In-Form Samuel Inkoom Steers Antalaya To Heavy Win In Turkey

Award winning Samuel Inkoom extended his fine run of form in the Turkish Super League to aid Antalayaspor to a 7-0 win over Trabzonspor.

The winter arrival from Boavista continues to showcase his class for his Super League side as they kept their slim European hopes alive.

A treble from Oumar Sismanough highlighted a honeymoon for the red hot Antalaya at home to the clueless Trabzon.

Samuel Inkoom, who joined the ambitious Turkish at the start of the January transfer window, has been an ever present fixture for the expensively assembled side.

The much travelled Ghanaian endured a nightmare six month spell in Portugal with Boavista before been offered an escaped out of his ordeal in the winter transfer window.

Antalayaspor moved into the eighth slot on the standing eight points adrift of a UEFA Europa league spot.

The Ghanaian import was recently voted the best defender in the Super eLague despite arriving in the January transfer window.

In-Form Samuel Inkoom Steers Antalaya To Heavy Win In Turkey

Lewandowski Landmark As Bayern Finish With A Win

Robert Lewandowski became the first man for 39 years to score 30 Bundesliga goals in a season as champions Bayern Munich beat Hannover in Pep Guardiola’s final league game in charge.

Lewandowski’s deflected shot wrong-footed Ron-Robert Zieler for the opener before Mario Gotze chipped home the second, and whipped in the third.

Artur Sobiech scored Hannover’s consolation at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern finish the season 10 points clear of Borussia Dortmund in second.

Bayern’s French winger Kingsley Coman hit the post with a header, while Iver Fossum, Waldemar Anton and Edgar Prib missed good chances for Hannover.

Before the game, there was a presentation to Bayern boss Guardiola, who takes over at Manchester City next season.

His final Bayern game will be the German Cup final against Dortmund next Saturday as he aims for a second domestic double in three seasons.

BBC

Lewandowski Landmark As Bayern Finish With A Win

Serena Williams Ate Dog Food Before Rome Win

Serena Williams made herself ill after eating dog food hours before reaching the last eight of the Italian Open.

The world number one tried “a spoonful” of food meant for her dog, Chip, before beating fellow American Christina McHale in straight sets in Rome.

“I thought ‘what the heck, I’m gonna try a piece, it looks good’,” she said.

“Fast forward two hours, I just ran to the toilet like I thought I was going to pass out. It did taste weird. It tasted kind of like house cleaner.”

In a video posted on Snapchat, Williams explained she sampled a dish of chicken and rice offered on a ‘doggy menu’ at her hotel.

“I force-swallowed it, said the 34-year-old American. “I don’t know what they put in these dog foods, but Chip liked it.

“I don’t think it’s consumable for humans. They should have wrote that! So now I feel really sick. It was just a spoonful, but I don’t feel so good.”

Williams defeated McHale 7-6, (9-7), 6-1 and set up a meeting with Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat fellow Russian Daria Gavrilova, in the last eight.

Elsewhere, British number one Johanna Konta was beaten in three sets by Misaki Doi in the third round.

Konta, 24, took the opening set but went down 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to her 25-year-old Japanese opponent.

Doi, ranked 45 in the world, belied her position 22 places below the Australian Open semi-finalist to take victory.

Doi faces Swiss Timea Bacsinszky in the last eight.

Despite her defeat, Konta will arrive at the French Open as a seeded player. A year on from being ranked 143rd in the world, she is up to 23.

“I thought she played a very, very good level today and I didn’t do quite enough to get her out of her comfort zone,” Konta told BBC Sport.

BBC

Serena Williams Ate Dog Food Before Rome Win

Hearts Will Go Top Of GPL With Win Over Kotoko

Accra Hearts of Oak will move top of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) table if they are able to win their Match-Day 10 encounter with Kumasi Asante Kotoko today.

Leaders Wa All Stars lost 0-1 to Medeama SC on Sunday, and, the Phobians will overtake them at the top of the table should they win this afternoon’s game in Accra.

All Stars has 20 points from 10 games with Hearts two points behind them on the table.

