Sports
CAF Awards set to return in style July 21
This year’s edition of the prestigious award ceremony for African football, the CAF Awards 2022, will return on Thursday, July 21 2022 in Morocco.
The CAF Awards will be held ahead of the final of Africa’s flagship women’s competitions, TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 20223 scheduled to take place from July 2 and July 23, 2022.
The event will also coincide with the two-year anniversary of the launch of the CAF Women’s Football Strategy.
In line with that, a new category; Inter-clubs Women Player of the Year has been introduced following the successful roll-out of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League in November 2021.
As in previous editions, there will be several categories to be presented, in addition to the coveted prizes: Player of the Year (Men & Women).
Other categories are include Interclub Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, National Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Club of the Year and Goal of the Year.
The winners will be decided by votes from captains and coaches of the Member Associations, selected journalists, CAF Technical Study Group and CAF Legends.
The period under review is from September 2021 until June 2022.
The previous edition of the CAF Awards was held 2019 in Hurghada, Egypt.
Senegalese forward Sadio Mane and Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala scooped the African Player of the Year Men and Women respectively.
Sports
Benjamin Asare’s call-up inspires local players – Osei Asibey
Hearts of Oak defender, Osei Asibey, has acknowledged that the call-up of Benjamin Asare, the current number one goalkeeper of the Ghana Black Stars, has given confidence to many local players to work hard.
Asibey explained that playing for the senior national team is time-based, and at the right time, every local player will get their chance.
“The Black Stars belong to Ghanaians, and everybody will get the chance to play for the Black Stars when the time is right. Benjamin Asare is a local player, and he has gotten the chance. I’m sure when it is our time, the country would call us to serve,” he asserted
Osei Asibey added that Asare’s achievement shows that with hard work, local players can also receive Black Stars call-ups.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Sports
World Cup Qualifiers: Ghana beats Mali to boost qualification hopes
The Ghana Black Stars on Monday evening secured a vital 1–0 win over Mali in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a result that strengthens their chances of booking a ticket to the 2026 tournament.
The Match
The only goal of the game came in the 52nd minute when Alexander Djiku powered home a header to put Ghana ahead at the charged Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana dominated possession and created more chances, with Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus troubling the Malian defense.
Coach Otto Addo’s side managed the game well, with substitutes, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Iñaki Williams and Joseph Paintsil helping to protect the narrow lead.
Mali pushed for an equalizer but Ghana’s defense held firm until the final whistle.
What the win means
The victory takes Ghana to the top of their qualifying group, giving them a strong advantage in the race to secure a direct World Cup spot.
It also boosts team confidence as the Black Stars aim to make their fifth appearance at the global showpiece.
Games Remaining and Qualification Path
Ghana now has two games left in the qualifiers. To qualify directly, they must finish first in their group.
If they end up second, they will have to compete in the CAF play-offs to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
About the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The next FIFA World Cup will kick off on June 11, 2026, and run until July 19, 2026. For the first time in history, the tournament will feature 48 teams, an expansion from the usual 32.
It will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with matches spread across 16 cities.
By: Jacob Aggrey
