Sports
Quality is quality!
After months of mind-maundering, dovetailing into a state of bewilderment on the pitch, sanity seemed to have been restored into the Black Starswith regard to the team’s work ethic and general discipline.
Until Serbian trainer Milovan Rajevac took over from CK Akonnor some three weeks ago, the Stars played with less enthusiasm, verve and obsession – and watching them became more or less a disconcerting penance.
It was the reason many thought the local trainer like Akonnor was not up to the task.
In his first Qatar 2022 World Cup assignment against Zimbabwe, Milovan proved his quality, especially after the recess when the visitors pulled level. His decision to take out a near-lifeless Jordan Ayew for Benjamin Tetteh brought some bite into the Stars’ less potent forwardline that resulted in Ghana’s 3-1 win. His predecessor would have kept Jordan until it may be too late.
Milo again demonstrated a brawny heart in his starting line-up. You must be a coach with big balls to name a debutante Swedish League Two goalie in Joojo Wollacott, in such crucial encounter whose upshot could determine your future in the campaign! Only few coaches too might start Africa Under-20 teenage star Mohammed Issahuku ahead of the more experienced Samuel Owusu. Big heart!
With the performance exhibited by the Stars, one can assertively say that the confidence of Ghanaians in the team should gradually be streaming back!
That is what you get when you have a quality bench: Ghana’s bench had Milovan (UEFA Pro Licence) and his two Assistants – Otto Addo (UEFA Pro Licence) and Maxwell Konadu (UEFA Licence A). The difference as regards reading the game was all-too clear.
It may not have come as any stunner when Milovan’s charges stormed Harare for the return to upstage Zimbabwe 1-0 on Tuesday – with Captain Andre Ayew starting from the bench – and coming on only in the last five minutes of the high-on-energy afternoon. The result puts the Stars on nine points, a point adrift South Africa who beat Ethiopia by the same scoreline on Tuesday.
Milo still have got some great deal of work to do; but coming back to handle the team for first time in 11 years in such manner, the Serbian must have scored full marks on the cards of many of the game’s experts.
By John Vigah
Captain of Ghana’s National U-15 Boys team, Abdul Aziz Issa, says the exposure gained at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan will be vital for the development of the squad.
Ghana finished 7th out of 189 countries after an impressive campaign, winning eight of ten matches.
“I think we played well, the exposure was good for our development, and we can’t thank FIFA and the GFA enough for this amazing platform,” Issa said.
“I’m so very happy to be part of this FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan. I want to thank my colleagues for how far we have brought Ghana in this tournament.”
The captain believes the experience will prepare the group for future challenges at U-17 and U-20 level.
Ghana enjoyed an outstanding tournament, scoring 44 goals and establishing themselves among the top seven teams.
Their dominant group stage saw them score 27 goals while conceding just three. Salifu Fatawu’s side opened with a commanding 4-1 win over Uzbekistan, thrashed Myanmar 7-1, recorded emphatic 7-0 wins over Guam and the Bahamas, before rounding off the group with a 2-1 triumph over Kazakhstan.
Their pursuit of a higher finish suffered a setback in the knockout phase after elimination by Paraguay in a dramatic encounter.
The team bounced back to finish 7th, including a commanding 4-0 victory over Colombia in their final game, despite suffering a 7-1 defeat to Brazil in the Tier A Ranking Play-Offs.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Spanish Police have opened an investigation into the death of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel following his on-field collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono.
The 30-year-old forward died on Tuesday, November 3, at age 30, after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest during a LaLiga 2 match at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López on Monday. f350
According to police sources cited by EFE, the case is under judicial supervision. The incident occurred in stoppage time when Owono rushed out of his penalty area to challenge for a long ball near midfield and collided heavily with De Miguel, striking him in the chest. The goalkeeper was shown a straight red card.
De Miguel was taken to Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria where he remained in intensive care until his death on Tuesday morning. CD Tenerife confirmed the passing in a statement: “Racked with pain… we communicate the tragic passing… of Jesús de Miguel Alameda”.
The National Police’s Homicide Group in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is leading the inquiry. Judicial authorities in the Canary Islands clarified that such an investigation is automatically opened whenever a death occurs from non-natural causes and does not by itself establish criminal responsibility.
While reports indicate police are examining possible involuntary manslaughter under Article 142 of Spain’s Penal Code, chief prosecutor José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui believes it is highly unlikely that criminal proceedings will be brought because the collision occurred during normal play.
Authorities will review the referee’s match report, match footage, medical reports and the findings of the sports disciplinary committee to determine whether the challenge constituted dangerous play.
For now, no judicial ruling has established criminal responsibility on the part of the Andorra goalkeeper and the investigation remains open as Spanish football mourns De Miguel.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