Hearts are huge favourites going into the Super Clash with Kotoko as they have been the more impressive of the two in the GPL so far.

They have five wins from nine games, and, have lost only once. They will lead the standing by a point if they manage to claim victory over their bitter rivals in the Ghanaian game.

Kotoko have endured an indifferent start to the campaign, having managed 11 points from nine games, a run that has included three wins, two drawn games and four defeats.

They lie in 12th position on the log, but, will move to ninth should they emerge victorious in this afternoon’s game.

The Porcupines have been tagged second favourites going into this encounter and, will be out to prove skeptics wrong.

 

 

Hearts Will Go Top Of GPL With Win Over Kotoko

Laryea Kingston Predicts 2-0 Win For Hearts In Super Clash

Former Ghana International Laryea Kingston has backed Accra Hearts of Oak to record a win over their arch rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko in Monday’s Super Clash between the two.

The two Ghanaian giants will go head-to-head for the first time this season in the last of the

Ghana Premier League Match-Day 10 encounters at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra.

And Laryea has backed his former club to collect the three points at stake in this encounter as they chase a first league win over the Porcupines in Accra in six years.

“I think Hearts of Oak will carry the day and I am also positive that they will win by 2-0 in

front of the Accra fans,” he told Tema based Obunu FM.

“So far this season, Hearts has shown the better form as compared to Kotoko, and I am positive that it will come to play in Monday’s game for all to see,” he added.

“Games between both sides has known no form guide in the past, but, this time around, I can see that happening and that is why I am backing the Phobians to carry the day,” he stated.

He said the game will be a tough one though as Kotoko will come in very determined not to lose, but, after 90 minutes, Hearts should be able to make their home advantage count and press on for the win.

Hearts will be seeking their sixth win of the season in Monday’s game, and, victory will take them top of the standing after leaders Wa All Stars lost at Tarkwa to Medeama SC on Sunday.

Laryea Kingston Predicts 2-0 Win For Hearts In Super Clash

Juventus Celebrate Title With 10th Successive League Win

Juventus celebrated the Serie A title in style with a 10th successive league win.

Hernanes and Simone Zaza scored the goals as Juventus extended their club record for successive home clean sheets to 10.

They were crowned champions for the fifth season in a row on Monday when Napoli, their closest challengers, lost to Roma.

And their players celebrated with fans after maintaining their stunning form.

Juventus celebrate winning Serie A

Juventus fans unveil a banner thanking their team for another successful season

Hernanes’ first-half strike and Simone Zaza’s late header helped Massimiliano Allegri’s men brush aside relegation-threatened Carpi.

They can complete a double by beating AC Milan in the Italian cup final on 21 May.

“I am happy with the win,” Allegri said. “It was a good one to get because the crowd was smaller than usual, after the celebrations and such.

“It pleased me that we did not concede a goal. Now we are thinking about the last two games and then the Coppa Italia final, which we are all looking forward to.”

BBC

Juventus Celebrate Title With 10th Successive League Win

Amponsah-Mensah, Botha, Wins GMA-South African Airways Golf At Sakumono

The third edition of the Freedom Day Golf tournament came off successfully at the Celebrity Golf Club (CGC), Sakumono near Tema on Saturday.

Leticia Amponsah Mensah and Botha Sorossouw came out tops in the ladies and men’s main event after producing some amazing shoots in the one-day 18-Hole competition.

Amponsah Menash produced a net score of 74 to win in her division with Mona Captan in second position with 78 net.

Botha dominated the men field, and scored a net of 68 to win the competition ahead of Abodi Kleen (70) and Samuel Agyapong also with 70.

The two winners as part of their prizes, will visti South Africa for their troubles.

In the ladies B category, Maureen Akuaku won the day with a net of 68 ahead of Hellen Appah who shoot 69.

Yang Fuhai won the men B category with a net of 71 ahead of Oswald Amuzu whoalso shoot 71 and Tony Matthews who scored 72.

Freedom Day is an annual celebration of South Africa’s first non-racial democratic elections of 1994. Peace, unity, the preservation and the restoration of human dignity, hallmark Freedom Day celebrations on the 27 April of each year.

