The media event will take place at the Alisa Hotel at 11 am.

Haughton initially put out a 55-man squad list in the squad which he is said to trim down to a final 27-man squad before camping starts on Januey.2,2023 in Kumasi, Ghana. 

READ MORE: Match Preview & Predictions – Hearts of Oak vs Bechem United

The BlackStars were billed to travel to South Africa for a ten-day camping. After continued public outcry, the GFA and Sports Ministry reversed the decision and decided to camp in Kumasi, which is weather-friendly and will help court the needed support from fans as well as preserve taxpayers ’ money. 

READ MORE: Match Preview & Predictions – Nations FC vs Nsoatreman

Ghana will play Namibia in an international friendly at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Monday, January 8, 2024, as they gear up for the tournament in Cote D’Ivoire.

Saharafootball.net has learned that players like Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, Richard Ofori, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Elisha Owusu, Mohammed Salisu, Joseph Painstil, Salis Ahmed, Baba Iddrisu, Jonathan Sowah will feature heavily in the 27-man squad yet to be announced by Chris Haughton. 

The post AFCON 2023 – Chris Hughton to announce BlackStars squad on Monday first appeared on Sahara Football.

Following the team’s heavy battering against, Morocco, it prompted a reaction from, Coach Tanko to make wholesale changes to his setup, Afriyie-Barnieh, and Emmanuel Essiem, were reposed back into the line-up, Ashie-Quaye, Nathaniel Adjei got their first start of the campaign, whiles surprisingly Ernest Nuamah was dropped to the bench against Guinea. 

AFCON U23 – Five things we learned from Black Meteors’ defeat to Morocco

I noticed a few things that didn’t work in our fair on the day preventing us from qualifying to the next stage of the competition.  

First and foremost, the team was sloppy in possession. The way the boys played on the day made you wonder if they are not taught how to properly possess the ball in training because they were loads of gaping holes to how the balls played on the day. They were uncomfortable with the balls at their feet, at every inch of play that they received a pass, they either fumbled possession or were quick to release the ball and at every turn, either the ball went to the opposing player or the ball went out of touch. It was just sad to see how the boys were not confident and comfortable with the ball at their feet contrary to how the Guinea looked more composed to engineer and progress the ball from the back either through the middle or the flanks and our technical handlers had no cues to stop them from enjoying a large chunk of possession. They bossed 56.1% against our 43.9% on the day. Our accurate passes on the day were miles apart, we managed 292 passes to their 389 on the day, which clearly showed that there was a system to possess the ball and to work to perfection in their favor. 

Also, Creativity was lacking in our game. in the entire course of the game, we struggled to create any decent chances from a well-worked move on the day. The team profited from a miscued kick from the goalkeeper, Keita in the 33rd minute of the game which they scored from but in the entire game, they managed only three shots on target from their eight goals attempt. The midfield pairing of Essiem and Hafiz Ibrahim was out of sorts and barely created any decent opportunity for the forward makeup which comprised Fatawu Issahaku, Afriyie Barnieh, and Emmanuel Yeboah to feed off. The Guinea’s created and created a plethora of chances but for their inexperience and poor finishing they only managed to score just one from their fifteen goal attempts. 

AFCON U23 – Black Meteors miss out on semi’s after drawing Guinea

I listened to coach Tanko’s presser after the game and he highlighted concentration as key to us being ousted from the tournament. In our first game against, Congo we conceded two soft goals in regulation time, the second game against Morocco, we conceded two goals in a quarter of the game so I was hoping that the technical team had noticed this recurring feature within the setup and found an antidote to it, like they say, lightening doesn’t strike twice but this time it did, thrice against Guinea. They gave themselves the lifeline from captain, Fofana’s sweet strike which fizzled past Danlad in post for Ghana for the equalizer.

