Sports
GPL: Hearts, Kotoko eye comebacks
Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko will seek to bounce back from last weekโs defeats when they take on their respective opponents in week 18 of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) games this weekend.
Hearts will trek to the Hohoe Sports Stadium to play as guests of new boys, Hohoe United, today, while Asante Kotoko stay at the Baba Yara Stadium to welcome relegation-threatened Berekum Chelsea.
After a goalless game in their first-round fixture, the Hearts and Hohoe United clash presents a fine opportunity for either side to earn the bragging rights over the other.
For Kotoko, their game against Berekum Chelsea on paper looks relatively easier, with the latter struggling to find their feet in the league this season.
Fourth-placed Aduana FC will look to appease their fans with a win when they take on seventh-placed Karela United at the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa.
The Ogya boys suffered a shocking 1-0 home defeat to Vision FC last week, one that plunged the town of Dormaa in silence.
Romanian tactician, Cioaba Aristica, believes his Aduana side has no excuse not to secure the three points tomorrow, as any other result will jeopardise their title aspirations.
After brushing aside Asante Kotoko at home last Sunday, Swedru All Blacks will look to add visiting Nations FC to their growing list of casualties when they cross swords at the Swedru Stadium tomorrow.
In other games, defending league champions, Bibiani Gold Stars SC, will travel to the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park to face troubled Bechem United in a must-win game for the latter.
Fresh from their 1-0 victory over Hearts of Oak last week, league leaders, Medeama SC, will hope to keep the winning momentum when they welcome Young Apostles to the TnA Stadium.
Bechem sits a point above the relegation zone, having lost eight games, drawn four, and won five, while the visitors are coming into the game with 10 wins, two draws, and five losses.
The Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi will come alive when home side Samartex FC welcomes Vision FC while Kpando Heart of Lions engage Dreams FC at the Tuba Astro Turf.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission โฆFA boss charges team to make Ghana proud
The Black Starlets, the national U-17 male team, have safely arrived in Casablanca ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team departed Accra on Wednesday, travelling with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.
They completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.
The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, was present at the Accra International Airport to bid farewell to the team.
Speaking during a brief farewell at the Airport, the FA President urged the team to carry a โnever say dieโ spirit into the competition.
President Simeon-Okraku emphasised the importance of mental strength and unity, particularly in difficult moments during matches. His message was inspired by the teamโs recent friendly encounters against Cote dโIvoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
โIโm very happy that when you lost to Cote dโIvoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce backโnot only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,โ he said. โI read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your headsโthat, itโs not over until itโs all over,โ he added.
The FA president stressed that the ability to respond positively to setbacks would be crucial in a tournament as competitive as the AFCON.
He encouraged the players to stay united and support one another when the pressure intensifies on the continental stage.
โWhen the chips are down, thatโs when we need to hold each other together,โ Okraku added. โSo go out there and make Ghana proud.โ
Ghana will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa, with their opening match scheduled for Thursday, May 14.
Twenty-three (23) players have been called up for this monthโs international friendly against Mexico.
The squad is composed of star players from the domestic league and European leagues who are closely monitored by Coach Carlos Queiroz, as well as U-23 players who will soon represent Ghana in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers.
Notable names include Majeed Ashimeru, Felix Afena-Gyan, Razak Simpson, and Birmingham Cityโs Ibrahim Osman.
Ashimeru returns to action after a long spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury that limited his appearances at both club and national level.
Also in the team is Felix Afena-Gyan, whose last appearance for Ghana was in May last year when he featured against Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup in London.
Barcelona Bโs Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-รtienne, Ibrahim Osman of Birmingham City, and Paul Reverson of Ajax FC have also been included in the squad.
Midfielder Salim Adams, one of the key players for Ghana Premier League leaders Medeama SC, leads the group of home-based players.
Others are Heart of Lionsโ Ebenezer Abban, Ebenezer Adade of Dreams FC, and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson. Ghana will travel to Mexico for the international friendly on Friday, May 22, 2026.
