olympics goalkeeper, Ben­jamin Asare, featured in the League more than any other player with 3,258 minutes. Nine of the top 10 players with the most League appearance are defenders with one goalkeeper in the list.

Nations FC defender, Razak Simp­son, won the NASCO Man of the Match awards more than any other player. The former WAFA Centre back bagged seven Man of the Match awards in his debut campaign with Nations FC.

The 2023/24 season recorded 628 goals, one more than the 2021-22 sea­son which had 627 goals. The 2020-21 season produced 691 goals (highest in the last four years) with the 2022/23 season following in second place with 644 goals.

Matchday 4 and Matchday 24 recorded the least number of goals in the season (11), while Matchday 8 had 28 goals (the highest in the season) with a total of 628 goals scored in the just ended campaign.

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Accra Great Olympics, Medeama SC and Heart of Lions had the cleanest of sheets in the season (16). While, League Champions, FC Samartex, Nsoatreman FC and Berekum Chel­sea had 15 clean sheets each in the season.

Nsoatreman FC and Asante Kotoko SC recorded five away wins each to end the season as teams with most away wins.

Clubs with the most goals scored, included champions FC, Samartex (45), Dreams FC (44) and Aduana FC (43).

Ghana Premier League record hold­ers, Asante Kotoko, scored 17 away goals this season with Steven Muk­wala Desse netting nine of the goals. (Record away goal scoring form by a player in the League).

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Relegated Real Tamale United lost 21 games (worst record by a club in the League), Aduana FC lost 16 games having finished in fifth place.

Bofoakwa Tano, who suffered relegation, recorded 15 draws – the highest in the League. Heart of Lions, Accra Hearts of Oak, Bechem United and Accra Great Olympics occupy the top five spots.

Also, League Champions, FC Samar­tex, won 19 games in the league with 16 of them coming at home and three others on the road.

Accra Lions played the entire sea­son without receiving a red card but Legon Cities and Nsoatreman recorded six red cards each. (Season’s worst record).

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Thirty-One (31) centre referees officiated 306 Ghana Premier League games with Julian Nunoo officiating 17 of the games – the highest of the season. Juliet Appiah is the only fe­male centre referee to officiate in this seasons League.

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A look at Africa’s chances at FIFA Club World Cup

Mamelodi Sundowns set to extend their good run to the Club World Cup

With the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup soon entering the exciting quarter-finals stage, an increased in global attention will be on the African game, as four strong African contenders prepare to represent the continent at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.

The new and expanded version of the global club showpiece will take place in the United States between June 14 and July 13.

Reigning African champions Al Ahly SC, Tunisian giants ES Tunis, Morocco’s Wydad AC and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa are the four clubs set to compete in the 32-club competition featuring some of the best clubs in world football.

CAFOnline takes a look at how the four representatives might fare at the much-anticipated competition.

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Al Ahly SC – Egypt

The African champions will be making their 10th appearance at FIFA Club World Cup, with an impressive record of three bronze medals from their previous nine showings.

Guided by the 64-year-old Marcel Kohler who has enjoyed great success with the club, bagging two successive TotalEnergies CAF Champions League titles with the Red Devils, a lot will be expected of the club heading to the US firmly carrying the title of African champions.

The Egyptians face a mammoth task, having been drawn in Group A along with CONMEBOL COPA Libertadores champions SE Palmeiras (Brazil), FC Benfica (Portugal) as well as a Lionel Messi’s inspired Inter Miami CF (USA).

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The 12-time African champions will be banking on the experience of their veteran campaigners such as Hussein El Shahat, Mohammed Al Shenawy as well as Mohamed Hany who have been highly instrumental in their most recent silverware collection.

Espérance Sportive de Tunis – Tunisia 

Tunisian giants, Espérance Sportive de Tunis are headed to their fourth FIFA Club World Cup, having appeared at the competition’s 2011, 2018 and 2019 editions.

