Sports
Hearts, Dreams to rock Accra
Hearts of Oak new coach, Kosta Papic, will be targeting a first win for his side when they face Dreams FC tomorrow in a tricky tie at the Accra Stadium in a match week 5 encounter.
The Phobians’ winless streak from two games triggered the appointment of Papic – a coach who formerly guided Hearts to premier league success in 2008 – to take over from stop-gap manager, Edward Nii Odoom.
But the Serbian watched from the sideline after four days in charge as his side laboured to frustrating 0-0 draw against Karela United, a result assistant coach Asare Bediako pointed out highlighted their struggles with scoring.
Fortunately for the Phobians, the schedule handed them another home advantage to fix their shortcomings before setting off on the road for much difficult match days. As Papic aims to deliver Hearts a first win, he would be wary of Hearts former striker Joseph Esso, who would be eager to score against his former side.
In other games, a regional derby at the Carl Reindorf Park will witness Liberty Professionals against revived Great Olympics. Olympics should be hoping to continue their fairy-tale start to the season against a stubborn Liberty side.
In Obuasi, AshantiGold would be hoping to overcome their exit in the CAF Confederations Cup by recording their first GPL win against a well-drilled Elmina Sharks team.
League leaders Karela would hope to continue their good start against King Faisal.
Aduana Stars have a crunch tie in Dormaa against an improved Eleven Wonders side while Berekum Chelsea must dust-off the disappointment of their 1-0 loss to Ebusua Dwarfs to survive against WAFA at Sogakope.
The rest of match week five fixtures to be played today would see Inter Allies playing Bechem United at the Accra Stadium and Dwarfs facing Medeama SC in Cape Coast.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
Officials from the Ghana mission in the United Arab Emirates have paid a morale-boosting visit to the camp of the Black Queens.
The delegation, made up of Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto, Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai and Head of Transport Anas Shaibu, visited the team to assure them of the government’s support and commitment to their safety and welfare.
During the visit, the officials interacted with the team and offered words of encouragement, urging the team to remain focused on the tournament despite concerns surrounding unrest in parts of the UAE.
Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto emphasised that the Ghanaian government, through its diplomatic mission, is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to ensuring the team’s safety throughout their stay.
“We want the team to stay calm and focus on the competition. The government and the embassy are doing everything possible to ensure your safety and well-being.” he said.
Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai also reiterated the mission’s readiness to provide any assistance required by the team during the tournament.
Leadership of the team expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and motivating.
With the backing of Ghana’s diplomatic officials in the UAE, the Black Queens remain determined to represent the country proudly and deliver strong performances in the Pink Ladies Cup.
The Black Queens have arrived in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the upcoming Pink Ladies Cup in Dubai. The team touched down at the Dubai International Airport via Emirates Air on Wednesday morning and were warmly received by the competition’s organising officials.
The squad will be based at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, where they will begin their final preparations for the tournament. Organised as part of the international women’s football calendar, the Pink Ladies Cup is expected to feature four national sides using the competition to assess their squads and fine-tune strategies for upcoming tournaments.
Ghana will open their campaign today with a clash against Hong Kong, while Russia and Tanzania face off in the other opening match.
The Black Queens are then scheduled to return to action on March 3, when they take on Russia in a match expected to test them against a physically strong opponent.
The final round of games will be played on March 6, with Ghana closing their campaign against Tanzania at 9:00 pm.
With three matches in eight days, the tournament promises to be a crucial phase in Ghana’s preparation, as the Black Queens aim to return to continental action sharper, stronger, and more competitive.
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