#2014FIFAWORLDCUP: Portugal 2 - 1 Ghana

Both Portugal and Ghana have bowed out of the World Cup in Brazil as the Portuguese grabbed a slender 2-1 victory at the Estadio Nacional this afternoon, leaving Germany and the USA to seal progression from Group G into the last 16.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to create anything noteworthy as he unleashed an effort from distance, which was kept out at the top right corner of the Ghanaian goal.

The Real Madrid star could have put his side 1-0 ahead after 20 minutes, but he saw his headed effort from a Joao Pereira cross saved by Fatau Dauda.

Kwadwo Asamoah showed signs of promise down the flanks and he delivered something special for Asamoah Gyan, who saw his header stopped from rippling the back of the net as Beto made a good save.

However, the tables were turned on Ghana in the 30th minute when Boye put the ball into his own net, leaving Portugal to take a 1-0 lead into half time.

Ghana managed to pull level after the break when Gyan got on the end of a cross from Asamoah to nod home at the back post.

Gyan was in standout form as he sought to pull his side back into contention for qualification, however Majeed Waris was unable to finish with his head despite a telling cross from the former Sunderland striker.

Any hopes of a Ghana revival were thwarted 10 minutes from time as Ronaldo drilled home from eight yards.

Read More

#2014FIFAWORLDCUP PREVIEW: Portugal Vs Ghana

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal require a major swing in goal difference if they are to reach the knockout stages of the World Cup.

From their first two group fixtures, the European nation have collected just one point, conceding six goals and scoring just two in the process. Consequently, with only Ghana left to play in Brasilia on Thursday, Portugal stand on the cusp of elimination.

In terms of team selection, Ronaldo is expected to be feature despite a persistent knee problem, but a hamstring complaint has ruled out full-back Fabio Coentrao. Centre-back Bruno Alves is also believed to be struggling to shake off a knock, but Pepe will return from suspension.

Like their Portuguese counterparts, Ghana also have a solitary point, although at -1, their goal difference could prove to be pivotal if the USA were to lose to Germany in the other group encounter.

Head coach Kwesi Appiah will have to make do without the services of Sulley Muntari, who is suspended, but Kevin-Prince Boateng is expected to keep his place in the starting lineup.

Recent form

Portugal: WDWWLD

Ghana: DLLWLD

Possible starting lineups

Portugal: Beto; Alves, Pereira, Pepe, Costa; Veloso, Meireles, Moutinho; Nani, Ronaldo, Postiga

Ghana: Dauda; Afful, Mensah, Boye, Asamoah; Rabiu, Badu, Boateng; Atsu, A Ayew, Gyan

Read More

#2014FIFAWORLDCUP: Germany 2 - 2 Ghana

Miroslav Klose came off the bench to rescue a point for Germany in a thrilling 2-2 draw with Ghana in Fortaleza tonight.

Second-half goals from Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan had given the African nation a slender lead after Mario Gotze opened the scoring.

However, the evergreen Klose was on hand to equalise within minutes of coming on with a typical poachers goal to earn Joachim Low's side a point.

In scoring, the 36-year-old moved level with Brazil legend Ronaldo as the World Cup's most prolific goalscorer of all time with 15 goals in the competition.

It was Ghana who managed to fashion the game's first attempt, as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was forced to beat away Christian Atsu's well-struck shot on 13 minutes.

The Germans responded well as Mesut Ozil menaced in the opposition half, with the Arsenal man teeing up Sami Khedira to fire straight at Fatau Dauda, before his cross for Thomas Muller was cut out in the nick of time.

James Kwesi Appiah's side finished the half in the ascendency as Sulley Muntari's fiercely-struck shot tested Neuer, but the European outfit survived and took the lead within minutes of the restart.

Muller, who bagged a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Portugal in the Group G opener on Monday, turned provider to set up Gotze with an easy header on 51 minutes.

Falling behind only served to spark Ghana into life, though, as Appiah's men flipped the game on its head shortly after.

Ayew scored his second in as many games, providing an immediate riposte with a glancing header, before Gyan fired past Neuer nine minutes later to give the Black Stars a narrow advantage.

Low's decision to replace goalscorer Gotze with Klose was met with a chorus of boos by the Germany supporters, but the coach was vindicated within minutes as the 36-year-old wriggled free from his marker to poke home from a corner.

