Ghanaian Players Abroad – WEEKDAY WRAP – 20-23 October, 2014: Amartey on target in Europa, others in action

By Ing. George-Patrick Bediaku (Follow on Twitter @gpbediaku)

 

Many Ghanaians were in action this week for their clubs on the Europe scene, both in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

Here’s your comprehensive round-up. Enjoy!

 

Monday, October 20.

Emmanuel Frimpong came on in the 63^rd minute as Ufa drew 1-1 at home with Torpedo Moskva. He was shown a 75^th-minute yellow card.

David Accam (on in the 59^th minute) and Ema Boateng (on in the 74^th minute) both played in Helsingborg’s 0-2 away loss to Falkenberg. Godwsay Donyoh was an unused sub for the hosts.

 

Tuesday, October 21.

Albert Adomah played the entire game as Middlesbrough lost 0-2 away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Kevin-Prince Boateng played the first 45 minutes as Schalke 04 beat Sporting CP 4-3 at home in the UEFA Champions League.

 

Wednesday, October 22.

Enock Kofi Adu played the entire game as Malmö FF succumbed to a second half routing to lost 0-5 away to Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

Kwadwo Asamoah played the entire game as Juventus suffered a shock 0-1 away defeat to Olympiakos Piraeus in the UEFA Champions League.

Frank Acheampong played the entire game as Anderlecht lost 1-2 at home to Arsenal.

Abdul Basit Adam came on in the 65^th minute as Free State Stars drew 0-0 at home with John Arwuah’s (70 mins) bottom AmaZulu.

John Paintsil and Awal Mohammed both played the entire game, as Mohammed Anas came off the bench in the 68^th minute to score the winner as Maritzburg United went away to beat SuperSport United 4-1.

 

Thursday, October 23.

Alhassan Wakaso played the entire game, Emmanuel Okyere Boateng came on in the 70^th minute as Rio Ave lost 1-2 away to Steaua Bucuresti in the UEFA Europa League. Wakaso was yellow-carded in the 43^rd minute.

Abdul Majeed Waris played the entire game as Trabzonspor beat Lokeren 2-0 at home in the UEFA Europa League.

Gideon Baah and Anthony Annan both played the entire game as HJK Helsinki lost 0-2 away to Torino in the UEFA Europa League. Annan was yellow-carded in the 43^rd minute.

Daniel Amartey scored FC København’s only goal in the 89^th minute before they gave up their late lead to draw 1-1 away with Club Brugge in the UEFA Europa League. Amartey was yellow-carded in the 49^th minute.

Mubarak Wakaso came on in the 67^th minute as Celtic hosted and beat Seidu Yahaya’s (90 mins) Astra 2-1 in the UEFA Europa League. Yahaya was yellow carded in the 8^th minute while Sadat Bukari was an unused sub for the visitors.

 

 

Ghanaian Players Abroad – WEEKDAY WRAP – 29 September – 2 October, 2014: Antwi just can’t stop, Accam on target, Gyan’s red

By Ing. George-Patrick Bediaku (Follow on Twitter @gpbediaku)

 

Another eventful week for Ghanaians. Some in the Champions League and the Europa League. David Accam grabbed his 17^th league goal of the season. And John Antwi scored another winner in Egypt. He just can’t stop!

However, it was also a week for firsts. Well…not so good ‘firsts’. Asamoah Gyan also saw his 1^st red card in an Al Ain shirt after a wild tackle in their AFC Champions League clash. Afriyie Acquah also received his marching orders for the first time in a Parma shirt.

All the juicy details in here. Here’s your comprehensive round-up. Enjoy!

 

Monday, September 29.

Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu played the entire game as Udinese hosted and beat Afriyie Acquah’s Parma 4-2. Acquah was shown a second yellow card in the 77^th minute.

Sulley Muniru played the first 45 minutes as CFR Cluj beat Universitatea Cluj 1-0 at home.

David Accam (90 mins) opened the scoring as Helsingborg went away to beat Mohammed Abubakari’s (90 mins) Åtvidaberg 2-1.

Zakaria Abdullai played the entire game as bottom Husqvarna lost 1-2 away at GIF Sundsvall.

Benjamin Fadi played the entire game as his Värnamo were thrashed 1-4 by leaders Ljungskile in their own backyard.

 

 

Tuesday, September 30.

Kevin-Prince Boateng played 79 minutes as Schalke 04 drew 1-1 at home with Maribor in the UEFA Champions League. Boateng was shown a 71^st-minute yellow card.

Asamoah Gyan was shown a 70^th-minute straight red card, after a wild two-footed challenge, as Al Ain won 2-1 at home but were beaten 2-4 on aggregate by Al Hilal, and lost out on the final of the AFC Champions League.

Reuben Ayarna played the entire game as GAIS lost 0-1 at home to Degerfors.

 

Wednesday, October 1.