Our match-day tactics deployed a backline of three center-backs, Afrane, Adjei, and Yegbe, they did well to shut the profligate, Guinea side from scoring in the first half of the game but it was least surprising when they conceded on the quarter-hour mark in the second half. That was their eighth goal conceded in three games. For a side that had been tipped as one of the pre-tournament favorites to win the competition, your attack was important as your defense but it looked as though the handlers didn’t deem that area of our game as prime importance. We conceded very basic goals we could have avoided, in our 1-1 draw the defender had the singular chance to head the ball out of safety but no, he headed the ball right into the motion of play which fell kindly to the Guinea captain, Fofana who stroke the ball with venom beyond the reach of the nomadic, Danlad Ibrahim in post for the Black Meteors, 1-1. I wondered why, the technical team did a poor job in the three games by tinkering with the defensive line and shape. 

Watch: Ghana Black Meteors training session before Guinea clash 

Another glowing feature about this setup was the lack of squad depth and quality. The technical handlers of this team had a duty to Ghanaians but failed. They were expected to scout the entire breadth of the country for the finest group of talents to represent national interest but that was not high on the agenda. Most of the bunch recruited were ill-prepared for the occasion, short of confidence, and couldn’t exhibit the needed technical skills and abilities expected from them and it was just saddening. The men at the helm of affairs have failed us when we needed them the most.  

It will be a long road from the mud of failure, hopefully, in the next few years, we rinse ourselves with a clear road map on how to properly develop and inculcate modern trends into our game to better equip us for the task ahead or else we will continually struggle at major tournament similarly to how we have performed on other national fonts.

The post AFCON U23 – Five things we learned from Black Meteors draw with Guinea first appeared on Sahara Football.

The heavy loss at the hands of the host nation prompted a reaction from, Coach Tanko to make wholesale changes to his setup, Afriyie-Barnieh, and Emmanuel Essiem, was reposed back into the line-up, Ashie-Quaye, Nathaniel Adjei got their first start of the campaign, whiles surprisingly Ernest Nuamah was dropped to the bench against Guinea.
The team started well with in possession but clawed back into their fold as the Guinea side finally settled into the game creating loads of chances but for some poor finishing their failed to hit the back of the net.



Ghana’s first real sniff at goal came on the 32nd mark as Emmanuel Yeboah got on the end of a deep cross from Samuel Ashie Quaye but his header was way off the target and caused a little scare for the Guinea goalkeeper.
A minute later, Emmanuel Essiem intercepted a miscued ball from goalkeeper, Mory Keita in midfield, and passed to Fatawu Issahaku, who did very well to play a one-two with Emmanuel Yeboah, who slotted in the Meteor’s first goal of the night in the 33rd minute.

Attram de Visser product, Hafiz Ibrahim called the goalkeeper, Keita into action in the 42nd minute but his quick reflexes helped him to parry the ball to safety for his defense to clear away and prevent Afriyie Barnieh from slotting home the second of the game.

Ghana’s goal-getter, Yeboah was subbed on for Ernest Nuamah was dropped to the bench after initial fears of a thigh injury.

Guinea’s sustained pressure on the Meteors paid off as Ibrahima Breze’s volley fizzled past the jumpy, Danlad Ibrahim in post for the West African side to hand them the much-needed equalizer, 1-1.
Ghana failed to advance past the group stages after settling for a draw with the Guinea side.

The post Watch Highlights: Black Meteors miss out on U23 AFCON semis after draw against Guinea first appeared on Sahara Football.

Watch the Training session below:

The post Watch: Ghana Black Meteors training session before Guinea clash first appeared on Sahara Football.

On the back of beating, Congo in the first game, the onus laid on the technical team and the playing body to continue right from where they left off in their first game.

Three changes were made, Emmanuel Yeboah, Salim Adams, and Hafiz Ibrahim replaced Afriyie Barnieh, Emmanuel Essiam, and Sylvester Simba in the starting berth against the silky Moroccan outfit and what followed after that was purely calamitous. 

