Sports
Ghana kicks Nigeria out of another major football tournament
Ghana football once again established its dominance over arch rivals Nigeria.
The Black Galaxies of Ghana secured qualification at the expense of Nigeria to the 2023 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) to be held in Algeria.
This comes after Ghana’s locally based side edged their Nigerian counterparts 5-4 on penalties in the second leg encounter in Abuja, Nigeria on Saturday September 3, 2022.
Ghana eliminated Nigeria from the race to the Qatar 2022 World Cup, when the Black Stars drew goalless with the Super Eagles in the Cape Coast and managed a 1-1 draw in Abuja to eliminate Nigeria on away goals rule.
Again, the Black Galaxies despite winning the first leg CHAN encounter by 2-0 were pegged back by Nigeria who won the second leg by 2-0 in regulation time.
Nigeria dominated most of the first half but couldn’t get any goals as the Black Galaxies remained solid in defence.
Zilkifilu Mohammed scored the first goal for Nigeria in the 76th minute while Chijoke Nnamdi’s stoppage strike sent the game to penalties.
The Black Galaxies prevailed in the penalty shootouts, as they made a comeback to the CHAN after missing out on three last editions.
The tournament will be staged in Algeria from January 8 – 31, 2023.
The Black Galaxies are making a return to the tournament for the first time since 2014.
In the first leg encounter, two second half goals from Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and Seidu Suraj gave Ghana advantage ahead of the second leg.
In the Nations Championship, which is restricted to footballers playing in their country of birth, Daniel Barnieh converted a penalty to maintain a goal-a-game CHAN record.
Seidu Suraj, a teammate of Barnieh at famed Accra club Hearts of Oak, added a potentially crucial second goal four minutes from time in Cape Coast.
Ghana has a mixed CHAN record — finishing runners-up in two of the first three editions but failing to qualify for the last three tournaments.
The African Nations Championship (CHAN) is a tournament in which the national teams exclusively feature players who ply their trade in the domestic league of their home country.
Therefore, apart from players based in Europe and other leagues abroad, even players who play in other African leagues are not eligible to represent their home country in the championship.
In 2007, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially announced the introduction of CHAN, to be held every two years. Having commenced in 2009, the 5th edition will take place in 2018.
The idea behind CHAN was the need to strengthen the domestic leagues in Africa, which have been overshadowed by the European leagues.
It is open only to players who play their trade on the African continent and is held on even-numbered years, alternating with the more high profile Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
DR Congo won 2009 CHAN
The first tournament was held in 2009 in Ivory Coast and was won by DR Congo, who defeated Ghana 2-0 in the final.
Interestingly, both teams had been in the same group (Group B) where Ghana had beaten DR Congo 3-0 at the group stage.
It featured just eight teams and was staged across two venues in Abidjan and Bouake.
Tunisia won 2011 CHAN
The tournament expended to 16 teams and five venues for its second edition in Sudan in 2011, which saw Tunisia claim the CHAN title with an emphatic 3-0 win over Angola in the final.
Libya won 2014 CHAN
The tournament then ‘missed’ a year and was only staged again in 2014, with CAF deciding to swap the AFCON to odd-numbered years so that their main competition was not staged in the same years as the World Cup.
The third CHAN therefore only took place in 2014 in South Africa, a tournament which saw Libya emerge as surprise winners after they beat Ghana on penalties in the final.
DRC Congo won 2016 CHAN
In 2016, DRC Congo secured their second title to become the only country to have won the tournament twice.
Morocco won 2018 CHAN
Morocco became the first and only host to win the tournament in 2018.
Morocco won the TOTAL African Nations Championship (CHAN) for the second time by overcoming Mali’s bold challenge 2-0 in a thrilling final at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde.
Qualification format
The current qualification format assigns slots to each region of the continent in the following manner (including host nation): two slots each for North Zone and Zone West A; three slots each for Zone West B, Central Zone, Central-East Zone and Southern Zone.
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Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has pledged government support to the Twasam family to give Christian Atsu a befitting burial.
Receiving the mortal remains of Atsu at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, he said “The State will be fully involved with the family in providing Atsu a befitting burial.
The casket of Atsu landed at Kotoka International Airport Sunday Night from Turkey where he lost his life as a result of the earthquake that has killed over 45,000 people and counting.
On behalf of Government, Dr Bawumia extended condolences to the Twasam family, Ghanaians and the footballing fraternity for the “deep loss”.
