Sports
Hearts face Samartex in tough affair
Hearts of Oak will welcome Samartex to the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow to honour a cagey match-day 13 clash of the betPawa Premier League.
The Phobians in their last two games under the tutelage of assistant coach David Ocloo have been impressive, snatching a sweet comeback triumph over Tamale City a week ago. That vintage victory should inspire them to beat Samartex at home.
At the the Nana Gyeabour Park, Bechem United will play host to Medeama SC. The visitors managed to rediscover their form to beat Nsoatreman 2-0, having earlier seen a 4-0 humiliation by Dreams FC a week earlier, while the latter must go all out for a win after securing only a point in their last two meetings.
Struggling Karela United will face off with league leaders Aduana Stars at the Crosby Awuah Memorial Park tomorrow.
Aduana Stars are yet to concede defeat in their last three encounters, with one victory and two draws but will have to do without the services of talisman Bright Adjei, who is expected to seal a move to Tanzania in the coming days.
After match-day five, Karela have failed to win a single game with three defeats and four stalemates.
Real Tamale United will make a trip to Dawu to square off with Dreams FC at the Theatre of Dreams on Sunday.
Tomorrow’s action packed games will see bottom-placed Kotoku Royals battle it out with Accra Great Olympics at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium, while debutants Nsoatreman lock horns with Legon Cities.
On Monday, two more games will be staged as Accra Lions face Berekum Chelsea at the Accra Sports Stadium, while reigning champions Asante Kotoko slug it out with Bibiani Goldstars at the Dun’s Park in Bibiani to climax the week’s games.
BY LINUS SIAW NARTEY
Ghana will face Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia in Group C of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The draw was held on Tuesday in Cairo, where African nations learned their routes to the continental tournament.
Two teams will qualify from each of the 12 groups of four for the finals. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda — the first East African co-hosting arrangement in the competition’s history.
Ghana head into the qualifiers targeting one of the two slots from Group C after missing out on the previous edition in Morocco.
Qualifying schedule:
Matchdays 1 & 2: September 21 – October 6, 2026
Matchdays 3 & 4: November 9 – 17, 2026
Matchdays 5 & 6: March 22 – 30, 2027
Black Stars assistant coach Roger De Sá says joining Carlos Queiroz’s technical team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a no-brainer.
Speaking on Beyond The Whistle, the South African revealed Queiroz’s call was no surprise given their long-standing relationship and shared ambition.
“The call from Carlos did not surprise me. We have similar dreams and I always want to see him succeed,” De Sá said.
For the experienced coach, Ghana’s pedigree made the decision easy.
“Being called to assist Carlos was not difficult. This is Ghana and it’s the World Cup we are talking about,” he stated.
De Sá recalled the moment Queiroz rang: “It was an exciting 3am call. I told my wife first and, as custom, she said, ‘We are leaving.’ I replied, ‘Let’s go!’”
He praised Queiroz’s collaborative style: “Carlos listens. He doesn’t have to take every opinion, but he welcomes different views.”
Back in Africa, De Sá said the feeling was special. “It’s great to be back. Africa is not a place, it’s a feeling.”
The former Bafana Bafana assistant was full of praise for Ghana’s talent pool.
“There is so much natural talent in Ghana despite limited resources. As an African football lover, the talent here is unbelievable. You guys don’t know what you have with limited facilities and infrastructure,” he said.
Comparing both nations, De Sá noted: “We in South Africa have talent too, but a different kind with all the facilities. Yet we don’t go forward with our talent.”
Ahead of the World Cup, he believes the Black Stars only need unity.
“We are not going to teach them how to play. We have the players. We only have to put them in the right position, with the right frame of mind, and when they put on the jersey, they should perform.”
De Sá assured Ghanaians of the technical team’s commitment.
“We are here to do our best and make Ghanaians happy. If Carlos does his job, there is none better than him,” he said.
“We will pick our targets as they come. If our players play to their abilities, we have a realistic chance to progress,” he concluded.
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