Sports

Three foreign-born players switch allegiance to Ghana: Can the trio help the Black Stars go far in Qatar?

Published

2 years ago

July 6, 2022

Three foreign-born footballers, Tariq Lamptey of Brighton & Hove Albion, Southampton’s Mohammed Salisu as well as Inaki Williams of Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish La Liga, have all switched allegiance to Ghana and are eligible to play for the Black Stars in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Europe-based trio are now eligible to represent the four-time African champions at senior level after initially shunning earlier invitations to play for the country, while holding out for invitations to the national teams of their birth countries.

While Lamptey and Salisu had hoped for call ups into the English national team setup, Williams had looked forward to moving from the Spanish Under 21 to the senior national team but with their chances being limited by the day, they have all decided to return to the country of their parents.

The switch of allegiance by the trio was confirmed by the President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, via a post on Twitter on Tuesday night.

“Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu, Stephan Ambrosius, Patrick Pfeffer and Ransford Yeboah [are] available for national selection,” Simeon-Okraku wrote on the micro-blogging platform.

Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu, Stephan Ambrosius, Patrick Pfeffer and Ransford_Yeboah available for national selection.

Below, yours truly with the Dad of Tariq (Ahmed)
Bro, thanks for the trust and your determination to see Ghana succeed. #BringBackTheLove pic.twitter.com/vJb0byj3Ka

— Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku (@kurtokraku) July 5, 2022

28-year-old Williams had represented Spain at U21 level before playing for their senior national team in a 3-1 friendly defeat of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2016, but since then, has not had a look in from the Spanish team selectors.

Salisu was born in Kumasi but left for Europe, first to Spain where he played for Real Valladolid before switching to Premier League side Southampton.

He had previously rejected invitations to star for the Black Stars while hoping to get a call up by either Spain or England while Lamptey who was born in Hillingdon to Ghanaian parents has played for England at U18, U19, U20 and U21 levels but his chances with the Three Lions has been blocked by the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James.

Though the development is a big boost for the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 World Cup, the big question on the lips of soccer fans in the West African country is what the trio will bring to the Black Stars when the best footballing nations gather in Qatar for the World Cup in November.

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Sports

TP Mazembe pip AS FAR to win African Women’s Champions League

Published

8 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) became the third team to win the 2024 African Women’s Champions League after narrowly defeating AS FAR of Morocco 1-0 in the final played on Sunday at the El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi Stadium.

TP Mazembe claimed the title for the first time courtesy of a 10th minute penalty which was converted by Marlene Kasaj after AS FAR captain Aziza Rabbah handled the ball in the box.

The Congolese side should have doubled their lead six minutes later when an unmarked Merveille Kanjinga fired wide from seven yards out before the more fancied home team gradually grew into the match and looked to cancel the deficit and add to their continental triumph in 2022.

But AS FAR put in a subdued display and failed to test Mazembe’s goalkeeper Fideline Ngoy, with tournament top scorer Doha El Madani who had netted six goals in their run to the final, wasting their best chance as she sliced a first-half free-kick wide.

With the triumph, TP Mazembe carted home the giant trophy and a cheque for $600,000 (£479,000) after the prize money was increased for the fourth edition of the tournament, while the AS FAR went home with $400,000 (£319,000).

Sports

Wafcon 2024 draw throws up interesting pairings

Published

1 day ago

November 23, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The draw for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) holding in Morocco from July 5 to 26 next year which was held on Friday, threw up some interesting match-ups to look forward to as hosts Morocco found themselves in what has been described as the group of death.

The Atlas Lionesses will have to contend with Zambia, DR Congo and Senegal in Group A, while Group B has record 11-time continental champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria slugging it out with Tunisia, Algeria and Botswana, just as current defending champions, Banyana Banyana of South Africa will do battle with Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in Group C.

The top two sides in each group will progress to the quarter-finals, alongside the two best third-placed finishers.

Though qualification for the 2024 Wafcon was completed in December last year, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was forced to push the finals into 2025 because of international football’s congested calendar, which included the participation of Nigeria and Zambia at the Olympics.

Morocco also staged the 2022 edition of Wafcon, ending as runners-up, and former international Fatiha Laassiri believes home support will provide “a real advantage” next year.

Wafcon 2024 group draw with world ranking in brackets:

Group A: Morocco (hosts, 59), Zambia (62), Senegal (83), DR Congo (102).

Group B: Nigeria (36), Tunisia (78), Algeria (84), Botswana (153).

Group C: South Africa (holders, 50), Ghana (66), Mali (81), Tanzania (145).