E.T.
Mensah has no hand in Zakkour's assault
Hearts
in shaky start of CAF Champions League
ABC
premier league results - Week fixtures (No 3) (19/3/2000)
ABC
premier league table - 003
RTU
pip Goldfields at Kaladan Park.
South
Africa in U-turn on under-23 players
CAN
2000 drains Ghana of 9bn cedis.
E.T. Mensah has no hand in Zakkour's assault
Accra
(Greater Accra) 20 March 2000
The
Ministry of Youth and Sports denied on Saturday that the assault by some
soldiers on Mr. Harry Zakkour, Chief Executive of Accra Hearts of Oak, at the
Accra Sports Stadium last Wednesday during the Hearts-Kotoko league match was
at the orders of the sector minister.
This was
contained in a statement issued in Accra in reaction to front-page stories
carried by two Accra bi-weeklies - The Ghanaian Chronicle and the Graphic
Sports.
The
statement said the stories have been mischievously calculated to mislead the
public by tying the occurrence to the orders of the minister, E. T. Mensah.
It said the
orders that restrain persons other than those authorised to enter the arena of
the stadium is enshrined in article 21, clause two, of the regulations of the
Ghana Football Association (GFA).
The
regulations permit only five officials and seven reserve players of each team
into he inner perimeter in addition the 22 players who allowed onto the field
of play.
The
statement said if the rules had to be applied, it should be accepted that it
was done in conformity with the GFA Executive Council to eliminate hooliganism
from the nation's soccer.
"It is
surprising that the clubs which were adequately represented at the GFA congress
failed to inform their respective chairmen about the stance the GFA has taken
to implement its regulation", the statement said.
Mr Zakkour
was manhandled by the soldiers on duty for no apparent reason and eventually
prevented from entering the inner perimeter of the stadium. He was later picked
up, allegedly for resisting arrest, brutalised and placed in military custody.
GRi
Hearts in shaky start of CAF Champions League
Accra
(Ghana) 20 March 2000
Champion
club, Accra Hearts of Oak made a shaky start in this year's CAF Champions
League when they struggled to beat Horoya club of Guinea 2-1 in their first
round, first leg clash at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
It was a
sad day for the Phobians who have vowed this year to win the CAF cup which has
eluded them for so long. But the defeat of Ghana's premier club could be
attributed to the absence of key strikers Ishmael Addo, Joe Fameye and Charles
Taylor. While Fameyeh was nursing an injury, Addo could not play because of a
one match ban imposed on him by CAF
from last year. Taylor who was signed on by Hearts from Accra Great Olympics
after registration had closed for the touornament was not eligible to play.
With the
onus falling on bulky Ousmanu Amadu and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, the two fumbled
with multiples of first half chances that could have buried the Guineans early,
allowing them to return gallantly after the break to reduce to solitary the two
goals that they conceded in the first half.
Barely one
minute into the game, Amadu in a characteristic manner, fired off target while
Kuffour who was supposed to leave for the United Kingdom after the match to
begin his professional carrier, took his turn to head off target before a
yawning net.
The utility
player, however, atoned for his earlier miss with a piercing header to an
incisive cross from right-winger Kenneth Sarpong for the opener in the 15th
minute.
The
Guineans, who initially appeared content just sitting in their own half,
quickly re-organised themselves and
managed to make some incursions into the homesters' territory.
However, it
was Hearts who added another goal in the 42nd minute against the run of play,
through diminutive midfeilder Charles Allotey when he sliced Kuffour's
goalmouth pass into the net from an acute angle.
In the
second half the performance of Hearts deteriorated and they allowed the
Guineans to virtually take control of the midfield while they pushed more men
into attack.
Abdourahim
Toure pulled one back for the visitors in the 58th minute when his beautiful
header to a corner sailed into the net with goalkeeper Eben Dida totally
displaced.
Sensing
danger Hearts quickly brought on Yaw Sakyi for Emmanuel Adjogu and Ben Acquah
for injured Amadu in the 61st and 75th minutes respectively while the Guineans
substituted Jean Marie Sylla and Aboubaca Sylla for Morlaye Cisse and Ahlasany
Keita.