The South Africa Freedom Day Golf, is organised by Global Media Alliance in collaboration with the Celebrity Golf Club and the South African High Commission.

The event was partnered by Trellidor, Afrgri Ghana, First National Bank, Old Mutual, MultiChoice Ghana, Mobile Tout Terrain (M.T.T), Shoprite and Distell Company among others.

Amponsah-Mensah, Botha, Wins GMA-South African Airways Golf At Sakumono

We Cannot Allow Leicester To Win Title-Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal has warned Leicester City that his Manchester United players will not allow them to win the Barclays Premier League title at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Claudio Ranieri’s men require three more points to secure the championship crown, but the Reds must also win with a place in the top four still up for grabs and four important matches left to play.

Speaking to reporters at his pre-match press conference at the Aon Training Complex on Friday afternoon, van Gaal remained quietly optimistic of securing UEFA Champions League qualification next season and spoke of delaying the Foxes’ coronation as Premier League champions.

“I think we have to beat Leicester because we are still in the race for the first positions, so we have to beat them,” he said. “We cannot allow that they are the champions this weekend at Old Trafford. I think they shall be the champion a week later, so we don’t spoil the party, just postpone it a little bit.

“I was the first who said that they could be champions and now a presenter [Match of the Day’s Gary Lineker] has to wear underwear when they are the champions. For me it is not a surprise; I say that many, many times. I believe in team building and the manager has done that with this team.

“They had the circumstances to play always with the same team as they did not play so many matches as the other teams in the league, so it is always possible. It is good for the Premier League and the sport of football that not always the same teams are the champion.”

At his press conference, van Gaal was also quizzed on Ranieri’s remarkable work this season and the Dutchman was full of praise for the Italian, citing their previous meetings as managers in La Liga.

“Yeah, it was never easy to beat his teams,” van Gaal told reporters. “Valencia and Barcelona is also more or less a derby so it is a difficult match. He has always organised his teams very good.”

Manutd

We Cannot Allow Leicester To Win Title-Van Gaal

Juventus Win Fifth Straight Seria A Title

Juventus have been crowned Serie A champions for a fifth season in a row after Napoli’s 1-0 defeat at Roma.

Sunday’s 2-1 win at Fiorentina put them on the brink of glory, and Napoli’s failure to win on Monday meant Juve can no longer be caught.

It completes a stunning rise for the Turin side, who were in 12th place and 11 points off the top on 28 October.

However, they have won 24 of their 25 league games since then, drawing the other, to take them clear.

Napoli’s defeat actually denies Juventus the chance to win the title at their own ground. They host Carpi on Sunday at 11:30 BST.

BBC

Juventus Win Fifth Straight Seria A Title

Inter Win First Seria A Match Played Without Italians

Inter Milan’s victory over Udinese was the first ever Serie A match with no Italians starting for either team.

Striker Stevan Jovetic scored twice as Inter came from a goal down to boost their chances of remaining in the top four.

Cyril Thereau volleyed Udinese ahead, with Jovetic equalising from Mauro Icardi’s cross.

Jovetic chested in Jonathan Biabiany’s cross before substitute Eder scored in injury time to seal the win.

Line-ups

Inter Milan

1Handanovic

55 Nagatomo

25 Miranda

24 Murillo

5 Nunes Jesus Substituted for Perisicat 64’minutes Booked at 82mins

7 Kondogbia Booked at 65mins

83 Felipe Melo

77 Brozovic

10 Jovetic Booked at 31mins

11Biabiany Substituted for D’Ambrosioat 85’minutes

9 Icardi Substituted for Citadin Martinsat 80’minutes

Substitutes

8 Palacio

12 Telles

21 Santon

22 Ljajic

23 Citadin Martins

27 Gnoukouri

30 Carrizo

33 D’Ambrosio

44 Perisic

46 Berni

97 Manaj

Udinese

31 Karnezis

2 Wagué

5 Larangeira Booked at 61mins

30 Felipe Substituted for Matos Santosat 81’minutes

27 Widmer

7 Badu

22 Kuzmanovic

8 Fernandes Substituted for Hallfredssonat 85’minutes

21 Andrade dos Santos Substituted for Pasqualeat 76’minutes

9 Zapata Booked at 86mins

77 Théréau

Substitutes

11 Domizzi

18 Perica

19 dos Santos Torres

20 Lodi

26 Pasquale

34 Iniguez

55 Hallfredsson

75 Heurtaux

88 Matos Santos

89 Piris

97 Meret

99 Balic

Referee:

Domenico Celi

BBC

Inter Win First Seria A Match Played Without Italians

PSG Win French League Cup For Third Year In A Row

Angel di Maria scored the decisive goal as 10-man Paris St-Germain beat Lille to win France’s Coupe de la Ligue for the third year running.

Javier Pastore’s volley gave Laurent Blanc’s side a half-time lead, as Lille appealed for offside.

Djibril Sidibe equalised with a free-kick, before PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot was sent off.

Di Maria rolled in the winner as keeper Vincent Enyeama inexplicably charged 30 yards from goal to meet the winger.

Victory means that PSG remain on course for a clean sweep of domestic trophies, having won the Trophees des Champions and Ligue 1, and with the Coupe de France final against Marseille to come on 21 May.

Manager Blanc’s future, though, remains uncertain because of his failure to take the club beyond the quarter-finals of this season’s Champions League, where they were defeated by Manchester City.

Di Maria shot weakly at Enyeama in the opening seconds of an entertaining final at the Stade de France, with Lille looking the more dangerous side after surviving a difficult opening 10 minutes.

Frederic Antonetti’s team had won six successive games going into the final, but went behind to a controversial goal five minutes before before half-time.

Pastore lashed a shot at goal as Lille struggled to clear a corner, with PSG full-back Layvin Kurzawa standing in an offside position inside the six-yard box as the ball flew into the net.

The officials ruled that Kurzawa was not active because he did not move towards the ball, but Enyeama believed that he was effectively prevented from diving to save the shot because the PSG man was in the way.

Lille responded positively, though, with Sidibe directing a free-kick into the corner of the net four minutes into the second half after Adrien Rabiot had been booked for fouling Sofiane Boufal.

Rabiot picked up a second booking, and was dismissed, for a late challenge on Boufal with 20 minutes left.

Lille, though, gave away a soft goal four minutes later, as Adama Soumaoro’s weak back header allowed Di Maria to sprint on to goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu’s clearance, and the Argentian international nicked the ball past the onrushing Enyeama.

Soumaoro headed wide with a good chance to bring Lille level again, but PSG held on.

BBC

PSG Win French League Cup For Third Year In A Row

Dauda Mohammed Excited With Kotoko"s Win

Kumasi Asante Kotoko forward, Dauda Mohammed could not hide his excitement after scoring the only goal when the Porcupine Warriors defeated Dreams FC yesterday in their Match-Day Eight Ghana Premier League (GPL) game.

The 19-year-old striker scored what could be the fastest goal of the season after pouncing on Mozart Adjetey’s blunder from Amos Frimpong’s pile driver from about 30-yards.

“Coming into this game our position on the league log wasn’t deserving for Asante Kotoko,” Dauda said after the game.

“But it’s been a difficult start and I must admit but I am happy things are beginning to come together.”

“They are massive points for us and that is all we deserved given the hard work we have put in recent weeks.”

“The points picked up will do our confidence a huge boost going into our next round of games.”

Dauda Mohammed Excited With Kotoko"s Win

WAFA Aim For First Ever Win Over Hearts

West Africa Football Academy (WAFA) will be seeking a first ever win over Accra Hearts of Oak when they take on the Phobians in a Ghana Premier League (GPL) Match-Day Eight encounter at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra this afternoon (Wednesday).

Since joining the Ghanaian top-flight in 2004, WAFA formerly Feyenoord Academy, they have encountered the Phobians eight times in the league, but, have yet to taste victory over the capital club.

Hearts of Oak have won six of those encounters with the other two ending in a stalemate. WAFA will therefore hope to break that jinx in this afternoon’s game.

