Sports
Hearts face Inter Allies in cracker
Accra Hearts of Oak would seek to make amends for their last-gasp 2-2 stalemate against Ashantigold on Tuesday when they face Inter Allies in an ‘Accra affair’ tomorrow at the Accra Sports Stadium in the Ghana Premier league (GPL).
With the league entering its third week, Coach Edward Odoom of Hearts would be focused on seeing a much sharper attack – after he lamented in post-match against Ashantigold how missed opportunities to ‘kill’ the game stung them in the end by Hans Kwofie’s late equaliser for the visitors.
Allies themselves have really sweated with the absence of skipper and lethal forward Victorien Adebayor whose 12 goals in the truncated season kept them afloat as Henrik Lehm’s side are yet to hit the back of the net in their two games this campaign.
Earlier this year in the truncated season, the ‘Phobians’ needed a late effort from defender Mohammed Alhassan to share the spoils in an enthralling encounter that ended 1-1.
With home side Allies eager for their first win and a goal, and Hearts determined to improve their conversion rate, the clash is expected to spark off fireworks with Paul Abagna leading the charge for Allies, whilst attacker Kojo Obeng Jnr will be hoping to repeat his dosage of brace on Tuesday in Phobian colours against Allies.
Elsewhere in Dormaa, Aduana Stars will welcome Bechem United to the Nana Agyemang Badu l Park in a regional derby. In the truncated league, Aduana was able to grab a point in Bechem after a barren encounter – a result the ‘Hunters’ would look to better with their talented crop of youngsters led by Hafiz Konkoni, scoring prodigy Kwabena Adu and Moro Salifu.
But in experienced forward Yakubu Mohammed, Caleb Amankwaa, Stephen Bioh, Benjamin Adjei and goalie Joe Addo, they will meet a well-drilled ‘Ogya boys’ unit who have turned their home venue into a waterloo for their opponents.
In other games, Ebusua Dwarfs will have a difficult game on their hands as they host undefeated Berekum Chelsea at the Cape Coast Stadium, whilst WAFA despite their invincibility at their Sogakope base would be wary of Yaw Acheampong’s Elmina Sharks who proved to be ‘stubborn’ on the road in the truncated league.
In Aiyanase, a rejuvenated Karela team will play their second home game on the bounce when they face Dreams FC at the reconstructed CAM Park. The two sides, both unbeaten, would tussle to keep their impressive start going with Karela favourites at their dreaded Nzema base.
At the Carl Reindorf Park in Dansoman today, Liberty Professionals will face a major test against the Techiman side, XI Wonders.
The ‘Scientific Soccer’ lads, in search of their first win, slot it out with a Wonders side primed to be the surprise package of this campaign and would need an aggressive performance from Abraham Wayo, George Ansong, Razak Boame and Samuel Amofa to overcome creative player Ibrahim Salifu-inspired Wonders outfit.
Games between Great Olympics and Asante Kotoko as well as Ashantigold and King Faisal have been rescheduled as both Kotoko and AshantiGold are engaged in continental competitions.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission …FA 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 ‘never say die’ 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 team’s recent friendly encounters against Cote d’Ivoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
“I’m very happy that when you lost to Cote d’Ivoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce back—not only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,” he said. “I read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your heads—that, it’s not over until it’s all over,” 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.
“When the chips are down, that’s when we need to hold each other together,” Okraku added. “So go out there and make Ghana proud.”
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 month’s 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 City’s 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 B’s Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-Étienne, 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 Lions’ 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.
