Kojo Owusu-Okyere, Tipster at Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites

Preview – Ghana vs Sudan – World Cup Qualification

Kojo Owusu-Okyere — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:12:51 +0000

We may have digested what we saw in the 2013 African Cup Of Nations, which was held in South Africa,when unfancied and unfashionable Nigerian team led by Joseph Yobo foils Burkina Faso in the grand-finale to become the champions of the continent again.
But now that the AFCON 2013 is a distant memory, so let’s get stuck into yet another sensational and thrilling qualifiers of the 2014 World Cup to be staged in Brazil,which will be in full swing across the length and breadth pf the continent this weekend. This is a time of great trepidation for supporters of all the various nations who will be in actions this weekend But the match I will be focusing is between The Black Stars of Ghana and The Nile Crocodiles Of Sudan.
Ghana,who came fourth at the recent Nations Cup plays the Nile Crocodiles of Sudan [ as some call them ] in front of a vociferous supporters at the Baba Yara Stadium,who most of the people are staunch foootball fans,which on a good soccer day the whole town would awashed with red,yellow and green colours, an indication of their support and love for the national team. One thing that is certain about this Sudanese team is that they are a compact side that are very familiar with each other ; which almost all their players are assembled from the top two clubs in the Sudanese league,that is Al Merreikl and Al Hilal.