However, this season, the Academy boys have lost all their away games by a similar result, 0-1 against Chelsea (Match-Day Two); Aduana Stars (Match-Day Four) and Dreams FC (Match-Day Six)

Beating Hearts will be a huge task as the Phobians have won two of their three home games and lost the other. They will hope to make it three wins out of four games on home soil.

Whether Hearts wins or WAFA claims a first ever win over the Phobians will be answered this afternoon at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra.

Bellow is the head-to head record of the two teams

2004             Feyenoord 0 – 1 Hearts

Hearts 3 – 0   Feyenoord

2005/6          Hearts 2 – 1 Feyenoord

Feyenoord 0 – 0 Hearts

2006/7          Hearts 2 – 1 Feyenoord

Feyenoord 0 – 2 Hearts

2014/15        Hearts 1 – 0 WAFA

WAFA 0 – 0 HEARTS

2016             Hearts? – ? WAFA

WAFA Aim For First Ever Win Over Hearts

Laureus Awards 2016: Djokovic, Williams, Messi, Spieth All Win

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams claimed the top accolades at this year’s Laureus World Sports Awards.

The tennis duo were named sportsman and sportswoman of the year at the Berlin ceremony for their 2015 achievements.

Djokovic, 28, reached all four Grand Slam finals, winning three of them, a feat emulated by Williams, 34.

Brazil’s Paralympic swimmer Daniel Dias was named disabled sportsperson of the year after winning seven golds at the IPC Swimming World Championships.

Other awards

Team of the Year: New Zealand, who won the Rugby World Cup

Comeback of the Year: Rugby player Dan Carter, who helped the All Blacks become champions after missing the 2011 final because of injury

Breakthrough of the Year: US golfer Jordan Spieth, who won the Masters and US Open

Action Sportsperson of the Year: German triathlete Jan Frodeno, who became World Ironman champion

Athlete of the Year: Argentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi

Lifetime Achievement Award: Three-time Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda

Spirit of Sport Award: Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff

Cruyff, who died of cancer aged 68 on 24 March, was recognised for his work helping to deliver sport-related projects for underprivileged children around the world.

“He represented everything that was good about sport,” said Laureus World Sports Academy chairman Edwin Moses.

Credit: BBC

Laureus Awards 2016: Djokovic, Williams, Messi, Spieth All Win

NBA 2016 Playoffs Spurs, Heat, Cavaliers, Clippers Win Game One

The 2016 National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs began over the weekend as the race to become champions heats up.

There were wins for the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heats.

Game One of the Playoffs in the Western Conference started with Golden State’s 104-78 blowout of Houston and followed with Oklahoma City’s 108-70 thumping of Dallas on Saturday.

On Sunday, it was San Antonio continuing the trend with a 104-76 drubbing of Memphis and the Los Angeles Clippers handing the Portland Trail Blazers a 20-point beatdown, 115-95.

In the Eastern Conference first round on Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers got 20 points each from LeBron James (22 points, 11 rebounds, six assists), Kyrie Irving (31 points, six assists, five rebounds) and Kevin Love (28 points, 13 rebounds) to take a 1-0 series lead over the Detroit Pistons, while Luol Deng (31 points, seven rebounds) and Hassan Whiteside (21 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks) led Miami to a 123-91 blowout of Charlotte.

Recap of the scores:

CAVALIERS 106, PISTONS 101 – Cleveland leads 1-0.

Game Two is on Wednesday in Cleveland.

HEAT 123, HORNETS 91 – Miami leads 1-0.

Game Two is on Wednesday in Miami.

SPURS 106, GRIZZLIES 74 – San Antonio leads 1-0

Game Two is on Tuesday in San Antonio.

CLIPPERS 115, TRAIL BLAZERS 95 – Los Angeles leads 1-0.

Game Two is on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Monday’s schedule:

Indiana Pacers will be at Toronto Raptors with the Pacers leading 1-0

Dallas Mavericks plays at Oklahoma City Thunder with Thunder leading 1-0.

Houston Rockets plays at Golden State Warriors with the Warriors leading 1-0.

NBA 2016 Playoffs Spurs, Heat, Cavaliers, Clippers Win Game One

Golden State Warriors Set NBA Record With 73rd Win

The Golden State Warriors have made NBA history with a record 73 wins in a season by beating Memphis Grizzlies.