In this piece, I chronicle a few observations from the game that saw us lose heavily at the expense of our opponents. 

To start with, the technical make-up of the team which embodies, Coach Tanko, Godwin Attram, and Michael Osei need to apologize for the disastrous performance they put out and hope to pacify Ghanaians with an improved result against Guinea on Friday. 

I am sure the whole team is currently down but there is little time to moan over spilled milk, the damage has already been caused. They have a few days to turn things around, a recovery on Wednesday and training on Thursday, and a day later the game proper, that’s when the technical team and the psychologist of the team have lots to do in psyching the boys for the task ahead. It’s not easy to come back from a 5 -1 pummeling but they need to make a major statement against Guinea or face an early exit from the tournament. 

Read More: AFCON U23: Ibrahim Tanko blames fatigue for heavy defeat against for Morocco

One thing that runs through most national teams is the long haul it takes for them to settle in games, this impression needs to be remedied as soon as possible moving forward. Our lapse in concentration and complacency that saw us concede two late goals against Congo in regulation time was evident against the Young Atlas. We conceded two goals in the opening seven minutes and the third at the 30th-minute mark, a worrying trend that needs a quick resolution. You hear people say, oh “For Ghana, we take a lot of time to settle in games, and that takes almost 15-2-0 minutes” before the team settles into its structure. An opposition that starts well, and possesses a better game plan and tactics will always capitalize on your frailties.

Fatawu Issahaku. A player that splits opinions on both edges of the table. Many a time, the recurring question is where to play him on the attacking third of the pitch, whiles some have played him out wide because of his blistering pace and attacking skill set, others also resorted to playing him centrally, in the opening game, he started wide before he was thrust into the middle, where he pre-assisted the Meteors’ opening goal, he nearly scored a belter from a long range but for the post he missed out on what would have contended for the goal of the tournament. I think the young man has a lot to learn in the game, if he’s playing out wide, he has to take on opponents, cross more, and cut in from the flanks as well. The other times, he takes too much in releasing the ball when his teammates are in a better position to make good use of the ball, tends to overdo some of the dribbles which causes the team most times when it’s in possession. Hopefully, the technical team pick up on that trait and tinker with his game to suit the national objective of the team. 

Read Also: WATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Ghana Black Meteors suffer heavy defeat against Morocco

Another thing I’m yet to come to terms with is the lack of squad depth and the impact our substitutions had on the game. Coach Tanko effected two changes bringing on Emmanuel Essiem and Daniel Afriyie-Barnieh who both started the first game and dropped for the second game for Salim Adams and Nsobilla Dominic but had minimal impact as the team trailed their host by 4-1 at the point of their entry. It was as though the technical team was bereft of ideas on what to do, just throwing on every available player they felt could impact the game, and that backfired in their faces.

Finally, I don’t know if playing the host nation had a thing on our boys, they gave the opposition far too much respect in the game, they couldn’t settle properly on their shape and structure, missed out on most of the second balls, barely strung passes perfectly, sloppy in build-up and possession. It was just dire watching our boys play 

The Black Meteors have all to play for against their West African opponents, Guinea, anything bar a win will mean an early exit from the competition they have been tagged to win. 

The post AFCON U23 – Five things we learned from Black Meteors’ defeat to Morocco first appeared on Sahara Football.

The Black Meteors were hoping to build on their cagy win over Congo in the opening game of the competition, which saw them win 3-2 but that didn’t happen in their second game. 

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Ghana Black Meteors suffer heavy defeat against Morocco

The West African side was down by three goals in the opening 30 minutes of the game and conceded two separate goals in the second half whiles Salim Adams scored in between to peg the score line at 5-1.

Speaking after the game, Tanko alluded to little time for his side to adequately recover and prepare for games leading to their heavy loss to the host nation. 