“We hoped against hope and prayed but when we found him, he was no more. He played for the Black Stars and was much loved. We will sorely miss him. It is a painful loss,” he said.
Also at the airport to receive the casket were Minister of Information;- Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Mr Evans Bobie Opoku-Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Prosper Harrison Addo-General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Many sympathisers also trooped to the airport to witness the arrival of the casket.
The Twasam family expressed gratitude to Government and Ghanaians for the support since the incident happened.
Shortly after the ceremony, the body was carried in a hearse and transported to the 37 Military Hospital morgue for preservation.
Tributes have been pouring in for the player and his family, following the confirmation of the recovery of his body in the wee-hours on Saturday.
The 31-year-old before suffering the tragic incident featured in their game against Kasimpasa SK on February 5, 2023, and scored the only goal in the game to give his side the win.
The sad event hit many Ghanaians due to the contribution and sacrifices Christian Atsu had made for his country both on and off the pitch.
He made 64 appearances for the Black Stars, netting ten goals and nine assists.
Atsu, known for his generosity towards the less privileged in society, left behind a wife and two children.
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Mustafa Özat, Vice-President of Hatayspor, the football club Christian Atsu plays for has confirmed that the Ghanaian international has been rescued alive.
He said: “Christian Atsu was removed with injuries. Unfortunately, our sporting director Taner Savut is still under the rubble.”
The Ghanaian international is said to be having some breathing difficulties with some injuries and has been taken to the hospital to receive treatment.
He has been confirmed safe by the Turkish rescue team after a major earthquake hit the country Monday morning.
Confirmation of his rescue has sent Ghanaians from all walks of life happy expressing gratitude to Almighty God
The hashtag ” #GloryToGod” has been trending on social media with various social media users, who are relieved with the news of Atsu’s rescue after hours of conflicting reports.
A statement from Ghana Football Association (GFA) said: “We’ve received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and he is receiving treatment. Let’s continue to pray for Christian”.
The Hatayspor forward was also affected by the disaster as he was trapped in the rubble for about 24 hours in his residence in Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
The earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, is said to be the worst to hit the country in a century. The last incident was in 1939.
The former Chelsea and Newcastle player joined the Turkish side in September last year and was on the scoresheet on Sunday when his side beat Kasimpasa 1-0.
Atsu made 65 appearances for the Black Stars of Ghana, scoring nine goals.
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Hatayspor FC Vice-President Mustapha Ozat says efforts are still being made to contact Ghanaian international Christian Atsu and Sporting Director Taner Savut.
Atsu and Savut are among the thousands of people who remain under the rubble following an earthquake that struck many cities in Turkey in the early hours of Monday.
According to the Vice-President, most members of the Hatayspor playing body have been accounted for, except for Atsu and Savut, who remain under the rubble.
“Christain Atsu and Taner Savut are still under the rubble. We are trying to reach them,” Mr Ozat said.
Many Ghanaians from all walks of life are praying for the rescue of Christain Atsu, who scored his first goal for his team in their 1-0 win over Kasimpasa on Sunday.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, I extend heartfelt condolences to the Governments and peoples of Turkey and Syria on the devastation and the tragic loss of lives occasioned by Monday’s earthquake. “May their souls rest in perfect peace,” President Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the survivors, and we pray that our fellow Ghanaian, Christian Atsu, is found safe and sound,” he wrote. Former President John Dramani Mahama wrote on Twitter: “Let’s continue to pray for our brother, Christian Atsu, and his club director. The city of Hayat is in the region affected by the earthquake. Let’s continue to pray that God spares their lives.”
In other related developments, the Ghana Paralympic Committee says all athletes living in the Turkey region are safe and sound.
A statement released by the GPC said it had made contact with athletes in affected areas, with no casualties yet.
Rescuers in Turkey and war-ravaged Syria searched through the frigid night into Tuesday, hoping to pull more survivors from the rubble after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed more than 4,000 people and toppled thousands of buildings across a wide region.
Authorities feared the death toll from Monday’s pre-dawn earthquake and aftershocks would keep climbing as rescuers looked for survivors among tangles of metal and concrete spread across the region beset by Syria’s 12-year civil war and refugee crisis.
Survivors cried out for help from within mountains of debris as first responders contended with rain and snow. Seismic activity continued to rattle the region, including another jolt nearly as powerful as the initial quake. Workers carefully pulled away slabs of concrete and reached for bodies as desperate families waited for news of loved ones.
- VALCO workers asking for dollar indexed salaries untenable – 4 November 2022
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