Sports
A Simpson classic
“It takes a lot of time to get experience, and once you have it, you ought to go on using it,” an American Physiologist, Benjamin Minge Duggar, once said.
Such may be the story of Black Stars and Nations FC defender, Razak Simpson, who scored a classic goal to hand Accra Hearts of Oak a painful 1-0 defeat in their Ghana Premier League match at Kasoa last week.
Despite a vast experience in the game locally, Simpson was not going to be accounted among the best 10 defenders from the current season.
However, his stock made an upward turn the moment he caught the attention of national team selectors. Currently, it would be impossible to leave Simpson out of the best five defenders in the local league.
Yes, that is what it means to look for experience and continue to use it when it is acquired.
In their outstanding Ghana Premier League (GPL) match day 21 fixture at the Tuba Park, Simpson scored a screamer for Nations FC.
It is definitely a goal-of-the-season contender, and speaks volumes of the experience he has acquired from his brief association with the Black Stars.
This is the exact impact expected to see from a local star that gets the chance to ‘dine’ with the ‘big’ boys.
And for the impact, he is beginning to improve his performances in the league, it should be encouraging enough for the selectors to look for more local talents in a bid to improve the local standard.
In the aforementioned match, Simpson broke the deadlock in the 57th minute when he beautifully controlled ball on the chest and riffled straight into the net. It left everyone, including the Hearts players, stunned.
This was evident in the manner the goal was celebrated. And right after the game, he was mobbed by both players and fans as if the goal was just scored.
Assuredly, these are some of the confident performances fans want to see in the game but how would that happen when the players lack the bigger platforms and exposures only the Black Stars offer.
For few fans, Simpson’s name may sound new in the ear because he did not get the chance to feature for Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko or Great Olympics, the major traditional sides in Ghana.
However, this is a player that started his career with Elite Soccer Academy and introduced to the elite game in July 2019 when he was signed by Ashanti Gold on a five-year deal.
Two years on, he joined Liberty Professionals on loan until the end of the season.
He also had a stint with WAFA; incidentally tasting relegation with all of them until Nations FC offered another lifeline to the top and finally, his light shone.
Now with the Black Stars, Simpson is considered one of the top performers in the local game and showed his class with the picturesque goal against the Phobians.
One thing has become very clear under Coach Otto Addo in the helm of affairs of the Black Stars.
Interestingly, almost all the invites to local chaps have seen them transformed into instant hits. When Jerry Afriyie was given the opportunity on his debut against Niger, he scored the only goal for the Black Stars as Kudus Mohammed wasted a penalty chance to score again.
Then came Simpson, who was invited for the last two encounters for the failed AFCON bid and also played for a few minutes in the World qualifiers.
On Benjamin Asare’s debut, he became the first choice goalkeeper of the Black Stars, keeping two clean sheets in games against Chad and Madagascar.
Currently, he remains the Black Stars first choice goalkeeper, hoping to see an improvement in performance to remain at the top.
Surprisingly, a section of fans kept deliberating whether Simpson’s strike could have beaten Asare in goal. Obviously, these are some of the discussions that would drive fans to the stadium to get the answers for themselves.
But how could that happen if the local players are ignored. Now that Afriyie, Asare and Simpson have opened the door, observers would watch to see what happens next.
By Andrew Nortey
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