Die Mannschaft finished off the contest the better of both sides, and Klose fired agonisingly wide of the mark from a good position late on, but it came as close as they would come to finding a winner and Ghana held on for a point.

Read More

#2014FIFAWORLDCUP PREVIEW: Germany Vs Ghana

Germany will move to the brink of qualification for the last 16 of the World Cup if they can defeat Ghana in Fortaleza.

The three-time winners eased past Portugal on Monday evening, and the four-goal margin of victory means that they are almost assured of top spot if they beat Ghana, providing that USA don't win their final two games.

Coach Joachim Low is unlikely to make any alterations to a team that comprehensively overcame their main rivals in the group, and Thomas Muller will be eager to add to his hat-trick after taking an early lead in the race for the golden boot.

Competing in their third World Cup, Ghana have never failed to reach the knockout stages, but boss Akwasi Appiah will be aware that his team cannot afford defeat if they are to continue that streak.

The Black Stars put in a spirited display against the USA on Monday night before succumbing to a late goal from John Brooks, and Appiah might decide to go with the same lineup for the game with Germany.

However, if he tinkers with his side, one potential inclusion could be former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, who made an appearance from the substitutes' bench in the first match.

Recent form

Germany: WDDWW

Ghana: LLLWW

Possible starting lineups

Germany: Neuer; Boateng, Howedes, Mertesacker, Hummels; Lahm, Khedira, Kroos, Ozil, Gotze; Muller
Ghana: Larsen Kwarasey; Opare, Asamoah, Boye, Mensah; Muntari, Atsu, Rabiu, J.Ayew, A.Ayew; Gyan

Read More

#2014FIFAWORLDCUP: Ghana 1 - 2 USA

John Brooks scored a late goal to give the USA a 2-1 victory in their World Cup Group G opener against Ghana.

The Americans got off to the perfect start and took the lead within 29 seconds of the match. Clint Dempsey received Jermaine Jones's pass, before bursting into the box past John Boye and firing into the corner.

Jozy Altidore came close to scoring a second when he was picked out in the middle by Fabian Johnson but saw his close-range effort blocked by Boye.

The Americans were then dealt a blow minutes later as Altidore went down with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and could not continue

Ghana gradually fought their way back into the game and Christian Atsu curled a strike over the bar, before Asamoah Gyan saw a long-range effort beaten away by Tim Howard.

After the break Sulley Muntari looked to level the scores with a drive from range that whistled inches wide of the far post.

They came even closer soon after when Gyan rose to meet Atsu's cross, but could only put his header over the bar.

Gyan seemed like Ghana's most likely player to get on the scoresheet and his powerful header was tipped wide by Howard, before he saw a close-range effort deflect narrowly over the bar.

In the 82nd minute Ghana equalised through Andre Ayew, who latched onto Gyan's clever back-heel and fired a strike past Howard.

They were not level for long as four minutes later the Americans regained their lead. Brooks rose the highest to meet Graham Zusi's corner and powered a header into the net past Kwarasey to claim all three points for his side.

Read More

#2014FIFAWORLDCUP PREVIEW: Ghana Vs USA

A familiar World Cup fixture will occur on Monday when Ghana face United States in their opening Group G match of the 2014 competition.

The two nations have met in the last two World Cups, with Ghana winning 2-1 in 2006, before recording the same scoreline in the round of 16 in 2010.

Four years ago, Ghana were a penalty shootout away from becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, but they have retained much of the same squad.

Ghana also scored more goals (25) than any other team in the African World Cup qualifiers.

USA, meanwhile, secured their qualification for this summer's competition after winning seven of their 10 matches, with that run of results leaving them top of the section on 22 points.

However, United States have kept just two clean sheets in their last 23 games at the World Cup.

Ghana boss Kwesi Appiah has no fresh injury concerns entering the match and is once more expected to select former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan as his lone forward.

Kevin-Prince Boateng, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari will also start in a midfield that is full of European experience, while Jordan Ayew and Andre Ayew are also expected to be in the XI.

United States boss Jurgen Klinsmann made the headlines when he left Landon Donovan out of his squad for this summer's competition, but Jozy Altidore has been in good form for his country.

The Sunderland striker is expected to lead the attack with support from Clint Dempsey, while Michael Bradley will start in the middle of the midfield alongside Jermaine Jones.

Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron, meanwhile, is also expected to start, with Fabian Johnson and DeMarcus Beasley deployed in the full-back positions in what is effectively a 4-4-1-1 formation.