“We had a day rest and they had two [days]. You could see from the game between Congo and Guinea how the score line was because Congo also had one-day rest,” 

“We gave Morocco a lot of respect” – Ibrahim Tanko on Black Meteors losing 5-1. 

 “We still have a chance in this tournament, we have a last game so we are going to prepare for that.” He ended

The Black Meteors will eye an improved performance against Guinea, tied on three points apiece ahead of the ultimate round of games in the hope of securing one of three slots for the Olympic Games,2024,

The post AFCON U23: Ibrahim Tanko blames fatigue for heavy defeat against for Morocco first appeared on Sahara Football.

Coach Tanko effected three changes as Emmanuel Yeboah, Salim Adams, and Hafiz Ibrahim replace Afriyie Barnieh, Emmanuel Essiam, and Sylvester Simba with the hope of grinding a good match results.

The Moroccans started the game well and created chances in the first few minutes, moments later, Amir Richardson tucked home the first goal from Abde Ezzalzouli’s cross to hand them the opening goal of the game. 

Six minutes later, Ismael Saibari finished off a well-worked move that involved fellow teammates, Begraoui, El Khannouss, and Richardson for the second goal of the game later Yanis Begraoui added his side’s third of the game in 30 minutes. 

Salim Adams reduced the deficit in the 43rd minute after Fatawu Issahaku’s shot had been blocked in the Moroccan defense to end the first half. 

The host added their fourth and fifth in the 48th and 53rd minute respectively through, Abde Ezzalzouli and Begraoui Yanis after a sweet counter-attacking football to punish their Ghanaian opponents. 

Salim Adams and Dominic Nsobilla were pulled off for Emmanuel Essiem and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh in the 55th minute but it did little to influence the game that looked lost already.  

Ghana will hope for an improved performance once they meet Guinea in the final group A game on Friday, 29,2023. 

The post WATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Ghana Black Meteors suffer heavy defeat against Morocco first appeared on Sahara Football.

The Black Meteors couldn’t put a goal past their opposition in the first half of the game but two substitutions in the second half, saw, Sylvester Simba and Daniel Afriyie-Barnieh subbed off for Emmanuel Yeboah and Hafiz Ibrahim.

The substitutions saw Ghana take the lead through Ernest Nuamah with the second-half substitute, Emmanuel Yeboah and Fatawu Issahaku combining effortlessly to aid the breakthrough.

Emmanuel Yeboah got on the score sheet to bag a brace in the 75th and 83rd minute to help the Black Meteors to a 3-2 win over Congo.

AFCON U23 – Five things we learned from Black Meteors win over Congo

Speaking to Saharafootball.net after the game, Samuel Ashie-Quaye, credited the coaches’ substitutions as a game-changer in the second half.

“We should’ve beaten them in the first half and but it didn’t happen like that the coaches’ substitutions in the second half did the trick for us. Kudos to the coaches” he ended.

On the team’s preparedness against, Morocco, he replied confidently that the team was prepared for the task ahead as confidence was high in the camp,

“It’s not easy to win your first match, the team fought hard and we will do the same against the host nation. We are fully confident for today’s game” he ended.

Ashie Quaye will hope to make his bow in the second game of the tournament as the team welcomes Morocco on June 27, 2023.

The post AFCON U23 – We are ready for Morocco – Samuel Ashie-Quaye first appeared on Sahara Football.

Hughton arrived in Morocco before Ghana’s first game and is offering technical support to the team as they strive to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris next year.

During Ghana’s hard-fought 3-2 victory over Congo on Sunday at the Moulay Abdellah Sports complex in Rabat, Hughton was present. Tanko acknowledged Hughton’s involvement with the team and emphasized its significance.

READ MORE : AFCON U23 – Five things we learned from Black Meteors win over Congo

Tanko said after the match, “We are delighted to have him here. He is staying with us at the hotel, and we communicate every day.”

“As the head of the senior national team, he is here because these boys are playing to reach that level, so I’m happy he’s here.”

