Duncan Shows Class In Sassoulo"s Europa Progress

Italy-based Ghanaian midfielder, Alfred Duncan, starred for his Serie-A side in a crucial 1-1 European tie away to Crevena.

The hard-tackling midfielder lasted the full throttle for the European debutants as they booked a place in the group stages of the continental club competition.

Italian forward,  Dominico Berardi, opened the scoring for AS Sassoulo before a second half response from the Norwegians levelled matters.

Alfred Duncan and his ruthless side, however zoomed into the gruop stage thanks to an opening 3-0 win in the first leg hosted on Italian soil.

Duncan has since featured in 4 games for the Italians including an European debut away to Swiss side, Luzern.

Duncan won the best player in the Italian top flight at the end of the 2015/16 Serie-A season.

Duncan Shows Class In Sassoulo"s Europa Progress

Randsford Selasie Seals Serie A Football With Pescara

Ghanaian midfielder Randsford Selasi sealed promotion to the Italian Serie A with Pescara in the second tier promotion play off finals.

The 20 year midfielder came off the bench in the final four minutes of the final showdown to help Pescara book a place in the top flight with 3-1 aggregate scoreline.

The Ghanaian youngster played a crucial role in the opening 2-0 win in the first leg before returning to complete the aggregate win over Trapani.

Pescara headed into the return leg with 2 goals to defend but soon found themselves trailing to a Nicola Citro 4th minute opener at the Polisportivo Province.

Italian midfielder Valiero Verre pulled parity for Pescara moments into the second half before a red card to Trapani’s defender Genara Scognamiglio boosted Pescara’s chances.

An eventual 1-1 score line secured Pescara top flight football ahead of the 2015/16 Serie A campaign.

Randsford Selasi replaced Gianluca Capri with four minutes to full time for his personal 22nd appearance of the season.

Randsford Selasie Seals Serie A Football With Pescara

Afriyie Acquah Scores In Torino"s Heavy Win Over Udinese

Italy based Ghana international Ebenezer Afriyie Acquah steerd Torino to a 1-5 away triumph over Udinese in the Serie A.

The explosive midfielder spiced up his commanding performance at the middle of the pitch with his trade mark long range drives to earn the bragging rights over his compatriot Agyemang Badu.

Acquah followed up an opening strike from Pontus Jandon with his third of the campaign to cap an impressive outing for Giampero Ventura’s men.

The hard tackling midfielder gave his visiting team a 0-2 lead just on the stroke of 45 minutes before returning to set up Josep Martinez for the third of the game.

The 24 year old has enjoyed a spectacular season yet again in the Italian top flight despite his off field setbacks since joining Torino from Sampdoria at the start of the season.

Acquah traded Parma for Sampdoria after the former’s demotion to the fourth tie of Italian football.

International team mate Emmanuel Agyemang Badu lasted the torturing 90 minutes for the home side as Torino run out 1-5 victors to move into the 10th slot.

Udinese meanwhile remains 6 points clear off the drop zone with two games to end the season.

Afriyie Acquah Scores In Torino"s Heavy Win Over Udinese

Juventus to Play at Olympic Stadium on August 7

West Ham will face Italian giants, Juventus in the first match at the Olympic Stadium.

The two sides will compete for the Betway Cup in a pre-season friendly on August 7 to officially open the Hammers’ new home. The Italian champions are one of Europe’s biggest clubs and are set to retain their Serie A title this season.

Dmitri Payet has been a revelation for the Hammers since his summer move from Marseille

Joint chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold say they are ‘hugely excited’ at the prospect of welcoming the Bianconeri to the 60,000-seater arena.

“We are delighted to be marking such a monumental day in West Ham United’s history by welcoming one of the world’s biggest clubs to our fantastic new home,” they said, in a joint statement.

“It was always our intention to open the new 60,000-capacity Stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a fixture fitting of the occasion, and the visit of the reigning Italian champions Juventus is most certainly that.

Juventus deadly duo – Paul Pogba and Paulo Dybala

“We are hugely excited and honoured by this wonderful opening fixture against a historic club which shares many of the values we cherish here at West Ham.

“There has been an enormous amount of work done over the past few years to ready the stadium for our first game and we cannot wait to show our fans and the wider football world how incredible it will look.

“This will be a game you’ll want to tell your grandkids you were at. Sunday 7 August just can’t come soon enough!”

The two sides have never met before, either in competitive or friendly action.

Juventus to Play at Olympic Stadium on August 7

Agyemang Badu Impresses In Udinese Defeat

Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu maintained his impressive form for his struggling Udinese in a 3-1 heavy defeat at Inter.