It was,
however, Hearts who nearly benefited from the changes when Sakyi was
gifted with two glorious chances at
the closing stages but the schemer shot wide to the astonishment of the fairly
large crowd at the stadium, leaving the return encounter in Conakry in a
fortnight a crucial one for the Ghanaian champions.
GRi
ABC premier league results - Week fixtures (No 3) (19/3/2000)
Accra
(Ghana) 20 March 2000
Results
Kumasi: Kotoko
(1) Power (0)
Tamale: RTU (1) Goldfields (0)
Sunyani:
Bofoakwa (1) Ghapoha (0) Accra: Liberty (1)
Okwawu (0)
(NOTE: The
following matches have been postponed because of the international assignments
of Hearts, Olympics and Dwarfs:
Kwaebibirem-Hearts, Olympics-B.A. United and Hasaacas-Dwarfs. Hearts is
competing in the Champions League, Olympics in the Cup Winners Cup and Dwarfs
in the CAF Cup).
The result
of the match between Dawu Youngsters and Kumasi King Faisal was not known at the time of filing this report.
GRi
ABC premier league table - 003
Team Local/Region P W D L F A Pts GD
Bofoakwa Sunyani, Brong Ahafo 3 3 1 0 3 1 7 +2
Liberty Accra, Gt. Accra 3 2 1 0 2 0 7 +2
Hearts Accra, Gt. Accra 2 2 0 0 5 0 6 +5
Ghapoha Tema, Gt. Accra 3 2 0 1 5 2 6 +3
Goldfields Obuasi, Ashanti 3 2 0 1 6 4 6 +2
Dwarfs Cape Coast, Central 2 1 1 0 2 1 4 +1
RTU Tamale, Northern 3 1
1 1 1 1 4 0
Okwawu Nkawkaw, Eastern 3 1 0 2 2 2 3 0
Hasaacas Sekondi, Western 2 1 0 1 1 1 3
0
Kotoko Kumasi, Ashanti 3 1 0 2 2 6 3 -4
Power
F/C Koforidua, Eastern 3 0
2 1 0 1 2 -1
Dawu Dawu, Eastern 2 0 1
1 2 3 1 -1
B.A. United Sunyani, Brong Ahafo 2 0 1 1 1 3 1 -2
King
Faisal Kumasi, Ashanti 1 0 0 1 0
1 0 -1
Olympics Accra, Gt. Accra 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 -2
Kwaebibirim Asuom, Eastern 2
0 0 2 0 4 0 -4
GRi
Kumasi
(Ashanti):
Kumasi
Asante Kotoko recovered from their recent chain of losses to beat Koforidua
Power FC by a lone goal in their ABC Premier league match played at the Kumasi
sports stadium.
But the
Porcupine warriors had to employ all the tricks under their sleeves before
subduing their stubborn opponents who proved unyielding as they matched their
hosts boot for boot.
The swift
and fast attackers of Power meandered through the Kotoko defence with cheeky
ease forcing central defender Mark Ofori nicknamed to over work.
Kotoko came
back strongly midway in the first half, forcing as many as four corner-kicks
with the Power defence reeling but the fabulous boys could not translate their
superiority into goals.
Forward
player Michael Osei shot off target in the 12th minute when he dummied the
defence while Lawrence Adjei and Shilla Alhassan narrowly missed in the 22nd and 34th minutes.
Determined
to register their first win Kotoko launched a furious attack after the break
and in the 50th minute play maker Michael Osei sliced through the defence to
lay a pass to Shilla Alhassan but his thunderbolt was fisted into play by
goalkeeper Emmanuel Doe.
As Lawrence
Adjei who was hovering around pounced on the ball for the kill goalkeeper Doe
fell him in the process, earning Kotoko a welcome penalty which was expertly
converted by skipper Godwin Ablordey for the only goal of the match.
The fairly
large crowd at the stadium cheered Kotoko on and they rallied more men forward
but good defensive work the Power's defence men kept the lone score until the
final whistle.
More
RTU pip Goldfields at Kaladan Park.
Tamale
(Northern):
Real Tamale
United (RTU) managed a hard fought 1-0 win over visiting Obuasi Goldfields in
their ABC premier league match at the Tamale Kaladan Park on Sunday.
The game,
which was virtually played in mid-field, lacked excitement as the forwards of
both teams failed to capitalise on the few chances that came their way.
