Ghana World Champions 2009!

I lived in Ghana for many years, and it is with happy nostalgia that I have seen that the Ghana U20 team has won the 2009 U20 World Cup in Egypt, by defeating Brazil in the final, 4-3 after penalty kicks! This is the first time ever an African team wins this tournament, and breaks eight years of South American dominance in the tournament, although Ghana was also in the final in 1993, losing to Brazil, and in 2001 (in fact defeating Brazil in the quarterfinals), losing 3-0 to an outstanding Argetninean side in the final.
But Ghana are now World Champions!!!!!
In most of Europe the Cup has had very limited interest, which just shows that Europe has little interest in the stars of the future, beyond the ones they can pay millions to get outside Europe.
And this is a pity, as the U20 World Cup in Egypt has been excellent, and I do not believe the significance of Ghana's victory should be underestimated: after an outstanding 2006 World Cup (when I happily lived in Ghana), Ghana has now qualified for the 2010 World Cup as well. With players in the best European league, a strong domestic league, outstanding youth-talent, and what is arguably the best and most professional football organisation in all of Africa, Ghana has really become the only serious contender for being Africa's first World Champion.

It will be a long road to travel, but Ghana has taken a first step, and I am celebrating with all wonderful people of Ghana!

Football decoration at my work place

I work in a nice big office in a nice neighborhood of Accra, Ghana. Until recently, the decoration of the premises left much to be said.

Not any more!

Seems a major football fanatic just passed by (and I honestly swear that I didn't do it): In the halls, pictures of Ghanaian footballers have been hung up. These include pictures of Abedi Pele, Anthony Yeboah, Samuel Kuffour, Michael Essien, etc. All to remind us of the great football talent emanating from this beautiful West African country.

At the same time, in the meeting room, a human-size pap-mache statue is sitting with a football. Isn't this great...?

Does my work have anything to do with football? Not at all. But at least I get reminded of fotoball every day now...

Not so cool Asante Kotoko

Great teams lose with grace, and accept the sometimes unpredictable decisions of the referee, in spite of disagreeing with them.
In Ghana, Asante Kontoko's players may still be hurt for losing the Confederation's Cup final to rivals from Hearts of Oak, but in yesterday's match, the Kotoko players displayed some deplorable behavior; tying 1-1 against Kpando Hearts of Lions, a penalty was awarded to Lions in the last minute of the match. Protesting strongly, the Kotoko players left the pitch, and the game had to be cancelled.
Losing is never fun. But it is a deplorable of a team pretending to be on the lead in Africa.
Kotoko is not so cool!

Accra Hearts of Oak-Asante Kotoko

Not wholly passed my new years hangover, I went to watch the 1st leg of the Final of the African Confederations Cup, on January 2nd. First time ever two teams of the same country, namely Ghana, face one another in this prestigious tournament.
Hearts of Oak, the home team from Accra for the first leg, boasts a young and talented side, while Asante Kotoko, from the city of Kumasi, has an experienced side, which are currently defending champions of Ghana.
Since these teams are by far the two main teams in the country, they have a very strong rivalry that before has led to violence, so a lot of police and military was out for this game.

It was a burning hot Sunday afternoon, and I was surprised to see the quick pace which Hearts of Oak started with. In spite of some shaky flanks, Asante Kotoko's defense was very strong, centered around their captain Joe Hendricks. But the strikers of Hearts were at the same time not looking too good, and as the game progressed, Kotoko got more and more into the match.
The best player of the match was a small offensive midfielder in Kotoko, Stephen Oduro. Small in size, but with excellent technique, speed and physical stubborness he completely dominated the midfield. After one hour, it was also a strong run from him, which gave Kotoko a free kick outside the area. Although a good kick by former-Hearts player Charles Taylor, the keeper should have had it. Instead, he dropped the ball right on the feet of Michael Osei, who scored without problem.
After this, the experience of Kotoko shined through, while the inexperience of Hearts
became obvious, as the home-crowd grew more and more impatient. It seemed Kotoko's substitutions were excellent, while Hearts coach was waiting way too long before changing anything on a team that was looking more and more disillusioned.
The game went into 4 minutes injury time. In the last second of the injury time, a somewhat weak shot from outside, by young Hearts striker Louis Agyemang, equalized the match. A shame for Kotoko's goalkeeper, George Owu, who had otherwise played an excellent match.
Kotoko was understandably disappointed, having lost victory in the dying seconds. However, next Sunday they will have a fanatic crowd behind them, as they host the young Hearts team in Kumasi. I would put my money on Kotoko.

A jubilant Michael Osei after scoring

New Ghana national coach

I was recently going for a late evening run in Accra, near my house, when I had the pleasure of running by the Ghana football Association. Noticing much going on there, I later realized that there had been a presentation of the new national coach of the 'Black Stars'. This is the fifth national coach in two years time.
Ratomir Dujkovic, from Serbia, is the man who will hopefully lead Ghana to its first ever world cup appearance in Germany in 2006.
I hope it works, but Ghanaian national teams seem to be very unstable in spite of the great talent. There is work to do for Mr. Dujkovic, but I wish him all the best!

Football in Ghana

I have moved to Ghana. This is not new for me, but it gives me a certain limitation in following much of European football in as much detail as I would like to (particularly Danish football, which for some strange reason draws limited attention to these parts...). However, it is not that I am completely without football: Ghanaians are passionate football fanatics like myself, and the country is crawling with talented players and charming teams.

Some of the other countries in West Africa, like Senegal and Nigeria, have had international world cup success. This has so far not happened to Ghana, although their youth teams have traditionally done very well: Twice U-17 world champions in 1993 and 1995, and they have also done well in Olympic games. For instance in the last Olympic Games, where they tied their Italian counterparts 2-2, were hailed as medal hopefuls, but ended losing to Japan. That has maybe always been a problem for Ghana, that the success of their youth success, has not tranfered to senior level.

Today, there are many Ghanaian players in Europe. Best known is probably Bayern Munuch's Sammy Kuffour, or now German citizen, Schalke's Asamoah. Eric Addo in PSV Eindhoven, John Paintsil in Maccabi Tel Aviv, Yet Ahimful in Turkish Transzopsor, Anthony Obodai in Ajax Amsterdam. There are many more, and I am only learning now. But especially one, Anthony Yeboah, brings great memories, when his magic was in Eintracht Frankfurt who forgets his amazing goal of the year?) and Leeds United.

Right now, Ghanaian club football is ahead: the two main clubs, Asante Kotoko from Kumasi, and Accra Hearts of Oak, will be playing the African Confederations cup (sort of like the UEFA cup in Europe). This will be the first time ever, two teams from the same country willbe disputing the final, so it is a big event here. However, due to coming presidential elections, the game has just been posponed to January. In any case, I do not doubt that the clash between the two African giants will be a great game. Both teams have many years of rivalry behind them, and are by far the best teams in Ghana. I look forward to witness this Ghanaian classic!