FOOTBALL IS COMING HOME » Ghana http://www.footballiscominghome.info Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:59:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Bafana 1, BaGhana 0: Phambili! http://www.footballiscominghome.info/the-players/bafana-1-baghana-0-phambili/ http://www.footballiscominghome.info/the-players/bafana-1-baghana-0-phambili/#comments Thu, 12 Aug 2010 07:20:34 +0000 Peter Alegi http://www.footballiscominghome.info/?p=2753

Mphela courtesy of http://images.teamtalk.com/10/06/496x259/mphela_2460847.jpg


Bafana Bafana returned to action after the 2010 World Cup Wednesday night with a deserved 1-0 win against The Black Stars on a cold night at half-full Soccer City. Katlego Mphela (in photo) scored the winner in the 42nd minute.

Pitso Mosimane, Bafana’s new ‘local-is-lekker’ head coach, said: ‘Mphela was frustrating me by missing two good chances early on. That was why I called Mphela over to the touchline in the first half and told him what I wanted and he produced the winner.’ No need for Madiba magic, now we have Pitso magic.

Speaking of spiritual forces, Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac (sort of) joked that Soccer City may be cursed: ‘This was the third match we played here and we have lost all three’ (to Germany, Uruguay and now SA).

Overall, a useful friendly for Mosimane’s debut at the helm of South Africa as they begin 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers at home next month against Niger. Phambili!

Share/Save]]> http://www.footballiscominghome.info/the-players/bafana-1-baghana-0-phambili/feed/ 4 Eto’o, Mensah and Eboue Represents for African Football http://www.footballiscominghome.info/the-players/etoo-mensah-and-eboue-represents-for-african-football/ http://www.footballiscominghome.info/the-players/etoo-mensah-and-eboue-represents-for-african-football/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:20:15 +0000 Sean Jacobs http://www.footballiscominghome.net/?p=1788 wileypuma_poster

The German shoe and sportswear company, Puma, sponsors at least 12 African national football teams–five of which qualified for the 2010 World Cup. To commemorate the World Cup year (and because it is good PR and to sell shirts), Puma commissioned artist Kehinde Wiley to create four new works of arts inspired by the footbal stars Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, John Mensah of Ghana and Emmanuel Eboué of Ivory Coast.  Wiley painted individual portraits of the players and a fourth painting (above) of the three players “symbolizing the united countries of Africa.” The players are wearing the “Unity” kit, a limited edition uniform designed to be a third kit (apart from home and away kits) shared by all African teams, symbolizing unity.

Here’s a link to a video of Wiley at work on the project with Mensah, Eboue and Eto’o.

The paintings will be exhibited during the World Cup in South Africa.

Share/Save]]> http://www.footballiscominghome.info/the-players/etoo-mensah-and-eboue-represents-for-african-football/feed/ 3 Beyond the Pharoahs… http://www.footballiscominghome.info/qualification/beyond-the-pharoahs/ http://www.footballiscominghome.info/qualification/beyond-the-pharoahs/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:25:39 +0000 David Patrick Lane http://www.footballiscominghome.net/?p=1761 black-stars-1

Can Africa’s World Cup qualifiers respond and take their game to a higher level. There were precious few clues in Angola to suggest they could. One would tend not to identify Pussy Cats, Super Turkeys and Tuskless Elephants as World Cup winning species, but if Cameroon, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire apply themselves like Black Stars they could move beyond the shadow of the Pharoahs and rediscover their fierceness.

The Black Stars were not predicted to shine in Angola. A significant number of their established names were injured or sulking. But with Milovan Rajevec, an old Yugoslav in command of the x’s and o’s, and a squad of U20 World Cup winners to choose from, folks should not have been so surprised. There has been plenty of talk of those who filled the boots of Appiah, Essien, Mensah and Muntari. Agyemang-Badu, Asamoah, Ayew and Inkoom are now household names, the equal of any Pharoah or sulking star. Ghana’s graduates will give pause to Australia, Germany and Serbia, who should note the Pharoahs may not have been so pleased with themselves if Rajevec had also introduced goalkeeper Daniel Adjei and centre forward Dominic Adiyah. Ghana were just an Adjei fingertip and an Adiyah toe poke away from closing down the party at Club Pharoah.

So how will Les Éléphants, Les Lions Indomptables and Super Eagles respond to their inglorious exits from Angola? Will they promote from their junior ranks? Will they advertise for an old partizan with a chalkboard? They could do all of the above, but nothing will change for them if the likes of Drogba, Eto’s and Yakubu don’t believe.

Share/Save]]> http://www.footballiscominghome.info/qualification/beyond-the-pharoahs/feed/ 3 BLACK STARS WIN U20 WORLD CUP http://www.footballiscominghome.info/qualification/black-stars-win-u20-world-cup/ http://www.footballiscominghome.info/qualification/black-stars-win-u20-world-cup/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:01:53 +0000 David Patrick Lane http://www.footballiscominghome.net/?p=1315 Dominic Adiyiah

History was made in Cairo tonight. Ghana won the U20 after an exciting penalty shoot out against Brazil. I was privileged to witness the first African team to win the U20 World Cup. Match report and analysis to follow.

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