GHANA vs SUDAN

Nickname : Black Star vs Nile Crocodiles
Venue : Baba Yara Stadium ,Kumasi

Date : 24th March,2013

Time : 1600GMT { 4pm Local time }
Referee : Raphael Anthony Ramsy , Malawi

Coming Into This Game
The stakes will be high at the Baba Yara Stadium with the outcome of the game possibly going on a long way to decide the destiny of both teams. Ghana are second on the Group D table in this qualifying campaign and knows that a win on home soil would see their point tally increase to six points and take them to the top of the log [only if Lesotho beat Zambia in the other group fixture] Sudan,on the other hand,sit third on the table with just one point,after forfeiting a 2-0 win over Zambia for fielding an ineligible player,which resulted in awarding the Chipolopolo’s with 3 points plus 3 goals.
Matches Both Countries Have Played In 2013
Ghana have played a total of eight games in the year 2013,including two international friendlies games with Egypt and Tunisia respectively,with the rest of the remaining matches honor at the African Cup Of Nations.But of all the eight matches played so far,Ghana has lost two against Mali by 3 goals to 1 and the other one on penalties to Burkina Faso.Ghana has won five matches and drew one out of the eight games played.
On the contrary,the Nile Crocodiles of Sudan according to my checks indicates that they have not played a single match in 2013 and will be looking forward to usurp Ghana,to record their first win in 2013.
Matches Between Ghana and Sudan
Forget the detested -filled antics which marred Ghana’s performances at the Afcon tournament and failing to live up to their billing,but this game will be about recapitulating the winning streak Ghana has enjoyed over the Sudanese in past and recent matches.. This is one fixture that Ghana has been superior in recent meeting, where Ghana beat them on two occasion,when we were on our way to the World Cup in South Africa. But i can say it will be a different story this time,because Sudan hold Ghana at the same venue to a goalless draw when Coach Akwasi Appiah was assign to this job some years back … Ghana’s first encounter with the Nile Crocodiles was at the 1963 African Cup Of Nations final in Accra on 1st December which saw host,Ghana beating Sudan by 3-0 after Aggrey Fynn and Edward Acquah had spell success for Ghana. The Sudanese got the utmost opportunity to revenge at the finals of 1970 Cup Of Nations,when they pipped The Stars by a lone goal to lift the ultimate trophy.. Their third meeting was an invitation by South Korean President to compete in an Annual President Cup.
That match ended 3-1 in favor of Ghana. In the round-up to the qualifiers of the 2002 World Cup ,Black Star suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sudan in Omdurman on February 25,2001 ,but Ghana won the second leg by a lone goal in Accra on July 15 2001. Both teams met again in the qualifiers to the 2010 World Cup,where the Stars were merged victorious in both legs,when Matthew Amoah’s brace in the 5th and 51st minute respectively sinks them at Omdurman on June 20,2009. The second leg which was played in Accra was filled with euphoria with Sulley Muntari’s and Michael Essien’s strike left nothing for the Sudanese to return home with.
The Man At The Center
Malawian referee Raphael Anthony Ramsy will be the center man for this crucial qualifier on Sunday. The 36-year old,who has already handled two games in this qualification series will be assisted on the lines by compatriots,James Chimeza and Clemence Kanduku,with Dennis Nguluwe been the fourth official for this crunch game..Referee Raphael was in charge when Burundi beat Lesotho 2-1 in the first preliminary round and the Ethiopia’s 2-0 win over the Central African Republic in June last year. Ramsy has been a FIFA referee since 2008.
Ghana Squad
Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset, Norway), Fatau Dauda (AshantiGold), Daniel Agyei (Liberty Professionals).
Defenders: Harrison Afful (Esperance, Tunisia), Yaw Frimpong (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Richard Kissi Boateng (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Baba Abdul Rahman (Greuther Furth, Germany), John Boye (Rennes, France), Jonathan Mensah (Evian, France), Isaac Vorsah (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria), Awal Mohammed (Maritzburg United, South Africa).
Midfielders: Emmanuel Frimpong (Fulham, England), Rabiu Mohammed (Evian, France), Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese, Italy), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus, Italy), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan, Italy), Christian Atsu (FC Porto, Portugal,out with injury), Wakaso Mubarak (Espanyol, Spain), Solomon Asante (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Albert Adomah (Bristol City, England).
Strikers: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain, UAE), Abdul Majeed Waris (Spartak Moscow, Russia), David Accam (Helsingborg, Sweden ), Mahatma Otoo (Hearts of Oak).
Sudan Squad
Goalkeepers: Al Moez Mahjoub (Al Hilal), Akram El Hadi (Al Merrikh), Abdalrahmane Aldeyae (Ahly Shandi)
Defenders: Saif Eldin Ali, Mowaia Ali (Al Hilal), Musaab Omer, Balla Jabir, Najm Eldin Abdallah, Ahmad Abdallah (Al Merrikh)
Midfielders: Haitham Mustafa, Ala’a Eldin Yousif, Faisal Musa, Amir Kamal (Al Merrikh), Nizar Hamid, Omer Bakheit, Muhanad Al Tahir (Al Hilal), Hamza Adam (Al Hilal Kadougli),Hamoda Basher (Ahli Shandi)
Forwards: Ragi Abdalati, Ramadan Agab (Al Merrikh), Mudathir Al Taieb, Mohamed Ahmed Bashir (Al Hilal), Mohamed Abdelmoneim (Al Khartoum).
Follow Myself and Soccerisma on Twitter: Kojo and Soccerisma

The post Preview – Ghana vs Sudan – World Cup Qualification appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

Arsenal Loanee In Line To Make His Ghana Debut

Kojo Owusu-Okyere — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:24:21 +0000

Former England youth international, Emmanuel Yaw Frimpong has been included in Ghana Black Star’s squad for the World Cup qualifier against Sudan in Kumasi on Sunday, March 24.
This is the first call-up for the 21-year old midfielder, who ply his trade with the North London side Arsenal , but currently plays on loan at Fulham.
The Kumasi born boy, switched his international allegiance from England where he grew up to Ghana after FIFA cleared him to play for the West African nation in November 2011.
The Essien-esque, (because of his hard work in the defensive midfielder role) who declared his intention to play for Ghana, simply because he is a Ghanaian, is a great player with enormous potential and will be a great addition in the Black Stars team coach by James Akwasi Appiah in their quest for third successive World Cup finals to be held in Brazil.
If selected to play on that day, it will be a huge step in his career as he joins a talented squad with experienced players who are ready to help him improve. Frimpong has played six mathces with England’s under-16 team in 2007. He claimed:

“No matter what, I will always play for Ghana because at the end of the day, from what I believe, I am a Ghanaian”

On February 2011,Frimpong said “I have always told my family that if Ghana calls me,i will personally ride my own bicycle from England to Ghana (to play for the Black Stars).
Frimpong is known for his energy in the midfield and has been compared with ex-Arsenal player Alex Song and various other African midfielders who have lots of pace and stamina.
The defensive midfielder will become only the fourth player to have successfully secured a nationality switch in order to play for the Black Stars – following in footsteps of Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Adam Kwarasey.
Follow Myself and Soccerisma on Twitter: Kojo and Soccerisma

The post Arsenal Loanee In Line To Make His Ghana Debut appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.

Has Football Become Our Religion?

Kojo Owusu-Okyere — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:54:42 +0000

How the attractive the prospect of going to the stadium can sound.The hope of your team winning,drawing and losing is held in various forms by Muslims,Christendom or other religious group and even whose don’t have interest in the game will not derail from it.
Everybody wants to go to the stadium but have we taught about Saturday and Sunday church activities. One night, just when i was about to make my next step to another day,the above question which have been boarding me meted in my mind ,so I woke up from my luxury bed to asked myself. As a devoted Christian and a football fanatic, I penned this piece with a great burden upon my heart. I have always look for a loophole in which I may be able to dodge this issue and this injunction present me with.
Today, football is everywhere _ on TV, in movies and plastered all over advertising boards across the length and breadth of the country.And almost everyone in Africa and the world as a whole agrees that it is important to be at the stadium or be by your television sets to watch your favorite team play, but people nowadays has drawn the line between the church and watching matches on a typical church hours.
One may be quick to tell you that “Weekend football matches is one thing that carries them every Saturday and Sunday into such a state of euphoria or sink them into terrible depression if their expectations are in trepidation”.
Previously, one would relax by watching a match or two ; presently it is an addiction once you watch one or two. Simply because it has emerged that “Football Is An Addiction” which has been a popular phrase on the lips of many football fanatics. But what factor have contributed to the present-day “crisis of football is an addiction”?
But each and every time I sit down and think about what benefit I get from supporting a football team? My heart and mind will always fail to find an answer to my question. I also ask myself, what do i gain by purchasing a certain football Kit? I again fail to find an answer. But should i conclude by saying, Is Football a Religion?
Football over the years has expanded and is undoubtedly becoming more and more popular throughout the world. Is it possible that a sport could be replacing a religion? And if football no longer remains a game, and is a religion, whose religion? Mine? Yours ?
On the other hand,the game of football is widely popular all over the world.
To some countries of the world, it is often regarded as a religion, but i don’t think having a dedication and staunch supporters is enough to class football as a religion. Fans and supporters of today, watch ,supports and maybe even worship twenty-two men running around a tiny ball on the pitch every weekend. That doesn’t seem very larger and bigger than our religion. There is undoubtedly a great deal of truth in what am saying.
Today millions of football fans worship every weekend in venues where they engage in singing and live for the team they support. They will go greater lengths to avoid missing a match or to catch the latest scores on TV, whereas others will travel far-away in groups to watch the matches live from the stadium.
However, these aspects have brought football and religion to similar level to some extent. But if you were to ask a typical religious football fan, “Name me your football team’s first eleven”?. He would be able to name them with relative ease. On the contrary, if he was to be asked for more serious religious matters such as “How many were the disciples of Jesus Christ or their names?” The response would be a muted silence. If you were to ask him “How many siblings did Jesus Christ have ?” The answer again would be a muted silences.
Follow Myself and Soccerisma on Twitter: Kojo and Soccerisma

The post Has Football Become Our Religion? appeared first on Sports Betting Day - Best Bookmakers and Betting Sites.