Sports
Fallen standard of the Black Stars
Ghana football a score ago, was a beauty and delight to watch; a gem to lay your life for and an opportunity to elevate your spirit. Times have past and fast forward, the spirit of the nation behind the famous and trusted Black Stars of Ghana has drown in the abyss of fallen standard.
Fans no longer enjoy the game of our once beloved Black Stars. Gone were the days our skeletons danced to the clamouring sounds of “vuvuzelas” at the stadium. In the midst of opposing noise, the standout language was “Black Stars, Do or Die” with a countless number the red, yellow and green colours on display in every corner of the country.
Indeed, Ghana owes gratitude to likes of Tony Yeboah, Abedi Pele, Shamo Quaye, Sammy Kuffuor, just to mention a few. These are the legends who committed themselves even without inducement making sure that, Ghana had its name written in the historical books of the African biggest tournament – African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the world at large.
If we recall the Black Stars’ history, the last time the Stars won a trophy was in the year 1982. Subsequently, Black Stars have succeeded in qualifying to the AFCON many times, but failed to bring the trophy home unlike the Pharaohs of Egypt with whom they once upon a time rocked shoulders with on the continent.
African exploit
The Stars have successfully won four times the biggest tournament in Africa. The story started in 1963 – that was the fourth edition of the AFCON as Ghana hosted. They eventually made it to the finals to face Sudan on home soil. Goodness dawned on the Stars with a three-goal margin to lift the first trophy. Afterwards, the winning spirit settled on the Stars in the next edition of the tournament in 1965 making it, a back-to-back.
Preceding that, the Pharaohs of Egypt won the trophy twice; the first and second editions of the tournament to become the first country to win it twice in a row. It was a tie between the Stars and the Pharaohs until Ghana broke the tie with two more trophies in 1978 and 1982.
I am very sure the cheering hearts at the time believed the Black Stars would remain the leading nation in the AFCON. It is rather unfortunate that, since the last trophy won in 1982, Black Stars is yet to lift a trophy. However, the Pharaohs have managed to lift it five more times making it a record seven times including the ones they won in three consecutive editions (2006, 2008, and 2010). Painfully, the last trophy the Egyptians celebrated on the African stage was an encounter with the Black Stars in Angola.
As if that was not enough, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon never tasted Africa glory when Ghana last lifted its fourth trophy; however, history now remembers Cameroon as the second most successful on the Continent of Africa after lifting it five times. Nigeria, a West Africa neighbour is breathing on the neck of Ghana with a trophy to equal Ghana; even though it also won none as at the time the Black Stars won it for the fourth time.
It must be well noted that, the Black Stars is in history the worst performing country at the AFCON finals, having lost the final five times. Ghana lost to Congo (Kinshasa), Sudan, and Egypt in 1968, 1970 and 2010 respectively; they also lost to West African neighbours La Cote d’ Ivoire in 1992 and 2015 on penalties. In effect, all two trophies won by “Les Elephants De La Cote d’ Ivoire” came at the hands of the Stars.
Exploit of local players
The Stars have tasted some sweet feet in football in Africa. The likes of Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah and Sammy Kuffor made history for Ghana. In the 1960s down to late 2000s, the Stars were dominated by locally talented players such as Dodoo Ankrah, Ernest Joe De Graft, Addo Odametey, Atta Kwame, Charles Taylor and several others. These players were dominating in the local league; they played for Real Republicans (which dissolved in 1966), Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko. They were equally good as the Pharaohs unlike the recent Black Stars.
Nowadays, we had and have big names who play in some of the top football leagues in the world – English Premier League, Spanish LaLiga, Italian Serie A and others, yet, trophies fail to smile at us. The golden generation of the Black Stars with Stars such as Asamoah Gyan, Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Richard Kingson, John Mensah, Samuel Adjei, Dede Ayew and other international league players failed to win a single trophy. Imagine, when Black Stars was dominated by locally talented players, they won trophies so the acclaimed international players could have done better than that.
Look at the Pharaohs, even in the 21st century, you can count the number of players who played abroad in their national team. It seems they believe in their “home-made” players than those abroad. Players such as Mohammed Hany, Zizo, Afsha, Abdallah El Said, Mohamed Abu Treika played in their local league. They played the likes of Zamalek, Al Ahly and Pyramids equivalent to our local such Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko and other teams in the Ghana Premier League.
The patriotic spirit that elevated Black Stars into the memory of African football and the world seems to be in exchange for some foreign “papers with numbers” on them. The cheering spirits have significantly faded. The “street love” for the Black Stars has washed away.
There is a high possibility that if individuals who are fortunate to manage the Stars revisit the ancient way of selecting players “sankofa yenkyi”, Black Stars will rise again to resurrect the “street love” for Ghana football.