Although Ghana initially dominated the game, taking a comfortable 3-0 lead, two late goals from Congo added tension to the closing moments of the match.

The victory of the Black Meteors has placed them in a promising position in the group standings, alongside their upcoming opponents, Morocco.

A victory in their next match would virtually secure Ghana’s place in the semi-finals and bring them a step closer to realizing their Olympic ambitions.

The post Black Meteors coach Ibrahim Tanko excited to have Chris Hughton in Morocco first appeared on Sahara Football.

A game that looked like a foregone conclusion for the Black Meteors on paper turned out to be a rather cagy one from start to finish. 

In this piece, I pencil down a few pointers from what I observed from the game against Congo.

The team had a familiar setup with notable players such as Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Sylvester Simba, Fatawu Issahaku, Danlad Ibrahim, and Dominic Nsobilla forming the fulcrum of the squad for the qualification duels though the late exclusion of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Ransford Yeboah might have hurt the thing in varied ways the additions of Danish-based Ernest Nuamah and CFR Cluj based Emmanuel Yeboah reaped immense benefits for the team as expected. 

Watch Highlights: Ghana Black Meteors beat Congo despite late scare

Once Coach Tanko put out his starting berth to help interpret his vision on the field, it was clear what each player had been clearly instructed to do on the pitch. It looked as though Ghana resorted to a 4-2-3-1, Afriyie-Barnieh as the arrowhead, Simba playing directly behind him with Issahaku and Nuamah playing out wide from the flanks buttered by Essiem and Nsobilla in midfield but this whole setup barely got anything going for them in the game. They failed to create meaningful chances in the first half, the first few minutes of the game saw Nuamah and Simba whip two crosses across the face of the goal bar that the team struggled for consistency and possession in the game. 

A good coach reads the game very well and can effect changes when the need arises. The second half saw the withdrawal of captain, Afriyie Barnieh and Sylvester Simba for Emmanuel Yeboah and Hafiz Ibrahim and it was least surprising that the substitution paid huge dividends. 

Five minutes later, Fatawu Issahaku bossed a ball from midfield cleverly put second-half, Emmanuel Yeboah who selflessly released the ball to the on-rushing Ernest Nuamah to tap home from close range, 1-0. 

Over the years, Ghanaian coaches have been noted to effect late changes in games even when their teams are losing but Coach Tanko and his technical team need loads of commendation for subbing off players who couldn’t impact the game the way they wanted them to do in the first half.

Princess Marfo extends contract with FC Nordsjaelland

It’s often the joy of coaches to see their substitutions positively affect the game and that is what Romanian-based striker, Emmanuel Yeboah replicated on the field. Before Ghana’s first game of the Mundial, he had bagged a hattrick against Zamalek U23 in a friendly game making a strong case to the technical team about the need to start the opening game. Well, he was overlooked for the captain, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, who was thrust with the mandate of spearheading the attack for the country in the opening game but the plan failed to work to perfection. 

The “99 ideas” striker was brought on in the second half and what followed was purely magical, an assist to Ghana’s first goal, a second goal from the flanks where he beautifully bullied his marker to bundle home, the third from a penalty after, Edmund Arko Mensah had missed two penalty retakes. 

U-23 AFCON: Emmanuel Yeboah wins Man of The Match Award after scoring a brace in Ghana’s victory over Congo

In what looked as though, the Black Meteors had recorded an emphatic victory over Congo, something unfamiliar happened, the team conceded two late goals in additional minutes of regulation time and that raised a lot of questions as to what prompted that, others have suggested a lapse in concentration whiles others have held a different view from that suggesting that it could be complacency but whatever accounted for that, it’s anticipated that the boys won’t repeat such a feat against, host nation Morocco on Tuesday,27,2023. 

The post AFCON U23 – Five things we learned from Black Meteors win over Congo first appeared on Sahara Football.