Recent form
Ghana: WWLLLW

United States: WLDWWW

Possible starting lineups

Ghana: Kwarasey; Afful, Boye, Mensah, Asamoah; J Ayew, Muntari, Essien, A Ayew; Boateng, Gyan

United Stages: Howard; Johnson, Cameron, Besler, Beasley; Beckerman, Bradley, Jones, Zuzi; Dempsey; Altidore

Read More

SPORTS: Libya Wins First Continental Silverware As They Beat Ghana 4 - 3 On Penalties #CHAN2014

Libya won their first continental title after beating Ghana in the final match at the CHAN tournament in South Africa.

The match ended goalless after 120 minutes, so the two teams needed the shootouts to determine the winner.

Ghana’s Michael Akuffo, Abeiku Aninson and Joshua Tijani missed their kicks.

At a point, it looked like a straight victory for the Mediterranean Knights after the Black Stars’ first two penalty takers wasted their kicks.

But it took Stephen Adams to put the west Africans in the game after pulling two crucial saves to take the scoreline to 3-3 after all five kicks were exhausted.

However, Tijani failed to extend the battle beyond the sixth kick after failing to convert his.

Ghana were chasing their first title at the senior level in 32 years while the north Africans were aiming at their first continental crown ever.

Interestingly, the last time Ghana won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1982, they beat Libya in the final in Tripoli.

But history could not repeat itself as Javier Clemente’s team snatched the trophy this time around.

The two teams met at the group stage and settled for a 1-1 draw. This was the third straight penalty shootout encounter for the Libyans right from the quarter finals to the grand finale.

Ghana who missed out on the gold medal at the inaugural competition in Ivory Coast in 2009 can boast of some discoveries for the Black Stars ahead of the World Cup.

Goalkeeper Adams who was praised by Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi produced an outstanding performance worthy of consideration for the vacant number three slot in the Black Stars set-up.

Defenders Nuru Sulley and Kwabena Adusei also did well during “auditioning” process.

Rwanda will host the next edition in 2016.

Source: Goal.com

Read More

NEWS: BBC World TV's Komla Dumor Dies At 41

BBC TV presenter Komla Dumor has died suddenly at his home in London at the age of 41, it has been announced. Ghana-born Dumor was a presenter for BBC World News and its Focus on Africa programme.

One of Ghana’s best-known journalists, he joined the BBC as a radio broadcaster in 2007 after a decade of journalism in Ghana.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama said on Twitter that his country had lost one of its finest ambassadors.

BBC Global News Director, Peter Horrocks called Dumor a leading light of African journalism who would be deeply missed.

“Komla’s many friends and colleagues across Africa and the world will be as devastated as we are by this shocking news,” Mr Horrocks said in a statement.

“The sympathies of all his colleagues at the BBC are with his family and friends.”

Komla Dumor was born on 3 October 1972 in Accra, Ghana.

He graduated with a BA in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Ghana, and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.

He won the Ghana Journalist of the Year award in 2003 and joined the BBC four years later. From then until 2009 he hosted Network Africa for BBC World Service radio, before joining The World Today programme.

In 2009 Komla Dumor became the first host of Africa Business Report on BBC World News. He travelled across Africa, meeting the continent’s top entrepreneurs and reporting on the latest business trends around the continent.

He interviewed a number of high-profile guests including Bill Gates and Kofi Annan.

Last month, he covered the funeral of former South African President, Nelson Mandela, whom he described as “one of the greatest figures of modern history”.

He anchored live coverage of major events including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the funeral of Kim Jong-il, the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, the Norway shootings and the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

In his review of 2013, published last month, Dumor said the passing of Mandela was “one of the moments that will stay with me”.

“Covering the funeral for me will always be a special moment. I will look back on it with a sense of sadness. But also with gratitude. I feel lucky to have been a witness to that part of the Mandela story.”

Read More

NEW MUSIC: Ghana & Naija All Stars – Love In The Air (Ovation Christmas Carol 2013)

Ovation's yearly Christmas carol is out with the theme "Love In The Air", this one is different in the sense that it features artists from Ghana and Nigeria such as Becca, Edem, Afriyie Wutah, May D, Dammy Krane, Skales, Dazzle, Yemi Alade, Patoranking and Mya K.

DOWNLOAD
Love In The Air Prod. Fliptyce

Read More