The talented midfielder shone at the middle of the pitch for the Zebratas headlined by his delicious assist to Cyril Theareu at the Guiseppe Meazza.

The Stade Fruili crowd favourite again illuminated his ailing side before late strikes from the Nerrazuris overturned the score line for Roberto Mancini’s men.

Agyemang Badu, who is enjoying his most prolific season as a professional, sumptuously teed up Cyril for the opening strike just 9 minutes into the game to put Udinese ahead.

The former Kumasi Asante Kotoko midfielder then resorted to his usual end to end runs in the opening half of the pitch until Stephanie Jovetic pulled parity for the host with 10 minutes to recess.

The Montegro hitman however doubled his personal tally on the 75th minutes after been put through by the workaholic Jonathan Biabiany.

Agyemang Badu then came close to levelling matters for Udinese with his trade mark pile drivers but for the army of defenders shielding Samir Handanovic in post for Inter Milan.

Substitute Edder Martins then clipped the wings of the visitors with the third for his side on the stroke of full time to win the clash on 3-1 score.

Badu has since returned an impressive 4 goals in his 31 appearances for Udinese amidst their indifferent form in the Serie A.

Agyemang Badu Impresses In Udinese Defeat

Transfer Rumour: Mourinho Wants Higuain At United

Manchester United could be about to go head-to-head with Arsenal in the race to sign Gonzalo Higuain, according to Football Insider, via the Daily Star.

It has been alleged that United will make a mammoth £74million bid if Jose Mourinho takes over as boss at the end of the season.

The Napoli striker has reportedly been wanted by Arsenal for some time but Mourinho will want to bring in a world class striker should he take over as manager.

Higuain has scored 29 goals in 30 Serie A games this season, leading Napoli’s title charge, but has made no indication that he wants a move yet.

Transfer Rumour: Mourinho Wants Higuain At United

Duncan Features In AS Sassoulo"s Win Over Lazio

Ghanaian midfielder Alfred Duncan proved crucial for Sassoulo as they earned a vital away win over Lazio in the Italian Serie A.

The 22 year old defensive midfielder stamped his authority on the game to steer his side past SS Lazio at the dreaded Stadio Olympico.

Duncan had his 24th appearance for Sassoulo that has lost just three matches all season in the Serie A.

The defensive midfielder played a crucial role for Eusebia DI Francisco’s visitors at the noisy Olympico in a fully deserved 0-2 triumph on Monday night.

Goals from Domenico Berradi and Gregory Defrel won the points for the high flying visitors as they chase a European slot at the end of the season.

Duncan has been an ever present fixture for the seventh place Sassoulo as they continue to cause upsets in the Italian top flight.

Duncan Features In AS Sassoulo"s Win Over Lazio

Ghanaian Players In Midweek European Action

England

West Ham United vs Aston Villa

Jordan Ayew got booked for  a silly foul on West Ham United left back, Aaron Creswell. The game was going as planned for the bottom placed Villa but with ten men it was difficult to see how they travel back to the midlands with even a point. Goals from Antonio and Cheik Kouyate gave the hammers all the three points.

 

Leicester City vs Liverpool

Daniel Amartey is still waiting to make his debut for Leicester city since he completed an £8m move to the English premier league side. The Foxes defeated Liverpool by 2-goals to nil as they retained their firm grip of top spot. Jeffrey Schlupp is a couple of weeks away from returning to first team action for Leicester city.

 

West Brom vs Swansea City

Ghanaian forward, Andre Ayew played 82 – minutes of Swansea’s 1 all draw game away to West Brom at the Hawthorns. The Welsh side took the lead through Icelandic international, Gylfi Sigurdsson with some few minutes left on the clock it looked like the Swans will win their second game in succession after beating Everton but West Brom’s record signing, Salomon Rondon ensured that didn’t happen.

 

 Italy

Sassuolo vs AS Roma

Alfred Duncan started for Sassuolo as they hosted Serie A giants AS Roma. The versatile Ghanaian international lasted 87 minutes as a lone goal from former Chelsea forward, Mohammed Salah gave the capita based club all three points.

Ghanaian Players In Midweek European Action

Kevin-Prince Boateng Scores For AC Milan In 2-0 Victory Over Fiorentina

Ghanaian international Kevin-Prince scored for AC Milan  as they climbed up to sixth in the Serie A table courtesy of a 2-0 win over Fiorentina at the San Siro on Sunday evening.