The Tunisians are yet to make a mark at the global showpiece and will be looking at stamping their authority as one of the best teams from the continent.

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Last season’s TotalEnergies CAF Champions League runners-up are drawn in Group D alongside former European champions Chelsea FC, Brazil’s CR Flamengo as well as Club Leon of Mexico.

Captained by Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida who marshals the defence, the Tunisians will be relying on the trickery and speed of their attack that will be led by the likes of Youcef Belaili and newly signed Elias Mokwana.

Mamelodi Sundowns – South Africa

This year’s edition marks Mamelodi Sundowns’ second FIFA World Cup appearance after their 2026 debut in Japan.

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The South Africans find themselves in a tough Group F alongside German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense FC of Brazil as well as Ulsan HD of Korea.

Affectionately known as the Brazilians for their enterprising style of play, the stage is set for the former African champions to shine under their new coach, Miguel Cardoso.

Key to Sundowns’ success will be their South American signings, Lucas Ribeiro Costa (Brazil) Marcelo Allende (Chile) as well as Lucas Suarez (Argentina) who seemed to have gelled well at the club.

Wydad AC – Morocco

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Proud hosts of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 and the FIFA World Cup 2030, Morocco will be fully behind their club Wydad Athletic Club when they make their first FIFA Club World Cup appearance.

Having successfully stamped their authority as one of Africa’s best clubs, the Moroccans will be using the global showpiece to grow their presence at the world stage.

Drawn in a tough Group G along with English champions Manchester City, UAE’s Al Ain FC as well as Italian giants Juventus, the Moroccans have a tough group stage assignment ahead of them.

Currently undergoing a rebuilding phase under former Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena, the FIFA Club World Cup presents an exciting challenge for the club, as they look to rebuild in what looks to be a new era for the former African champions.

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CAF releases draw procedure for TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Cote D’Ivoire 2025

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the draw procedure for the 2025 TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Ghana will join 12 other countries for the biennial youth tournament, scheduled to take place in Cote D’Ivoire from April 26 to May 18, 2025.

The participating teams include Egypt and Morocco from North Africa, holders Senegal and Sierra Leone from WAFU A, Nigeria, Ghana, and host Cote d’Ivoire from WAFU B, Tanzania and Kenya from CECAFA, South Africa and Zambia from COSAFA, and DR Congo from Central Africa.

The 13 teams will be distributed into three groups: one group of five teams (A) and two groups of four teams (B and C). 

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The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stages, along with the two best third-placed teams.

The ranking of the third-placed teams will be determined after removing the results of the team ranked fifth in Group A. 

The knockout stages will consist of the quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place match, and final.

RANKING:

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Senegal – Winner in 2023

Nigeria – Third place in 2023

Congo – Second in group stage

Egypt – Third in group stage

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Zambia – Fourth in group stage

Note: The remaining teams did not qualify.

Cote d’Ivoire, the host, will occupy position A1.

Senegal, the holder of the title from the 2023 edition, will occupy position C1, while Nigeria, the third-placed team in 2023, will occupy position B1.

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Congo, Egypt, and Zambia, the next best-ranked teams from the 2023 edition, will be in level 2.

DRAW PROCEDURES:

In level 1, Cote d’Ivoire will occupy position A1, Nigeria will occupy position B1, and Senegal will occupy position C1.

Five pots will be used for the draw:

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Pot 1: The teams in level 2 (Congo, Egypt, and Zambia)

Pot 2: The remaining seven teams (Ghana, RD Congo, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania)

Pot 3: Positions A2, B2, and C2

Pot 4: Positions A3, B3, and C3

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Pot 5: Positions A4, B4, and C4

The teams in level 2 will be drawn into positions A2, B2, and C2. The remaining teams will be drawn into positions A3, B3, C3, A4, B4, and C4. The remaining team will automatically occupy position A5.

Ghana last won the title in 2021, defeating Uganda 2-0 in the final in 

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