Ghana Sports news

Manchester United have leapfrogged Barcelona and Real Madrid to become the most valuable football club in the world - and the third in all of sport.

Only NFL side Dallas Cowboys (£3.25billion) and Major League Baseball's New York Yankees (£2.86bn) are worth more than the Premier League outfit, Forbes have calculated.

United are valued at £2.85bn, up 11 per cent from £2.57bn in 2016, despite not having won the league or Champions League since 2013.

 

They have climbed above Barcelona and Real Madrid and up to third in Forbes' top 50 rankings

For the second year running, NFL side Dallas Cowboys were ranked the most valuable team

They have climbed from fifth to third in Forbes' top 50 rankings. Bitter rivals Liverpool, meanwhile, are one of two sides (alongside NBA's Houston Rockets) who have dropped off the list.

United recently splashed out £75million on Romelu Lukaku and their rise is in stark contrast with the fortunes of Arsenal, who slipped down the rankings more than any other team.

Arsene Wenger's side fell 20 places and lost 4 per cent of their value, a decline Forbes put down to a fall in the value of the pound following last June's Brexit vote.

The team who enjoyed the biggest climb, incidentally, was NFL's Los Angeles Rams - a team owned by Stan Kroenke, who is also Arsenal's majority shareholder.

 

Los Angeles Rams, owned by Arsenal shareholder Stan Kroenke (r), enjoyed the biggest rise

United are one of three football teams ranked in the top 10, alongside Barcelona (£2.81bn) in fourth and Madrid (£2.77bn) in fifth. Los Blancos have enjoyed a tough couple of years off the pitch. They topped the overall list in 2015 and were the highest-valued football club last year.

 

In total only seven football teams make the top 50. Manchester City (35th, £1.61bn), Arsenal (43rd, £1.49bn) and Chelsea (46th, £1.43) are the other Premier League sides to have made the list.

Bayern Munich (15th, £2.09bn), meanwhile, are the sole German representatives in the American-dominated rankings.

In contrast, 29 of the 32 teams in NFL ranked within the top 50. Only Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills missed out.

Eight MLB sides also made the list, while the New York Knicks (£2.5bn) were the most valuable of seven sides from NBA ranked within the top 50.  

 

Credit:Daily mail

President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ha wished players and officials of Kumasi Asante Kotoko who were involved in an accident at Nkawkaw in the Eastern region speedy recovery.

The accident happened around 9:45pm when they were returning to Kumasi yesterday after their Premier League defeat to Inter Allies. One person has been confimred dead.

The President in a tweet said he was saddened by the news of the accident and wished the team and its management a speedy recovery.

The injured players and management are at the Komfo Anokye Hospital in Kumasi receiving medical attention.

Black Stars Captain and fan of Kumasi Asante Kotoko has sent a tweet of well wishes to Kumasi Asante Kotoko after the team were involved in a fatal accident.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the management, playing body and the supporters of Kumasi Asante Kotoko on this fatal accident,” the all-time top scorer of the Black Stars said in a tweet.

The accident occurred yesterday around 9:45pm when the team were heading back to Kumasi after their Premier League defeat to Inter Allies.

Their bus run into a stationary truck parked by the road side at Nkawkaw with team equipment officer Kofi Asare confirmed dead.

Officials of the club who were injured are currently receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Gyan who is a former Liberty player has confessed his love for Kotoko and has vowed to play for the Porcupines before he hungs his boot.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has described the accident as “devastating and sad”.

A statement released by the Association reads "The GFA has established contact with the club, and our thoughts and prayers are with Kumasi Asante Kotoko, particularly the injured officials and players, who are currently receiving treatment at the Holy Family Hospital in Nkawkaw.

GFA delegation with Coach Ablordey at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

It is likely that the GPL clash with Hearts of Oak this Sunday at the Baba Yara Stadium will be canceled.

Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor continued to trade insults on the second day of a media tour to promote their Las Vegas fight in August.

President of the Ghana Olympic Committee(GOC), Ben Nunoo Mensah, has tasked Ghana's team for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bahamas to make the nation proud.

Asante Kotoko Sporting Club has been involved in an accident at Nkawkaw on their way back to Kumasi. 

Kumasi Kotoko tasted their first lost in their last 5 games as they lost 1-0 to Inter Allies at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Week 22 of the Ghana Premier League today.

The Porcupines prior to the game have been in fine form winning 3 of their last 5 games and were hoping to get a point at least from a spirited Inter Allies side.

