International Football
We are in Kumasi to make history, says Ahmed Musa
Ardent football followers in Ghana strongly believe that the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi is a slaughter ground for opposition teams.
Though it is surprising that the stadium was not their first choice for the crunchy encounter with the Super Eagles but were only forced by circumstances to leave their initial choice, the Cape Coast stadium.
They glowingly recall the 6-1 demolition of Egypt at the ground in 2013 as well as another 7-0 demolition of hapless Lesotho in 2012.
They easily forget that it was on that same ground that South Africa beat Ghana 1-0 to eliminate the Black Stars at the quarter-finals of the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations. The same South African team was beaten by the Super Eagles in the semi-finals of the competition.
The Super Eagles are not even swayed in their determination as they promised to banish the so-called myth of Ghana’s invincibility in Kumasi.
Ahmed Musah has said that his men are confident of breaking the jinx at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi by beating Ghana in the first leg of the 2022 World Cup playoff.
Ghanasoccernet quoted the over a century capped player as saying that his players have in recent past beat home sides and that Ghana will not be an exemption.
Speaking ahead of the game, the Fatih Karagümrük forward stated the Super Eagles can repeat the victory against Benin in the AFCON qualifiers when they face Ghana at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
“We have been hearing a lot of things. How they have not lost in that stadium (Babayara).
“If you remember the 2021 AFCON qualifiers when we played in Benin Republic, they told us they have not lost there. We went there and won.
“I believe we will go there and make history by winning in Kumasi,” Musa said during Wednesday’s press conference in Abuja.
Nigeria have in the past beaten Ghana at home. First was in 1975 Ghana-Nigeria Sports Festival when goals from Ogidi Ibeabuchi and Emeka Onyeadika enabled Nigeria shock Ghana 2-1 at home.
At another time, Adegboye Onigbinde led the Nigerian side to beat Ghana 1-0 at home after a goalless outing in Kaduna in the qualifying series for the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
It was in that 30 October 1983 match that the legendary Rashidi Yekini debuted for Nigeria. Chibuzor Ehilegbu and John Omughele scored Nigeria’s two goals in a famous 2-1 win.
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The famous 6-1 defeat of Egypt at the Baba Yara Stadium had been attributed to the employment of voodoo (Juju) by the Ghanaians.
Sports Village Square reliably had it that “behind the display of great football and tactical ingenuity by Kwesi Appiah, lies the untold story of a state-sponsored juju operation that aided the victory.”
It was gathered that a spokesperson of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) revealed that a Sport Minister at the time exhumed the body of a dead goat to help Ghana beat Egypt. The said Minister is Joseph Yamin who served as a deputy to Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.
Yamin, in an interview with www.ghanaweb.com denied exhuming the goat himself but confirmed that the state, upon the advice of some spiritualists had to perform some rituals to help the Black Stars secure victory over the Egyptians.
The former Deputy Sports Minister confirmed to being part of delegation that visited two places in Kumasi to dig out some items which had been planted with the aim of causing the Black Stars to lose the game.
International Football
German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.
The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.
“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.
-Reuters
International Football
Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel
German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.
Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.
PLAYING CAREER
* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.
* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.
* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.
* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.
COACHING CAREER
* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.
* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.
* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.
* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.
* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.
* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.
* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.
* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.
* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.
* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.
* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.
* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.
* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.
* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
-Reuters
International Football
Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
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