The beautiful game is being spoilt by Europe’s football bigwigs who indulge fans’ racism
They may be beset by injury but that has become de rigueur for the Black Stars, writes <b>Mark Gleeson</b>.
English football’s big guns were shot down in flames on Saturday as Chelsea and Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup quarterfinals in two of the famous old competition’s most remarkable upsets. Between them Chelsea and United have won four of the last five Premier League titles and boast some of the world’s finest players.
Harry Redknapp pulled off a unique FA Cup hat-trick against Manchester United as Sulley Muntari’s second-half penalty sealed a 1-0 victory that sent Portsmouth through to the semifinals for the first time since 1992. Redknapp, who had previously guided Bournemouth and West Ham to FA Cup wins against United, saw his team win at Old Trafford for the first time in 51 years.
No image available
/ 10 February 2008
Hosts Ghana scored three times in the last 20 minutes to beat Côte d’Ivoire 4-2 to finish third in the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday. Boubacar Sanogo, making his first start of the tournament, scored twice in nine minutes to give Côte d’Ivoire a 2-1 half-time lead.
No image available
/ 7 February 2008
Cameroon are only one step away from a record-equalling fifth Africa Nations Cup title after wrecking Ghana’s party with a 1-0 semifinal win over the hosts in Accra on Thursday. The winners in 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2002 came through a tense affair with Alain Nkong’s second-half strike breaking the gridlock.
No image available
/ 7 February 2008
Hosts Ghana kick off a high-calibre Africa Cup of Nations semifinal programme when they take on Cameroon at Accra’s Ohene Djan stadium on Thursday at 5pm GMT. The Black Stars will have to make do without suspended captain John Mensah, banned for one match after being sent off in Ghana’s 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Nigeria.
No image available
/ 3 February 2008
Junior Agogo scored a late goal on Sunday to lead 10-man Ghana over Nigeria 2-1 and into the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals. Agogo met Sulley Muntari’s cross from the left and sent the ball into the roof of the net in the 83rd minute to send the Black Stars into a showdown with either Cameroon or Tunisia on Thursday.
No image available
/ 29 January 2008
Hosts Ghana beat Morocco 2-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals on Monday as the tournament claimed its first coaching victim with Henryk Kasperczak quitting Senegal. Guinea also went into the last eight, following Ghana through from Group A despite managing only a 1-1 draw against rank outsiders Namibia.
No image available
/ 20 January 2008
Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari struck in the last minute to lift hosts Ghana to a 2-1 win against Guinea in the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations in Accra on Sunday. Ghana’s Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, given the fair-play award, said: ”It’s a good start for us.”
No image available
/ 19 January 2008
The West African state of Ghana is about to take its place in the international spotlight as hosts of the 26th Africa Cup of Nations. It’s been a bit of a scramble, but the former British colony is all set for the biggest show of its short life, one that promises to upstage even last year’s celebrations to mark 50 years of independence.
No image available
/ 18 January 2008
There has been much debate about whether the African Cup of Nations should be held at the end of the European season so that there is not a club-versus-country clash. Two football experts discuss the pros and cons. The continental showpiece kicks off in Ghana on Sunday.
It was a case of as you were at the head of the English Premier League as the top three sides all enjoyed a winning start to 2008. Leaders Arsenal remained two points in front with a 2-0 New Year’s Day victory over West Ham at the Emirates Stadium. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Manchester United stayed hot on Arsenal’s heels after a 1-0 success at home to Birmingham City.
No image available
/ 31 December 2007
The turn of the year can be both an inspiring and a daunting time for English Premier League clubs as they reach the end of a congested holiday-fixture programme and contemplate the challenges that lie ahead in the second half of the season. Someone who opts for the positive outlook is Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager.
No image available
/ 9 December 2007
Ryan Giggs’s 100th league goal saw Manchester United on the way to a 4-1 win against bottom-of-the-table Derby County to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday. Victory at Old Trafford, where Carlos Tevez scored either side of halftime, left second-placed United a point behind the Gunners
No image available
/ 4 November 2007
Harry Redknapp fears the African Nations Cup could wreck Portsmouth’s European ambitions after his side’s impressive 4-1 victory over Newcastle strengthened their top four credentials. Redknapp acknowledged that Portsmouth’s challenge will be affected more than most of their Premier League rivals by the tournament early next year.