Inter Allies made their home form count by breaking the deadlock in the 30th minute through midfielder Abdul Halik Hudu .

The game became intensed Isaac Osae of Inter Allies and Evan Quao of Kotoko were both sent off in the 44th minute leaving both teams with 10 men to finish the game.

Halik's strike proved to be decisive which handed Inter Allies all 3 points as it ended 1-0. Coach Steve Pollack and his charges will make a long trip to Kumasi but will hope they improve as they face their rivals Hearts of Oak on Sunday.

This loss means Kotoko has dropped to 4th on the League log.

At the Accra Sports Stadium it was all joy for Hearts of Oak after winning their first game against Berekum Chelsea in their last 3 matches.

Two goals from Captain Thomas Abbey was enought to see Hearts beat Chelsea 2-0.Hearts have now usurped Kotoko and are back to 3rd on the league log. This win should be a morale booster for Coach Nuttal and his boys as they play fierce rivals Kotoko next.

League leaders WAFA who have a game in hand made light meal of Bechem United by beating them 2-0 at Sogape with 2nd placed team Aduana Stars losing to WA Allstars by 3 goals to 1.

GPL Week 22 results

GPL Table

 

 

Manchester United are stepping up their efforts to sign Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic, Sky sources understand.

Sky Sports News HQ understands United are getting closer to a deal for Perisic, but Inter are sticking to their £48m asking price for the Croatia international.

Perisic has joined up with the rest of the Inter squad at their training camp in the north of Italy but United are trying to do a deal before the Serie A club flies to China next week.
Their most recent offer for Perisic is understood to have been £39m but Sky Sports News HQ understands they will need to increase that to around £45m to secure their target, who has three years left on his current contract.

He was due to meet with Inter boss Luciano Spalletti last week to talk over his future, with Spalletti saying: "You keep talking about Perisic and his desire to leave but I need to listen to his own words first and then decide how to act.

"I hope to have him in the side, I am counting on it and I am positive in that sense."
Perisic has been playing in Italy since the summer of 2015, scoring 18 goals in 70 Serie A games since joining them from German club Wolfsburg two games into the 2015-16 season.

The 28-year-old has also scored 16 goals in 57 games for his country.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA)’s attention has been drawn to a fake Facebook account pretending to be that of the President of the federation, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi.

The said Facebook account has been soliciting money from the public claiming it is Mr. Nyantakyi making the demands on behalf of the GFA.

The GFA wishes to state that that Facebook account is fake and that Mr Nyantakyi is not soliciting money on behalf of the GFA.

The GFA wishes to draw attention of the public that this fake Facebook account has been set up by impersonators swindling innocent people of their hard-earned money.

Anyone contacted by such Facebook or social media accounts soliciting money on behalf of the GFA or Mr Nyantakyi should be promptly reported to the police.

Credit GFA Communications Department

A thirteen-member team including athletics and officials will leave Accra on Saturday for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in Bahamas.

Several Ghanaians in Parma Italy,have been wailing about the death of Patience Nfum 43 and her daughter Magdalene 11, who were murdered by Solomon Nyantakyi,  the son of the deceased. 

The 21 year Old has now confessed to being responsible for the murder of his family and is due to be processed for Court.

Solomon was arrested  in Milan after stabbing his mother and sister in Parma where they lived. According to Police investigation, both Mother and daughter were killed by knives.

Nyantakyi was a former player of Parma but quit football to join bad company known for murder and other unlawful acts.

 

 

 

 

 

Manchester City have missed out on one of their summer transfer targets after Brazil full-back Dani Alves decided to join Paris St-Germain.

Alves has opted against playing for Pep Guardiola again, following their trophy-ladened spell at Barcelona.

City were prepared to give the 34-year-old a two-year contract, but would not match the £230,000 a week it is understood he will receive in France.

Tottenham's Kyle Walker remains City's top target at right-back.

As City have so far failed to agree a fee with Spurs for England defender Walker, they are currently without a recognised right-back following the summer departures of out-of-contract duo Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna.

The Blues are understood to be relaxed about the situation despite the fact they will leave for a three-match tour of the United States - featuring matches against Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham - on Monday.

Alves was a free agent after Juventus released him from his contract early following one season in Italy.

Credit:BBC Sports

A Ghanaian footballer Solomon Nyantakyi has been arrested by the Italian Police for the murder of his mother and sister according to reports emanating from Italy.

The 21 year old was arrested on Wednesday morning enroute to Milan and has admitted to the murder of his mother Patience Nfum 43 and little sister Magdalene 11 all living in Italy.

