Sports
Every word from Otto Addo’s post Niger presser
There was plenty for Otto Addo to discuss after the 1-1 draw with Niger on Monday. The result leaves us in third place in Group F of the 2025 Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers – as we picked only one point from a possible six, so the manager was unsurprisingly disappointed when he spoke to the media in his post-match press conference.
He was asked about the result, our next games against Sudan, the overall performance of the team and more.
Here’s a full transcript…
On being satisfied with the draw
Definitely not, I am not satisfied at all. I am really disappointed to be honest. We talked and we trained on set pieces, we talked about situations which could happen and the way they defended in the last 10 minutes was really, really bad. I think in general we had the game under control. We allowed sometimes some counter situations where we don’t close the gaps really well and then we got the lead. I think from that point things were easier.
On being wasteful in the second half
Also in the second half we changed some positions and the buildup and also some restrictions to seize moments for our wingers. We had a different set up in the midfield, so it was good. In the second half we controlled them; we created a lot of chances which we didn’t use. At the end, these kind of games are like this. There are no cheap teams, every team can play and Niger also did well, especially in their counter attacks. But I am very, very disappointed with the way we allowed our goals.
On the goal we conceded
We had a quite cheap goal against Angola and now again, I am just really, really disappointed and we have to be on our toes to defend these situations better. I don’t know what to say more because I am really, really disappointed. We talked too much, we trained exactly in this kind of situation also and I am really disappointed to see the team concede a goal like this.
On playing Sudan next
It will be difficult again. I knew from the start, it’s just some little margins, little details which can decide. This will be again, for us it will be a crucial match. We have to win, there is no way around it, and we have to win. If we want to have the chance to play better after, we have to win. We are under pressure, this is for sure and we have to do better.
On lessons
We are not allowing too cheap goals. Like I said, I am disappointed; we didn’t learn the lessons from the first game. Now it’s a set piece, we are all back, we need to defend this better, this is for sure and like I said, I am really disappointed. But surely it’s still in our own hands. We have the same point as Niger and now we have to wait. Angola, they will play tonight against Sudan. However, the result is if Sudan wins, they have six points, Angola three. If Angola wins, they have six points, Sudan three. If you take their draw, they have four points.
On making it out of what looks like a tough group
So it’s still possible but we have to improve, we have to improve much. We have to improve to use our chances and also to defend better in detail and to learn our lessons. Like I said, the goals are too cheap and we have to grow from this we have to learn from this. This is even more than a wake-up call.
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Sports
Medeama dare Chelsea in Golden City Park …Hearts, Kotoko locked up in tough battles away
A blockbuster clash is expected at the Golden City Park at Berekum tomorrow, when former league champions, Medeama SC and Berekum Chelsea, cross swords in a top match day 17 Ghana Premier League fixture.
Games between the two sides have left fans at the edges of their seats, and tomorrow’s clash is expected to follow the status quo.
More so, Medeama will be coming up against their former technical head, Samuel Boadu, who, since leaving the club, has been a thorn in their flesh anytime he comes up against them.
With seven points separating them, Medeama SC lie seventh on the log, three places above their host, and will need to dig deep into their rich reservoir of form and experience to be able to come out of the ‘Golden City’ unscathed.
Premier League leaders, Kpando Heart of Lions, will also lock horns with third place, Nations FC, at the Kpando Sports Stadium.
A point separates both teams on the log, and that has drawn a lot of talking points, going into the game tomorrow.
Nations FC go into the game as one of the two best teams, with four away wins. This record is likely to influence play as leading goal scorer of the campaign, Faisal Charwetey, leads the line for the visitors.
Bottom club, Legon Cities, will stay put at the Legon Stadium to host 14th-placed, Dreams FC, at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon.
That game is one for strugglers but has what it takes to generate the fireworks as they bid to snatch the points at stake to boost their survival quest.
Accra Hearts of Oak will travel to Samreboi to face Samartex 1996 in another game expected to produce a lot of thrills.
