Sports
CAF Confederation Cup Preview: Nations FC eye comeback against FC Diarra on Sunday
Nations FC face a crucial test on Sunday when they host Malian side FC Diarra in the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Ghanaian debutants trail 1-0 from the first leg and need at least two unanswered goals to advance to the next round of the competition.
FC Diarra scored the only goal of the first leg in the 55th minute after a nervy first half in Bamako to take a slender advantage into the return leg.
Nations FC will be looking to make home advantage count. After that narrow defeat away in Bamako, Coach Zdravko Logarusic’s side knows they cannot afford to be wasteful in front of goal.
The Abrankese-based club, who lifted the MTN FA Cup last season, will rely on their attacking prowess and creativity from midfield to break down a resolute Diarra defence.
FC Diarra, on the other hand, will come into the game with confidence, holding a slender lead. The Malian side is expected to sit deep and hit on the counter, knowing that an away goal will force Nations FC to score three.
The key will be how quickly Nations FC can get an early goal to settle the nerves at the Accra Sports Stadium. An early goal will make the tie wide open.
Richard Danso, Ishmael Dede, Victor Quarshie and former Ebusua Dwarfs and Hearts of Oak player Dennis Korsah made an impression in the first leg and will need to combine effectively with the likes of Ouedraogo Fatahou, Abdela Mashud and Julien Dipanda to give Nations the needed victory on Sunday.
In Bamako, Nzoley Frederick made a cameo appearance for the Ghanaian side in place of Issaka Emmanuel as Nations FC searched for a way back into the game, but his introduction had little influence as FC Diarra held firm for the win.
With a passionate home crowd expected to throng the Accra Sports Stadium, Nations FC will be hoping to overturn the deficit and keep Ghana’s representation in this year’s Africa inter-club competition alive.
Victory over FC Diarra would see Nations FC advance to the second preliminary round, where they would face either Niger’s AS ZAM or Burkina Faso’s ASKO de Kara. Kick-off is at 3:00 PM at the Accra Sports Stadium.
GFA COMMUNICATIONS
Asante Kotoko SC has announced with deep sadness the passing of its former Brands and Marketing Manager, Kweku Hammond.
In a statement released by the club, Kotoko described Hammond’s death as untimely and expressed heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
“Although his time with the club was brief, Kweku served with dedication, diligence, and unwavering commitment to Asante Kotoko,” the club stated. “His contributions and loyalty to the club will not be forgotten.”
Kweku Hammond served in the club’s Brands and Marketing department, where he played a role in promoting the Porcupine Warriors’ brand and engaging supporters.
The club assured that it will continue to honour his memory and legacy.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace,” the statement concluded.
Fans and members of the football fraternity have since joined the club in mourning, sharing tributes to Hammond for his professionalism and commitment during his time at club.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Captain of Ghana’s National U-15 Boys team, Abdul Aziz Issa, says the exposure gained at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan will be vital for the development of the squad.
Ghana finished 7th out of 189 countries after an impressive campaign, winning eight of ten matches.
“I think we played well, the exposure was good for our development, and we can’t thank FIFA and the GFA enough for this amazing platform,” Issa said.
“I’m so very happy to be part of this FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan. I want to thank my colleagues for how far we have brought Ghana in this tournament.”
The captain believes the experience will prepare the group for future challenges at U-17 and U-20 level.
Ghana enjoyed an outstanding tournament, scoring 44 goals and establishing themselves among the top seven teams.
Their dominant group stage saw them score 27 goals while conceding just three. Salifu Fatawu’s side opened with a commanding 4-1 win over Uzbekistan, thrashed Myanmar 7-1, recorded emphatic 7-0 wins over Guam and the Bahamas, before rounding off the group with a 2-1 triumph over Kazakhstan.
Their pursuit of a higher finish suffered a setback in the knockout phase after elimination by Paraguay in a dramatic encounter.
The team bounced back to finish 7th, including a commanding 4-0 victory over Colombia in their final game, despite suffering a 7-1 defeat to Brazil in the Tier A Ranking Play-Offs.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