The suspect's elder brother Raymond Nyantakyi, 25, returned home from work around 9pm on Tuesday to discover the gruesome murder.

Solomon was a former player of Parma football club where he played in their youth team and won several laurels

The murder took place in their home in Via San Leonardo, the outskirts of Parma, which is a multi-ethnic neighborhood where many Ghanaians live.

The 21-year-old played for Serie D for Imolese Calcio last season but suddenly stopped and joined bad company noted for committing serious crimes in Italy.

Solomon Nyantakyi confessed the double murder: he kills his 43-year-old mother and 11-year-old sister

English Premier League side Everton have arrived in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, for their first ever tour of East Africa.

The visit is part of their pre-season tour ahead of the 2017/2018 Premier League season kick-off.

Everton, who finished seventh in the league last season, have brought the entire first team squad.

The team touched down at Dar es Salaam's international airport at 8am local time from Liverpool.

Among the travelling party is newly signed Wayne Rooney, who returned to the Toffees from Manchester United at the weekend on a free transfer.

Rooney is a big draw card and is expected to make his first appearance for Everton since he rejoined the club on Thursday in the friendly against Kenya's Gor Mahia at the 60,0000-seater National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Many fans have travelled from neighbouring countries to watch the game.

Those who gathered outside the team's Dar es Salaam hotel were chanting "Rooney Rooney" as he made his way out of the bus.

Also on hand was a sizeable group of nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who were elated to see their hero Yannick Bolasie. They sung traditional songs, which Bolasie responded to with some dances.

Everton's Yannick Bolasie was greeted by Congolese fans in Dar es Salaam

Thursday's match is organised as part of Everton's new shirt sponsorship deal with football betting firm Sportpesa of Kenya.

During their visit, Everton players will conduct coaching clinics and play a match against Albino United to help raise awareness against attacks on albino people. Many albinos have been killed in Tanzania for ritual purposes.

A traditional Masaai welcome was given to Everton in Tanzania

Credit:BBC Sports

The Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), George Afriyie is on the verge of making an exit from the football governing body after a bust-up with President Kwesi Nyantakyi yesterday.

A report of HappyGhana.com indicates that the two were involved in a spat in the full glare of staff and other visitors at the GFA premises on Tuesday, July 12.

"The two most powerful men in Ghana football engaged in an altercation in the United States when the Black Stars played two friendlies against Mexico and USA as they blamed each other for the several mishaps that happened," the report which quoted an anonymous source said.

"Kwesi Nyantakyi is said to have questioned George Afriyie on why he allowed Asamoah Gyan to pay for bills with his master card while George Afriyie also accused Kwesi Nyantakyi of keeping him in the dark over the arrangements of the friendlies Ghana played in the United States".

Afriyie is said to be considering his options which include an exit or repairing his fractious relationship with the CAF Vice President.

They were involved in a similar disagreement in 2016 which was eventually resolved by JY Appiah and Kwame Ofosu Bamfo at the Alisa hotel

Mr. Afriyie who doubles as the chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee is among the favourites to replace Nyantakyi who has declared his intention to step down in 2019.

Posters declaring ‘George Afriyie for 2019, GFA President in waiting’ have already began making the rounds.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko striker Eric Bekoe has revealed that he is considering retiring early from active football.

The 30 year Old who was a hit for the Porcupines has had spells in the Egyptian Premier League when he signed for Petrojet but is currently in Ghana enjoying holidays.

“I don’t want to play football for long, you need to plan whilst playing, although I still have some years ahead I don’t want to play for long,” he told KWESE Sports.

“Five years will be two much, maybe I might call it a quit in the next two or three years.”

Bekoe who last played for Sekondi Hasaacas in the Ghana Premier league has always confesed his love for Kotoko and says he wishes another stint with them before hanging his boots.

He scored 17 goals in 23 matches to win the goal king in the 2007/08 league which aided Kotoko to win the league.

Former Liberty Professionals forward Latif Blessing appear to be enjoying his time in the USA, scoring a brace as Sporting Kansas City convincingly whipped Dallas 3-0 in the US Open Gold Cup.

The 2015/16 Ghana Premier league top scorer and player of the year has been in fine form for the MLS Club and his two goals have propelled his club to the next stage of the US Open Gold Cup.

Two quick extra time goals from the Ghanaian ensured Kansas progressed at the expense of Dallas.

