Sports
Do not spare anybody, GFA!
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An unidentified person in Germany was reported to have called players of Ghana Premier League side, Elmina Sharks, to throw one of their league fixtures for a $5,000 reward.
This was disclosed to the media by the Deputy General Manager of Elmina Sharks, Aboagye Yeboah, who said he reported the matter to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) but no action was taken.
Sharks themselves are being accused of playing a match-of-convenience against Asante Kotoko to escape the drop on the final day of action. They denied the offence.
But clearly, it tells you how bad the situation is already; and the GFA is all-too aware of how disparaging things could be – and have responded to calls for a probe into the match-day 34 fixture played between Ashanti Gold SC and Inter Allies FC at the Len Clay stadium at Obuasi on Saturday, July 17, 2021.
The two teams have been accused of playing a fixed game after viral social media footage showed what looked like two deliberate own goals scored by Inter Allies defender Hashmin Musah in the 7-0 win for home side AshGold.
In that game, Musah came from the bench and bundled the ball into his own net within 12 minutes and substituted himself just before full-time. It was like saying ‘I have completed my mission so I can now go off the pitch peacefully.’
True to his flimsy defence, Musah claimed rumours were rife ahead of the game that the afternoon had been compromised with scores of 5-0 flying everywhere. His mission in the game was therefore to “spoil the bet.”
But eliciting information that a game is fixed – even when that is the case, does not warrant that negative act which, obviously, brought the game into huge disrepute.
Could it not be possible that he placed a bet on himself, or rather a bet was placed on him to score two own goals? Could it also not be a kind of cover up to do his own thing? Where is the spirit of Fair Play in competitive football when you deliberately score own goals?
Seriously speaking, Hashim is as duplicitous as all those who participated in the match and others outside it. But of course, we need painstaking investigation to get to the bottom of the case and the appropriate sanctions enforced – no matter who is caught in the web.
There are people who believe Hashim should rather be applauded and awarded; limpidly demonstrating that there a deeper lack of understanding of the issue at stake.
Perhaps, if the Inter Allies’ defender was amply educated about match fixing, he and his team would have promptly reported the matter to the GFA, who may have cancelled the match and immediately invite the police to open up an investigation.
Well, this is one aspect – education – that the GFA should be taking a closer look at when they are done with the case before them.
It is limpidly clear now that the betting syndicates have invaded our games and we better nip them in the bud now before our leagues slip into a nadir of international shame and embarrassment.
Former GFA Communications Director, Sannie Daara, could not have put it better.
“The betting syndicates are the real threat to the game because they arrange to compromise the matches so they can win against betting companies. The betting companies are the ones that can bring benefit and legal money to clubs and the league like it does for the EPL, La Liga and all the major competitions of the world.
“The syndicates in our case might include club owners, players, coaches, referees and their rogue agents who are mostly abroad. Armed with the pre-arranged result they visit websites of betting companies abroad to place huge bets to win big. And they use their funds to bribe their surrogates locally to further compromise future matches,” he said.
Indeed, it is true that such combined activities trickle down to the country when many get hold of fixed results to invade the betting companies in Ghana and win millions too.
It is against this saturnine backdrop that the GFA must be commended for collaborating with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to initiate a snake-pit inquisition into the matter – especially as regards the Inter Allies v AshantiGold game, in order to bring the perpetrators to book.
Truth is that, if we do not take draconian measures now we will witness this same sordid deed again next season. That is why we must not spare anybody caught up in the mesh. Our game must be cleansed!
PlainTalk with JOHN VIGAH
The Black Queens kick off their 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations journey on Wednesday, July 29, when they take on Cape Verde in their Group C opener in Morocco.
Coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his team go into the match full of confidence after weeks of intensive preparations.
The Queens held a successful pre-tournament training camp and played friendly matches to fine-tune ahead of the competition.
With morale high, Ghana’s senior women’s team will be targeting maximum points to get their campaign off to the perfect start.
The match is set for 5:00 PM GMT at the Moulay Rachid Stadium.
Football fans across Ghana will be watching closely, hoping the Queens can secure a positive result and lay the foundation for a memorable WAFCON 2026 run.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
With the World Cup fever gradually dying down, attention would switch to other equally important competitions from now to the latter parts of the year.
Barely a week after the global football showpiece that saw Spain upstaged Argentina as World Champions, over 70 countries gathered in Glasgow, Scotland for the Commonwealth Games that is attracting hundreds of athletes from the Commonwealth community.