Enock Kofi Adu played the entire game as Malmö FF beat Olympiakos Piraeus 2-0 at home in the UEFA Champions League. He was shown a 69^th-minute yellow card.

Frank Acheampong came on in the 73^rd minute as Anderlecht were walloped 3-0 at home by Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.

John Antwi scored the winner as Ismaily hosted and beat Petrojet 2-1.

 

Thursday, October 2.

Samuel Afum came on in the 69^th minute as Young Boys lost 1-3 away to Sparta Praha in the Europa League.

Emmanuel Okyere Boateng played 74 minutes as Rio Ave lost 0-1 away at Aalborg BK in the Europa League.

Abdul Majeed Waris played the entire game as Trabzonspor lost 0-1 at home to Legia Warszawa in the Europa League.

Gideon Baah and Anthony Annan both played the entire game as HJK Helsinki lost 0-3 at home to Club Brugge in the Europa League.

Daniel Amartey played the entire game as FC København lost 0-1 away to Torino in the Europa League.

Sadat Bukari played the entire game as Astra lost 1-2 at home to Salzburg in the Europa League. Seidu Yahaya was an unused sub for the hosts.

Mubarak Wakaso played 78 minutes as Celtic beat Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 at home in the Europa League.

 

Schlupp, Acquah and Accam surprise call-ups in Ghana 26-man provisional squad; No Vorsah

By Ing. George-Patrick Bediaku (Follow George-Patrick on Twitter @gpbediaku)

Coach Kwesi Appiah has named a 26-man provisional squad for the 2014 World Cup and there have been a number of surprise gate-crashers.

Coach Appiah included Leicester City’s Jeffrey Schlupp at left-back, Parma’s Afriyie Acquah in central midfield and Helsingborg’s David Titi Accam as a left midfielder.

The list which was announced at a press conference held at the GFA Headquarters on Monday afternoon did not include Isaac Vorsah and Anthony Annan, whose names were touted as possible returnees to add experience to the team.

The Black Stars will leave for Miami on June 1 for Miami to round up their preparations and face South Korea at the Sun Life Stadium on June 9 and leave for Brazil the next day.

Team Ghana is expected to arrive and train in Maceio on June 11, five days before the opening group game with the U.S.A.

Here is the full 26-man list to be trimmed down to 23 after the Netherlands clash.

Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey, Fatau Dauda, Stephen Adams

Right-backs: Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Opare

Left-backs: Afful Harrison, Jeffrey Schlupp

Central midfielders: John Boye, Jonathan Mensah, Rashid Sumaila, Akaminko Jerry

Central midfielders: Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Rabiu Mohammed, Kwadwo Asamoah, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Afriyie Acquah

Right midfielders: Christian Atsu, Albert Adomah

Left midfielders: Andre Ayew, Mubarak Wakaso, David Accam

Strikers: Asamoah Gyan, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Majeed Abdul Waris, Jordan Ayew

 

Boateng and Muntari score to sink Barca

The names of the two Ghanaian internationals who ply their trade for AC Milan will be on the lips of many Milan and football fans alike after their performances against Barcelona on Wednesday night in the UEFA Champions League.

Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari scored a goal each in the second half to hand Milan a very healthy 2-0 aggregate advantage going into the second leg.

Fans gathered at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza witnessed a game that they would remember for years to come, in which favourites Barcelona were played out of the depths.

After a first half of both sides cancelling out each other, Milan were easily the team which threatened more. This seemed to have boosted their confidence as they came out in the second half firing on all cylinders. And it didn’t take long for the first goal to come.

From a freekick, Riccardo Montolivo’s shot was blocked but ricocheted off Muntari and fell for Boateng who made no mistake to plant the ball in the bottom left corner of Valdes’ net (57’).

In fairness, the ball hit Muntari’s hand but the referee missed it and the goal stood.

Barcelona huffed and puffed but on a night where Messi could not exert his influence on the game, the Barcelona side seemed out of sorts. And their predicament was worsened in the 81^st minute, yet at the hand of another Ghanaian.

Mbaye Niang started the move when he surged into the Barcelona box and drew three players to him. He passed the ball to Stephan El Shaarawy who lobbed the ball over a defender for Muntari to shoot again into the bottom left corner of Valdes’ net.

The other AC Milan player with a link to Ghana is the ‘bad boy’ Mario Barwuah Balotelli. But he could not feature because he is ‘cup-tied’ due to playing for Manchester City earlier in the competition. But he did not miss any of the fun as he was pictured laughing and jumping around with his friends in the stands.

The 2-0 home win means that for Barcelona to knock AC Milan out, they would have to score three unanswered goals at the Camp Nou in a fortnight’s time. Is that an impossible task, even for the ‘mighty’ Barcelona team?

@OptaJose on Twitter gave an interesting statistic from the game. “Barça have only attempted one shot on target against AC Milan, their worst figure in Champion League since 2009 vs Chelsea.” That sums it all.

 

Posted on February 20, 2013