BY FRANCIS ELORM AGUDU
Sports
Kudus sends well wishes, to Black Queens ahead of Semifinal Clash with Morocco
Ghana Black Stars and current Tottenham Hotspur player, Mohammed Kudus has extended his congratulatory message to the black Queens for advancing to the semi- finals of the ongoing 2024 women’s Africa cup of Nations (WAFCON) where they will face host nation, Morocco.
In a video on his facebook page, the former West Ham United F.C player expressed satisfaction with the performance of the black queens to defend the country at the highest level of the tournament.
He was hopeful that Ghana will come out victorious clinching the title in the ongoing WAFCON competitions.
“I’m really proud of your energy, your hard work, and fight to defend the country, Ghana. I’m really looking forward to your next game”he noted.
“I hope you guys bring the gold home. Wish you all the best and we are behind you” he urged.
This is Ghana’s first time reaching the semifinals since 2016, under the guidance of head coach Kim Lars Björkegren.
To make it to the final, they will need to beat a strong Moroccan team, last year’s runners-up, who are looking to reach the final for the second time in a row.
By Jacob Aggrey
Sports
Boye-Hlorkah comes alive to lead Ghana
Under the bright lights and the self-inflicted weight of expectation at the Berkane Stadium on a demanding Monday night in Group C of the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024, Ghanaian midfielder Chantelle Louise Boye-Hlorkah stood tallest as the Woman of the Match in a must-win tie against Tanzania.
The 29-year-old midfielder maintained composure from start to finish, showed leadership and great decision making as Ghana showed character to defeat Tanzania 4-1 to book their well-deserved position in the quarterfinals of the continental competition.
Boye-Hlorkah’s magic
Vocal via word of mouth on the field of play but more importantly Boye-Hlorkah lets her actions with and without the ball speak for her.
Ball control, game reading and timely interceptions describes her approach to the beautiful game.
Against Tanzania, she owned the midfield. She frustrated Diana Msewa who is the heart and soul of the Twiga Stars midfield and was Woman of the Match in their 1-1 draw with the reigning champions South Africa.
It was not just the numbers on the stat sheet for Boye-Hlorkah. It was the timely tackles, positive energy and overall experience that were crucial for Ghana.
She made routine look elegant with the manner in which she transformed text book training ground moves into easy-to-execute runs during the game.
“Today, I was in a comfortable role. I like the wing but I like being involved more in my natural position. I am glad to have played a little bit everywhere. A more familiar role for myself. I am so happy. The award could have been given it to any of my teammates. I want to thank the coach for playing me in this position, my teammates and the staff for the support,” she said with an ear-to-ear smile after the game.
She dictated play, hi-fived or tapped her teammates on the back for encouragement and generally gave the traveling Ghanaian fans in the stands something to cheer about. The many Berkane citizens too joined in whenever she had the ball on her feet.
Beginning of a new era
In 13 editions, this is the seventh time that the Black Queens have progressed to the knockout stages at the WAFCON and have now made it four out of four against East African opposition.
“I am just proud, so proud of the girls. I try and lead. I am very vocal on the pitch. I try and push the team as much as I can. The girls picked me up too. I told them that we are not going to win this game without playing as a team. I am so proud of Ghana, of the fans. I am so proud to be Ghanaian,” Boye-Hlorkah said passionately after the game yet to catch her breathe.
“Wow. Wow. Wow,” the Anfield-born midfielder who was given more freedom in her midfield role on Monday said with absolute admiration of her teammates in what she said was a memorable day for this team that was on the edge of losing everything had they not emerged victorious.
Just four players in the current squad had ever played at the WAFCON. The new generation includes Boye-Hlorkah who is featuring at her first WAFCON.
“Growing up through the England system meant that I was eligible to play for my country of birth but I always knew that I wanted to play for Ghana. I am just so grateful to be here playing for Ghana.”
Quarterfinals here they come
With this result, Ghana have now recorded nine wins, a draw and a loss in their final group stages fixtures at the WAFCON.
Princella Abudea opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Alice Kusi scored her second goal of this edition to make it 2-1.
Evelyn Badu came off the bench to make it 3-1 before Boye-Hlorkah sealed the comfortable victory to make it Ghana’s first time to score four goals at the WAFCON since the 1998 edition.
Despite the goal and impact of the eventual result, Boye-Hlorkah admitted that, “I always want to achieve the most. The final result. The end goal is to win it all. The result means everything. I said that we would score more than one or more goals. We got the performance. I am more proud of the performance than the result.”
“We were not playing to their game. When we are actually playing football, combine with each other. When we got it down, we were able to play. The result is amazing, the performance even better. The girls put in a great shift.”
The Ghanaian contingent in the stands watched the entire game on their feet, encouraging the players on the field, waving the nation’s flag at every opportunity and could be seen in the end just visibly relieved that they made it to the knockout stages for the first time since 2016 when the Black Queens finished in third place.
Monday’s win marked the first victory for Ghana after taking the lead in two games at the current finals. Ghana will take on Algeria in the last eight today at the Berkane Stadium.-CAF
