Category: Sport News

Ghana's Jerome Opoku pens permanent deal with Başakşehir
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ghana’s Jerome Opoku pens permanent deal with Başakşehir

Jerome Opoku, a talented Ghanaian player, has signed a three-year contract with İstanbul Süper Lig club Başakşehir.

This follows his loan from Portuguese club Arouca at the start of the 2023-2024 season.

Opoku previously showcased his skill by leading Fulham U23s and gaining valuable experience during loan spells at Accrington Stanley, Plymouth Argyle, and Vejle Boldklub.

His dedication and versatility make him a valuable addition to the Başakşehir family.

Opoku, who was born in England and is of Ghanaian descent, made his debut for the Ghana national team on 18 October 2023 in a friendly match against the United States national team, which ended in a loss.

Denis Odoi joins Belgian Pro League team Royal Antwerp
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Denis Odoi joins Belgian Pro League team Royal Antwerp

Belgian team Royal Antwerp has added an experienced Ghanaian player, Denis Odoi (36), to their squad.

Odoi has joined the club on a free transfer from Club Brugge and has signed a two-year contract.

Born in Leuven, Belgium, Odoi is known for his versatility and is expected to bring valuable experience to RAFC’s young dressing room.

He started playing football at the age of five and has had a successful career. Last season, Odoi played 39 games in all competitions, including Brugge’s run to the UEFA Europa Conference League semifinals. He scored three goals in the past season.

Odoi’s international journey saw him switch to represent Ghana in 2022, and he debuted in a 0–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Nigeria on 25 March 2022.

In November 2022, Odoi was named in the Black Stars of Ghana squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Sierra Leone champions to join by Mogbwemo Queens FC by other WAFU-A Zone nations to compete
by FSL News

WAFU to Inspect facilities ahead of Women’s CL Qualifiers

Executive members of the West Africa Football Union have safely arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone. They are preparing to inspect Southern Arena Stadium for the upcoming CAF Women’s Champions League Qualifiers.

Sierra Leone champions  Mogbwemo Queens FC will be join by other WAFU-A Zone Women’s Champions to compete in this year’s qualifiers, which will be held in from August 2 to 11 at the Southern Arena in Bo City.

In preparation, WAFU Zone-A Executive Director Mapathe Gaye from Senegal and Finance Officer Balamin Ceesay from The Gambia are in Sierra Leone for a facilities inspection.

The SLFA team warmly welcomed the Wafu delegates at the Home Suites Hotel in Freetown. Acting General Secretary Mohamed Benson, Head of Finance Ibrahim Bah, Director of Competitions Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, and a cross-section of the Local Organizing Committee met the delegates as they planned for a successful tournament.

Acting General Secretary Mohamed Benson, stated, “We are committed to hosting a fantastic tournament that will showcase the talent of our women footballers and the capacity of Sierra Leone to host significant regional sporting events.”

Facility inspection is crucial to ensure that all venues and amenities meet the high standards for this international competition. The tournament will feature the top female football clubs for a week of competitive matches.

The SLFA team warmly welcomed the Wafu delegates at the Home Suites Hotel in Freetown. Acting General Secretary Mohamed Benson, Head of Finance Ibrahim Bah, Director of Competitions Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, and a cross-section of the Local Organizing Committee met the delegates as they planned for a successful tournament.
The SLFA team warmly welcomed the Wafu delegates at the Home Suites Hotel in Freetown. Acting General Secretary Mohamed Benson, Head of Finance Ibrahim Bah, Director of Competitions Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, and a cross-section of the Local Organizing Committee met the delegates as they planned for a successful tournament.
Debutant Kenya, Nigeria & Zambia face tricky U17 draw
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Debutant Kenya, Nigeria & Zambia face tricky U17 draw

The draw for the upcoming FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup took place on Saturday. Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia have learned who they will be competing against in the group stage of the tournament.

Nigeria, a regular participant, will be in Group A with the host countries Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and New Zealand. They hope to perform better than before in the competition.

Kenya, making their debut in the tournament, drawn in a challenging Group C, where they will play against North Korea, Mexico, and England. Despite being newcomers, the Kenyan team is eager to make their mark on the global stage.

Kenya will begin their campaign against England on Thursday, October 17, 2024, marking their debut in the competition.

Zambia, the third African team, is placed in Group D and will face 2014 champions Japan, Poland, and Brazil. They face a tough challenge to progress from this group.

This tournament is a great opportunity for the African teams to showcase their talent and contribute to the growing influence of women’s football on the continent.

The competition begins on 16 October and ends with the final on 3 November in Santo Domingo.

This will be the last time the competition features 16 nations, as the 2025 tournament in Morocco will include 24 teams.

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kei Kamara breaks new Major League Soccer ground

On Saturday, Kei Kamara secured his place in MLS history by scoring his 146th goal, surpassing Landon Donovan to become the league’s second-highest goalscorer after tying the record just days earlier.

Kamara’s momentous goal in the 33rd minute propelled LAFC to a 3-0 lead against the San Jose Earthquakes, echoing the style of his record-tying goal with another powerful header at the back post.

This remarkable achievement means that only one player in MLS history has scored as many goals as Kamara.

“I hope it makes a lot of people happy. I know it makes my friends and family happy because they’re the ones that have been counting the goals all these years and they get to text me. I see their texts, how happy they are,” Kamara said of his historic goal.

“But Landon is the greatest American soccer player to ever live, so for my name to be called next to his for this long, it was an honour. It’s still always going to be next to Landon – I mean the [MLS MVP] trophy is named after him. So when I get to be mentioned next to a great soccer player like that, it’s kind of cool and I’m a fan.”

While Kamara currently trails Chris Wondolowski by 25 goals, his resurgence with his 11th MLS team in Los Angeles has ignited hope for the 39-year-old veteran to potentially challenge the record.