Equally, 16 top female national teams in Africa would commence competition for the bragging rights as African champions when the delayed Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 kicks off in Morocco tomorrow.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria are usually considered favourites for this showpiece, having shown the strength and character to dominate the game on the continent.
As defending champions, they come in strongly again, expected to face a more difficult sides like the Black Queens of Ghana, Zambia and Morocco who have been touted as possible teams to cause an upset.
Of the 16 qualified teams, nine featured at the previous edition held in 2024.
Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tunisia, who qualified in 2024, missed out this time, while Cape Verde and Malawi will make their first appearance in the tournament.
Today, The Spectator Sports takes a look at some of the teams expected to rub shoulders with the big guns in the female game.
Cameroon
After missing the previous edition, Cameroon returns to the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 determined to re-establish themselves among Africa’s elite.
The Indomitable Lionesses, one of the continent’s most successful women’s national teams, secured a place at the expanded 16-team tournament after receiving a second chance through CAF’s revised qualification system.
Now, under newly appointed head coach Valentine Nguele and inspired by emerging midfield star Naomi Eto, Cameroon will be aiming not only to reclaim their place among Africa’s leading nations but also to secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Cameroon boasts one of the richest histories in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Indomitable Lionesses have reached the final on three occasions—in 2004, 2014 and 2016—but are still searching for their first continental title.
Their consistency has also been reflected in three third-place finishes in 2002, 2012 and 2018, giving Cameroon six podium finishes overall.
Only Nigeria and South Africa have accumulated more top-three finishes in the history of the competition, underlining Cameroon’s long-standing status among Africa’s leading women’s football nations.
Zambia
After finishing third in 2022 and falling short of expectations at the 2024 edition, Zambia head to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 determined to establish themselves among Africa’s elite.
With one of the continent’s most feared attacking units and new head coach Nora Häuptle at the helm, the Copper Queens will be aiming to lift the Women’s AFCON trophy for the first time.
Barbra Banda remains one of the biggest names in African women’s football.
The Orlando Pride striker has established herself among the leading forwards in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and returns to international competition after recovering from a hip injury suffered late last year.
Powerful, direct and clinical in front of goal, Banda will once again spearhead Zambia’s attack as the Copper Queens pursue their first continental title.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (Stallions Ladies) return to the competition determined to make history after missing the 2024 edition. Encouraged by an impressive qualifying campaign, the Stallions Ladies head to Morocco aiming to progress beyond the group stage for the first time.
Burkina Faso secured qualification with convincing victories over Burundi and Togo.
The Stallions Ladies defeated Burundi 5-1 on aggregate, following a commanding 4-1 first-leg victory before completing the job with a 1-0 win in the return fixture.
They carried that momentum into the final qualifying round against Togo, winning 2-0 in the first leg before sealing qualification with another 1-0 victory to complete a 3-0 aggregate success.
Nigeria
Reigning champions Nigerias head to Morocco 2026 looking to extend their remarkable record in the competition. With 10 continental titles to their name, the Super Falcons remain the most successful team in the tournament’s history..
Led by Captain Rasheedat Ajibade and head coach Justine Madugu, Nigeria once again begin the competition among the favourites.
Nigeria secured qualification to Morocco 2026 by defeating Benin 3-1 on aggregate in the second round of qualifying.
Having received a bye in the opening round, the Super Falcons took control of the tie with a 2-0 away victory in Cotonou.
They completed the job in Abeokuta, drawing 1-1 in the second leg after Ashleigh Plumptre opened the scoring before Benin equalised through Yasmine Djibril.
The result ensured another successful qualification campaign for the reigning African champions.
Cote d’Ivoire
After a 12-year absence from Africa’s biggest women’s football competition, Côte d’Ivoire returns to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations aiming to re-establish themselves among the continent’s leading nations.
The Elephants secured an unexpected route back to the finals following the expansion of the tournament from 12 to 16 teams.
Now guided by experienced French coach Reynald Pedros and inspired by prolific striker Habibou Ouedraogo, Côte d’Ivoire believe they have the talent to challenge Africa’s established powers once again.
The Elephants were knocked out in the final qualifying round after a fiercely contested tie against Senegal. Neither side managed to score across the two legs, with Senegal eventually prevailing 5-4 on penalties to deny the Ivorians automatic qualification.
Following the expansion of the Women’s AFCON from 12 to 16 participating teams, CAF allocated the additional places based on the FIFA Women’s World Ranking.
⚽ Group A: Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Kenya,
⚽ Group B: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania
⚽ Group C: Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, Malawi
⚽ Group D: Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde
By Andrew Nortey
