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Ghana Targets AFCON Title With Incentives To Black Stars

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The Ghanaian government will reportedly offer a special financial package for the national team ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in June and July.
The Black Stars are looking to win the AFCON for the first time since 1982 and it is believed that the package will provide an extra incentive for coach James Kwesi Appiah and his players.
The decision of the government to provide a financial incentive was reached after President Nana Akuffo-Addo met with team captain Asamoah Gyan and his deputy Andre Ayew a few weeks ago.
NSA Board Chairman Kwadwo Baah Agyemang confirmed the meeting in Kumasi but refused to divulge any details.
“It’s true they [Gyan and Ayew] met President Nana Addo to discuss winning bonuses and everything that would be needed to help Ghana win the AFCON,” Agyemang is quoted by The Finder.
“I wouldn’t like to put the cart before the horse so at the right time we will meet the press to make whatever decision we take public,” he noted.
The NSA boss also confirmed that Ghana will camp in Qatar for their final preparations ahead of the AFCON finals in Egypt.
The Black Stars are four-time African champions, but their last triumph was 37 years ago in the finals in Libya.
Meanwhile, former vice president of the Ghana Football Association, George Afriyie, has said that the Black Stars can win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations without some of their “big names”.
Afriyie, who held his position in the GFA during Ghana’s 2015 AFCON campaign which saw them end as runners-up, says they failed to win the tournament in Equatorial Guinea four years ago due to bad luck.
“We came close three times in winning the trophy but we couldn’t. In 2010 and 2015, I was privileged to be at the tournament and the players did their best, but it was unfortunate we couldn’t bring the trophy home,” Afriyie told Tidesports source.
“In 2015, the players were determined to win the trophy and even in their training, you could see that the players were eyeing the ultimate, but luck was not on our side.
“For us to win this year’s tournament, the players must stay focused and work hard.
“Ivory Coast won the 2015 tournament without some of their big names and I think we can do same, but the players must work hard and improve their performance.”
Afriyie’s sentiments are echoed by Kenya FA boss, Nick Mwendwa who said ahead of the Harambee Stars’ last AFCON qualifier against Ghana that the likes of Asamoah Gyan and Andre Dede Ayew should be forgotten.
“The likes of Gyan, Ayew; to me I think the curtain is falling on their international carers, slowly by slowly,” Mwendwa told the media.
“So unless you have some fresh legs, we should be scared. If you are depending on them for AFCON, I’m sorry for you.”

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Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie  A Lead

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Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.

Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.

Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.

Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.

But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.

Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.

It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.

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Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool 

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A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.

Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.

“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.

For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.

Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.

His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.

Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.

Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.

The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.

After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.

“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”

Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.

The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.

“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”

He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.

“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”

 

Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.

The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).

Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.

Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.

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Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors

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Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.

Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.

Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.

Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.

Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.

The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.

 

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