The Phobians have been on a good patch of form in recent times, chalking very important feat to claim a place at the upper part of the league table.
Playing away, they have shown resilience and courage and have not been intimidated at all, a situation that has made it difficult to brush them aside.
The story would not be different this time but the strength of the opposition would make it a more difficult encounter.
Samartex, after an impressive display in African club competition, appear to have taken the foot off the pedal and gradually dropping to the middle and lower ranks of the table.
This dip in performance is what they seek to bib in the bud as they welcome the Phobians in what can be described a do-or-die battle.
Porcupine Warriors Kumasi Asante Kotoko would welcome new boys, Vision FC, to the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
The Reds are obvious favourites in this encounter but they have been very inconsistent. That obviously presents a chance in the game as they aim to cause the biggest upset of the event.
In other games, struggling Accra Lions will welcome second-placed, Bibiani Gold Stars FC, at the WAFA Park in Sogakope; Nsoatreman FC will host Karela United at the Nana Konamansah Park in Nsoatre; Basake Holy Stars will return to the Crosby Awuah Memorial (CAM) Park to engage Aduana Stars, while Young Apostles and Bechem United battle each other in a Bono derby at the Wenchi Sports Stadium.
By Raymond Ackumey
Sports
Give us a Sports Minister of substance
It is that time of the political season where ‘Fellow’ Ghanaians will have to show their lobbying skills to catch the attention of a freshly elected and sworn-in president and his vice.
Like it is done in the legislature where ‘Honourables’ must work hard to get the attention of the Speaker, so must fellow Ghanaians scramble for space, swerve every obstacle to submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Usually, one must be well connected to more powerful people closer to those on the corridors of power for a CV to land at the appropriate place.
The scramble at the end of the day is to be favoured and selected for a ministerial role. When one is successful and even cleared by the house of Honourables, the victor is likely to serve as a Minister of the state for a period only God knows.
For some, it is after this that they can beat the chest proudly and state “Yes, I have arrived.”
But it is mesmerising how the efforts of the ambitious ones can be thwarted by comments or suggestions from another set of fellow Ghanaians.
These kind of fellow Ghanaians are the ones that lacks the prerequisite to desire the aspirations of the ambitious group.
At least through various media platforms, they make their voices heard on who should be selected for which ministry and give reasons why.
This happens very often but as to whether it is heard at the corridors of power, it will be difficult to tell.
Happenings in the current political ‘cocoa’ season has been no exception. Certain offices have been inundated with a lot of these CVs that an announcement had to be made for it to stop.
It may have stopped but what will be difficult to stop, may be the lobbying and those offering words of advice on who should be selected and who should be ignored.
Ahead of the announcement of a Minister of Sports and recreation (MoSR), there have been a lot of conversation over who to consider for the post and what the person brings to the table.
Some have called for an abrasive leader, expecting him to be tough and have either a thick skin or develop a dead goat syndrome to deal with perceived ills in the sector.
Some have gone to the extent of choosing such people to specifically deal with some actions or persons at the Ghana Football Association (GFA); as if that is where all the problems of Ghana sports emanates from.
Some have come up with many other suggestions; all in a bid to get someone cut for the role of the Sports Minister.
This is gradually making the role of the Minister of sports and recreation as the most difficult one; and perhaps no longer education, finance and labour etc.
But whatever happens, the selectors must carefully consider the true needs of Ghana sports and have a good knowledge of it as well as it current administration globally.
If we say sports has become a business, the sports minister nominee must fathom what it means and what is required to make it so.
The nominee must know and accept that sports is not just football. Apart from football, Ghana has over 50 sports federations, all depending on the national cake for survival.
The decoupling of the youth from its functions and replaced by recreation should also aid the nominee in categorising these sports disciplines.
By the rule of competitive advantage, the nominee must decipher those with realistic chances of doing well to be pushed. What we need is a Minister of substance and be firm to all but fair.
By Andrew Nortey
