Sports
Björkegren calls for bravery as Black Queens set for England test
Black Queens head coach, Kim Lars Björkegren has called for bravery, belief, and collective hard work as Ghana prepare to face the England Lionesses in Tuesday’s high-profile international friendly at St Mary’s Stadium.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, coach Björkegren reflected on England’s recent emphatic win over China, a match he said offered valuable lessons for his squad.
“England played great and at the same time I respect China,” he said.
“We are talking about a team that is 16th in the world and we are 67th, so I can’t blame them too much. But I think in how they attacked the game, they made some mistakes. They were too afraid. And if you are afraid to play against England, then you’re going to be destroyed, exactly what happened.”
The Swedish tactician stressed that his team must approach the fixture with a different mentality.
“We need to attack the game differently. We believe in ourselves. We know we have strong players who are ready to tackle, to work hard, to take every duel. I hope we can stay in the game as long as possible. Our game plan is to win, whether that’s realistic or not, I don’t know, and I don’t care.”
Björkegren highlighted the identity he expects his team to show on the pitch, praising the unity and ambition within the squad.
“I like the fact that we work hard and dream big and we do it together. You’re going to see a hard-working team. Whether it gives us a good result or not, we will see, but we’re going to do everything we can. If we are brave out there and give everything, everyone watching will see that we did something really good.” he added.
The Black Queens face England on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 7:00 PM at St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton.
Ghana international forward, Felix Afena-Gyan was the victim of a burglary at his residence in Italy over the weekend while he was away on national team duty with the Black Stars.
In a statement released Monday, May 25, Afena-Gyan’s team said the incident occurred while the player was in camp for Ghana’s match against Mexico.
Upon returning to Italy, it was discovered that his apartment had been unlawfully accessed and several personal belongings were taken.
The statement reassured fans and the public that the 23-year-old forward is safe, physically unharmed, and “maintaining a positive mindset despite this unfortunate incident.”
The matter has been formally reported to Italian law enforcement authorities, who are actively investigating the case. No further details about the stolen items will be released at this time to avoid interfering with the investigation.
Afena-Gyan’s representatives also addressed footage circulating on social media, urging members of the media and the public to respect the player’s privacy and refrain from sharing invasive images of his personal residence.
“Felix remains deeply grateful for the overwhelming support, concern, and solidarity shown by fans in Ghana, Italy, and across the world,” the statement read.
The forward is now refocusing on his club duties and upcoming football commitments.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Afoko, has urged the party’s Minority Caucus in Parliament to lead the charge in returning the NPP to electoral victory.
Speaking at a closed-door meeting with the MPs in Accra on Saturday, May 23, 2026, Mr.Afoko unveiled a new political strategy dubbed the ‘3R Agenda’ focused on Reuniting, Rebuilding, and Recapturing power for the party.
He described the initiative as a roadmap to restore unity, strengthen grassroots support, and position the NPP for future electoral success.
“For years I chose to work quietly behind the scenes, supporting the NPP in private,” Afoko said. “But recent developments have compelled me to step forward. We need to get our party back into winning ways, and that starts with unity and purpose.”Afoko stressed that the Minority MPs have a critical role to play, both as lawmakers and as unifying figures within the party.
He warned that without a concerted effort to rebuild internal cohesion, the goal of returning to power would remain a mirage. Drawing on his tenure as National Chairman, Afoko highlighted the NPP’s 2014 presidential primaries as a model of internal discipline and unity.
“We conducted primaries where every candidate accepted the outcome, and no one broke away to run independently,” he said.
“Leaders like Sammy Awuku can attest to the level of organization and trust we had at the time.”He noted that the party’s electoral base has eroded over the years, particularly during periods in government when internal competition for positions often breeds division.
“Historically, even in opposition, the NPP has outperformed the NDC in vote percentages,” Afoko said.
He noted “That tells us our base is strong, but it has weakened. The question now is: how do we win it back?.”
According to Mr. Afoko, “the answer lies in the 3R Agenda: Reunite; Heal internal divisions and restore trust across factions. Rebuild; Strengthen party structures from the polling station to the national level and Recapture; Re-engage the base and present a credible, united front to Ghanaians.”
Afoko appealed to party members to rally behind the vision, citing his track record as evidence of his ability to deliver results.
“My record speaks for itself. I am result-oriented, and with the collective support of the party, we can achieve this,” he said.
He concluded by calling on the NPP to move past internal rivalries and focus on the bigger goal: winning the trust of Ghanaians and returning to government to deliver development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