The 125-104 win in Oakland means the defending champions surpassed the previous record of 72 set by Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in 1995-96.

Steph Curry also became the first to net more than 400 three-pointers in a season, taking his tally to 402.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who played for the 1996 Bulls team, said: “I never thought anyone would break it.”

Credit: BBC

Golden State Warriors Set NBA Record With 73rd Win

Golden State Warriors Need One Win To Break NBA Record

The Golden State Warriors can make NBA history in their final regular-season game after equaling the record number of wins with their 72nd on Sunday.

Seeking to become the first team to win 73, they won at the San Antonio Spurs, who last lost at home in March 2015.

“We’re competitive, we’re hungry,” said Steph Curry, who scored 37 in the California-based team’s 92-86 victory.

Victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Wednesday would surpass the record set by Chicago Bulls in 1995-96.

Credit: BBC

Golden State Warriors Need One Win To Break NBA Record

Venezuela Win South American U-17 Women"s Title

Venezuela defeated Brazil to clinch the CONMEBOL U-17 Championship at the weekend, watched by a huge crowd of 41,000.

In the last day of games in the final round of the U-17 Sudamericano, Brazil and hosts Venezuela began on six points each and met in front of a capacity crowd at the Metropolitan Stadium in Lara.

Deyna Castilian scored the only goal of the match on 47 minutes to win the cup, with both sides already qualified for the U-17 World Cup in Jordan.

Paraguay came from behind to beat Colombia 2-1 and secure the confederation’s third place at the finals

An opener by Manuela Vanegas was overturned as Jessica Martinez bagged a five-minute brace before the break.

Credit: Conmebol.com

Venezuela Win South American U-17 Women"s Title

Kotoko Captain, Frimpong, Hails Fans Impact In Win Over Hasaacas

Kumasi Asante Kotoko captain, Amos Frimpong has hailed the support received from their fans as they posted their first win of the season over Sekondi Hasaacas yesterday, Friday.

The Porcupines secured a hard-fought 1-0 win at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi to ease some of the pressure on the team after failing to win in their opening four games of the season.

And Captain Frimpong has hailed the role fans at the stadium played in securing the win, describing it as one of the best he has ever seen.

He took to social media to thank the fans for been there with them even when the going was tough on the soggy Baba Yara Stadium pitch as it rained throughout the game.

“What a support we had today, even when it was raining. We are really grateful for your massive support, let’s all be patient and I believe strongly, things will change,” he wrote on his facebook wall.

It took a second half goal from striker Kwame Boateng to secure the win for the record Ghana champions who now have five points from five games.

They will hope to build on this to ease the pressure further as asserted by Frimpong who enjoyed the full throttle at the back as they held on for the win.

Kotoko’s next league fixture will be an away encounter against Aduana Stars at Dormaa, a venue they have never taken three points against the home side.

 

Kotoko Captain, Frimpong, Hails Fans Impact In Win Over Hasaacas

Essential Essien continues his impressive form for Panathinaikos in a vital away win at Kalloni.

Micheal Essien continues his impressive form for Panathinaikos in a vital away win at Kalloni.

The former Chelsea midfielder inspired the resurgent visitors into their fourth win in the last five matches.

Panathinaikos inflicted a 0-2 reverse on the home side surge back into their third place in the Greece Super ligue.

The 34 year old lasted 73 minutes on the field for the high flying visitors who seems to have primed at the appropriate time.

The Black Stars midfielder bossed affairs from defensive midfield position to steer Panathinaikos past the struggling Kalloni in the Grerk top flight.

The summer arrival from Chelsea endured a difficult start to his career in Greece but has since return to form for the title chasing side.

The veteran midfielder left the pitch with 17 minutes left as they look to extend the playing career of the former stand Ford crowd favourite.

Second half goals from Nikolas Kaltsas and Olivier Boumah replaced PAOK with Panathinaikos on the third slot in the Greece top flight. Micheal Essien has since featured 8 times for Pana on his return from the treatment table.

Essential Essien continues his impressive form for Panathinaikos in a vital away win at Kalloni.