A swift counter attack from Sporting KC saw Blessing slotting in a swift drive at the right corner of the post with an excellent through pass from Benny Feilhaber to break the deadlock.

Blessing added a second when he back heeled a wayward shot from Jimmy Medranda.Kansas Striker Salloi made it three with two minutes to end the game.

Manchester United may be getting down to serious business during their pre-season training camp in Los Angeles but there was still time for the likes of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku to let of some steam in the California heat.

Black Stars skipper Asamoah Gyan has disclosed that he understands the frustration of Ghanaians when he misses penalties and admits he is aware fans are disappointed with that.

Gyan has missed several crucial penalties including one against Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup quarter final game which would have sent Ghana to the Semi Final to become the first African Country to reach that stage of the tournament. 

Gyan again missed a penalty against Zambia at the semi final stage of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. A win may have aided Ghana to break a long trophy drought.

“I know Ghanaians are disappointed because I have missed a couple of penalty kicks in crucial games, but as a footballer that has been the only challenge in my career,” Gyan told GTV’s Kwabena Yeboah

He vowed not to take penalties for Ghana again after the miss in 2012, but surprised many when he stepped up to take a spot kick against the USA in a recently played friendly. He missed yet again.

Gyan has however confirm that he is back to taking penalties for the Black Stars.

“For now I have decided to go back and take penalties for the Black Stars and break that jinx.
 I wanted to break that spell in the game against the USA but unfortunately it didn’t happen,” He added.

Gyan has signed a 2-year contract with Turkish side Kayserispor .

A French court has backed footballer Karim Benzema as he fights to have a blackmail case over a sex tape dropped.

The Real Madrid forward was placed under formal investigation in 2015 over an alleged bid to blackmail fellow footballer Mathieu Valbuena.

When he and another suspect argued the police had acted dishonestly, their case was rejected by the Appeal Court.

Now another court has backed Karim Benzema's complaint. His lawyer says he expects the case to be thrown out.

"It's definitely a big victory," said lawyer Patrice Spinosi, who told France Info it was a turning point in the investigation.

He said Tuesday's decision by France's highest judicial court - the Court of Cassation - meant that the case would return to the Court of Appeal's examining chamber, which would have no choice but to drop the inquiry.
What did the police do wrong?

At the heart of the case was the role of an undercover police officer.

In 2015, a blackmailer got in touch with Mathieu Valbuena, threatening to make the sex tape public. The footballer was asked to appoint a go-between and at that point a police officer was given the task of negotiating on Mr Valbuena's behalf under the false name Lukas.

Three suspects were linked to the blackmail attempt before one of them approached a childhood friend of Karim Benzema for help. Karim Benzema is then alleged to have discussed the sex tape with Mathieu Valbuena during a France team training session in October 2015.

According to Mr Spinosi, the undercover officer had played a "very active role", pushing the two sides towards a deal. Without his involvement no offence would have taken place, he believes.

Prosecutors argue that Karim Benzema urged his colleague to pay the blackmailers although he denies the allegation.
Is the case over?

Even if it is eventually thrown out, that could take months.

The Court of Cassation has only ruled on the conduct of police during the investigation rather than on the allegations themselves, commentators say. That will be the task of the Court of Appeal.

Another of Karim Benzema's lawyers, Sylvain Cormier, said "we aren't forgetting the main battle is to prove his innocence".

Since the affair emerged in November 2015, neither footballer has played for their national team.

Karim Benzema joined Real Madrid in 2009 and is seen as one of the club's leading players, helping them to Champions League victory last month in Cardiff.

Mathieu Valbuena's Lyon team finished fourth in France's Ligue 1 last season and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Credit:BBC Sports

It's been one of the summer's ongoing transfer sagas but Sky in Italy are reporting it has reached its conclusion.

They say Gianluigi Donnarumma has signed a new four-year contract extension at AC Milan.

The highly-rated goalkeeper was linked to Real Madrid and Manchester United after appearing to signal his intention to leave Milan earlier this year.

With just nine matches to end the season, the Ghana Premier League is getting intense as all the top teams aim at finishing the season strongly.

Nungua based division One side, Danbort football club, may have just decided to withdraw from the on-going division one league.

The club feel they have not been dealt fairly by the referees appointment Committee when they pleaded that referee Juliet Appiah should be changed in their game against Dreams FC last Sunday.

The game which had a lot of controversies saw referee Juliet Appiah show a red card to Danbort goalkeeper which officials of the club protested vehemently but the decision still stood and they lost 2-1 to Dreams FC.