RTU's
attackers lacked imagination up front, allowing the Goldfields defence pivoted
around Princeton Owusu Ansah and Kofi Amoako to easily dispossess them of the
ball.
Similarly,
the Goldfields attacking machinery of Isaac Boakye, Abdul Sylla and Kamara Dini
also failed to click.
However,
RTU in the 80th minute earned a freekick deep inside the visitors area and
outside right Abdul-Rahman's kick was re-laid to forward player Abass Iddrisu
to back-heel a grounder that beat keeper Mantey for the only goal.
Goldfields
nearly got the equaliser but were unlucky when a header from central defender
Yaw Owusu in the dying minutes hit the goal post.
More
Sunyani(
Brong Ahafo):
Tano
Bofoakwa played a determined game at the Sunyani Coronation Park to triumph 1-0
over visiting Tema Ghapoha in their ABC Premier League third week encounter.
Bofoakwa's
newly signed on striker, Antwi Manu, scored the only goal of the match in the
73rd minute.
The game
was full of near misses as both teams created numerous chances but failed
miserably to convert any into goals.
Bofoakwa
signalled their determination to carry the day in the early minutes of the
first half with incessant raids into the visitors' vital area.
Ghapoha
also made several attempts through their striking duo of Don Bortey of Starlets
1999 fame and Kwabena Boateng, formerly of Goldfields, but the defence of
Bofoakwa spearheaded by Malik Gargo foiled all their efforts.
In their
attempt to break the deadlock, the two teams made three changes each in the
second half, but it was Bofoakwa who benefited when Antwi tapped in a loose
ball to bring the club's points haul in the league to seven.
Liberty
Professionals beat Okwawu United 1-0 in their match played at the Accra Sports
Stadium on Saturday.
GRi
South Africa in U-turn on under-23 players
Johannesburg
(South Africa) 20 March 2000
The South
African Football Association backed down on Friday on barring players who had
represented the senior national side from playing in the under-23 team.
The U-turn
means that key players such as Quinton Fortune of Manchester United and
Benedict McCarthy of Celta Vigo will be able to participate in the country's
Olympic campaign.
South
Africa will now have a full-strength squad to choose from for next weekend's
final qualifying match away against Guinea in Conakry.
South
Africa needs to win the game to have any chance of qualifying for the soccer
tournament in Sydney in September.
Earlier
this month, Coach Ephraim Mashaba was forced to field a makeshift side in a
qualifying match against Ghana after the federation barred Fortune, McCarthy,
striker Siyabonga Nomvete and midfielder Steve Lekoelea from playing.
Afterwards
Mashaba launched a bitter attack on his own federation.
South
African Football Association chief executive officer Raymond Hack said the
original decision was made because of fears the players would be burnt out by a
taxing schedule of international matches this year.
He added:
"We have decided they should be allowed to play against Guinea and in the
Olympics Games if we qualify, but they will not be available for any friendly
internationals."
South
Africa are in second place behind Cameroon in their Olympic Games qualifying
group, trailing by two points with one round of matches to be played. Cameroon
are away to Ghana for an encounter with the Black Meteors.
GRi…/
Despite the
fact that Ghana’s senior National team, the Black Stars made no show in the
2000 African Cup of Nations hosted by Ghana and Nigeria, the sports
extravaganza cost the country 9 billion cedis.
Mr. Bukari
Moses Mabengba, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee of Youth and
Sports and Member of Parliament for Saboba told Parliament on Tuesday when he
submitted to the House a budget proposal of 32.4b cedis for the running of
activities of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The House
approved the amount with 14.6b cedis going into sports and the remainder for
youth development programmes.
According
to Mr. Bukari, 6.8b cedis was spent on the tournament while 2.2b cedis went
into the preparations of the senior national team, the Black Stars.
Mr. Bukari
said having spent the said amount there was just 5.6b cedis left for other
sports including the 2002 World Cup qualifying series.
He
therefore called on the Ministry of Finance to reconsider making more provision
for other activities of the sector if the country was to make an impact in the
world of sports.
He also
called on the sector ministry to bring to book all those involved in irregular
contracts relating to the Accra and Kumsi Stadiums rehabilitation project.
GRi.../