Goals at opposite ends of the match were enough to hand Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side just their third win in their last nine league games and prevent Fiorentina from moving into the Champions League places.

The match was just four minutes old when the hosts opened the scoring as Carlos Bacca picked the ball up in space down the left before cutting inside and burying a clinical finish into the far bottom corner past Ciprian Tatarusanu.

The rest of the half did not follow in a similar vein as both sides struggled to create meaningful chances, with Fiorentina having to wait until 10 minutes into the second half for their first clear sight of goal.

It fell to Nikola Kalinic, but he fluffed his lines when well placed and sent his effort comfortably wide of the target. A second goal looked as though it might be enough for Milan, and they almost got it shortly after the hour mark when Luca Antonelli collected the ball inside the area but could only fire straight at the keeper.

The hosts did beat the keeper once again shortly afterwards, but this time, the woodwork came to Fiorentina’s rescue as M’Baye Niang was denied by the left upright from close range.

Milan did eventually kill the game off with just two minutes left, however, as Kevin-Prince Boateng pounced on a defensive error to double his side’s advantage and seal a first home league victory since November.

Kevin-Prince Boateng Scores For AC Milan In 2-0 Victory Over Fiorentina

Review: How Ghanaian Players Fared In The Major European Leagues

How Ghanaian Players Fared In The Major European Leagues

 

The French ligue, Spanish la liga and the other leagues besides the English premier league returned fully from the holidays break. Many Ghanaian players as a result returned to league action to help propel their clubs to the top and also try retain their clubs involved in relegation battles.

 

ENGLAND

Baba Rahman was an unused substitute when Chelsea were 2-0 victors over league one opposition Scunthorpe United in the English Emrate FA cup on Sunday afternoon.

Chelsea’s left back, Baba Rahman

FRANCE

Ghana Striker, Abdul Majeed Waris continued his fine form from injury after netting his fourth goal since his return from injury. The former Red Bull academy player scored a 22nd minute goal for Lorient in their 2-2 draw at Stade Rennes on Saturday.

FC Lorient forward, Majeed Waris

Defender Dennis Appiah played the full duration of the game but could not prevent Caen from suffering a 2-0 loss away to Angers. The defeat now leaves Caen 4 – points adrift Angers who are second with 34-points.

 

Manchester City loanee and Ghana U20 star, Yaw Yeboah failed to make the Lille squad for their 1-1 home draw against OGC Nice.

 

French U20 forward and prospect for the Ghana black stars, Grejohn Kyei watched as his Stade Reims were consigned to a 3-1 home loss by Toulouse. The young forward missed the game through injury.

 

ITALY

The Italian Serie A played their second game since returning from the holidays break and saw an exodus of Ghanaian players involved in club action.

 

Isaac Cofie welcomed fellow midfielder and Ghanaian international, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu when the pair represented Carpi and Udinese respectively. Cofie’s Carpi emerged 2-1 victors over the Zebras.

Udinese combative midfielder, Agyemang Badu

Long absentee Ghana midfielder, Kevin-Prince Boateng marked his second coming as player of AC Milan when he came off the bench to play in the Rossoneri’s 1-1 draw with AS Roma on Saturday.

AC Milan returnee, Kevin Prince Boateng

Alfred Duncan travelled to his old side, Inter Milan when Sassuolo visited the Milan based side in Serie A action.

The Ghanaian versatile defender played 84 minutes and helped Sassuolo beat his former club – Inter Milan by 1-0 at the Giuseppe Meazza.

Sassuolo versatile defender, Alfred Duncan

Midfielder Godfred Donsah was an unused substitute by Bologna who succumbed to a 1-0 home loss against Chievo Verona.

 

Afriyie Acquah was not in the Torino squad for their 1-0 home loss against Empoli. Kwadwo Asamoah came off the bench during Juventus’ 2-1 away victory to Sampdoria.

 

SPAIN

Thomas Partey was not named in manager, Diego Simeone’s squadlist for Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 win away at Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid hot prospect, Thomas Partey

Ghana midfielder Bernard Mensah played a cameo role in Getafe’s 1-0 win against Real Betis.

 

Winger Wakaso Mubarak played 20 minutes of the second half for Las Palmas after coming off the bench came off in their 1-1 draw with Malaga. Wakaso was booked in the game minutes after coming on.

Las Palmas, midfielder, Mubarak Wakaso

Former Asante Kotoko midfielder Michael Anaba’s name was missing in Elche’s team when they drew 1-1 with Real Valladolid.

Review: How Ghanaian Players Fared In The Major European Leagues