Head coach of Danbort fc Evans Adjei has confirmed that the owner of the Nungua based club has decided to withdraw from the ongoing Division One League due to poor officiating.

“Its true he has told us that he is quitting football which obviously will be a big blow to us as a club.

"We went to training today but even our equipment officer did not turn up hence we couldn’t hold the training and from the look of things it does not look like he is rescinding his decision but we just hoping he agrees to come back since some respected personalities are in talks with him to come back,” Adjei said.

Danbort fc lies 7th on the league in zone 3 with 25 points.

Rafael Nadal's hopes of winning a third Wimbledon title are over for another year after an epic five-set defeat by 16th seed Gilles Muller of Luxembourg.

The 15-time major champion fought back from two sets down before Muller took a fifth match point to win 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6 15-13 in four hours and 47 minutes.

It ended the Spaniard's bid to win back-to-back French Open and Wimbledon titles for a joint-record third time.

Muller, 34, will play Croatia's seventh seed Marin Cilic in the last eight.

"That was tough," said Muller, who has reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final since the 2008 US Open.

"In the last two match points I just said 'give it 100%'."
Even world number two Nadal's trademark competitiveness could not see off Muller in a gripping final set which took two and a quarter hours - more than half an hour longer than Roger Federer's win over Bulgarian 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov.

Novak Djokovic's match against unseeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, scheduled as the third match on Court One, was postponed until Tuesday as a result.

Former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe questioned the decision.

"Why didn't they put the Djokovic match on Centre Court? It was a golden opportunity to put a three-time champion there - the crowd would have loved that," he told BBC Sport.

"You can't say the people on Court One didn't get their money's worth. It would have got everybody from Henman Hill running in."

The All England Lawn Tennis Club said moving the match from Court One would have created a "significant safety issue" because there were still 30,000 spectators inside the ground at 20:30 BST.

Both Nadal and Muller received a standing ovation and rapturous applause after the longest - and arguably finest - match of this year's tournament.

Nadal's mental resilience and physical endurance has long been lauded, but the cool-headed Muller impressively refused to buckle as he finally claimed his fifth match point over an hour and a half after missing his first.

Nadal served out nine games to stay in the contest as the pair exchanged 32 holds in a gripping finale.

A tense climax saw the Spaniard save two match points to level at 5-5 and miss four break points of his own at 9-9.

Still the drama continued as Muller failed to convert two more match points at 10-9, until he eventually completed the best win of his career.

German giants Bayern Munich have completed the signing of Colombian International James Rodriguez on a two year loan from Real Madrid.

The offensive midfielder had been a target for Premier League sides Manchester United and Chelsea but have now joined Bayern.

Rodriguez found first team opportunities limited after signing a six-year contract with Madrid for an undisclosed fee, which was reported to be approximately €80 million after the 2014 World Cup.

James would be a replacement for Brazilian Douglas Costa who is set to complete a move to Italian Club Juventus.

Bayern Munich won the German Bundesliga last season beaten Borrusia Dortmund to the title.

Asante Kotoko has presented the 2017 President Cup to the club owner and Life Patron Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Monday.

The management, technical team and players were at the Manhyia Palace on Monday afternoon.

Kotoko beat arch rivals Hearts of Oak 4-1 on penalties last week Monday to win the trophy.

Leading the delegation to the Manhyia Palace was Executive Chairman, Dr. Kwame Kyei who used the opportunity to also introduce coach Steven Polack to the Asantehene.

Source: asantekotokosc.com

Former Ghana International Odartey Lamptey says the only way to keep this current Black Starlets squad for the future of our football is through good grooming.

The Ex Ghanaian forward has always talked about nurturing talents that can fill in at the senior level and believes the Football Association should consider grooming the players after the 2017 World Cup in India.

"The boys are good, but are we going to give them the opportunity to develop well?, the problem is after tournament we forget about these players, but what we need to do is after the tournament we need to groom them and pass them through the U20,U23 and possibly to the Black Stars."

These crop of Starlets players are tagged as one for the future with several talented players notably, Eric Ayiah and Emmanuel Toku.

They will be in action in October for the U17 World Cup in India after finishing 2nd behind Mali in the recently ended Africa U17 Youth Championship.

The Starlet have been drawn in Group A of the World Cup in October alongside host India, USA and Columbia.

The Ex Ghana International first began to attract global attention in 1991 where he led Ghana to win the FIFA U-17 World Championship after playing in the 1989 version as a 15 year old.

He won the FIFA Best Player of the tournament.