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

Fosu-Mensah Learning From Experience

Tim Fosu-Mensah says it was a “special” experience to play his part in Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final win over Everton at Wembley.

Of course, the day could have ended differently for the defender and the Reds when Fosu-Mensah was adjudged to have fouled Ross Barkley in the area which led to a Toffees penalty. David De Gea’s spot-kick save delighted everyone in a red shirt, none more so than Fosu-Mensah who once again showed his quality.

The man himself was still buzzing when he spoke to ManUtd.com after the match and says he hopes he can build on what has been a very pleasing couple of months for him since breaking into the first team.

“It was special. It’s a great stadium and great atmosphere. It was very special to play in this stadium,” he beamed when asked to sum up the semi-final.

“It’s been an exciting few weeks but I still have to learn a lot of things and that’s what I’m trying to do. Keep learning, keep improving and try to develop as a player and train hard every day.”

Fosu-Mensah has recently contributed to helping the Reds go top of the clean sheets table in the league and he saluted the impressive defensive pairing of Chris Smalling and Daley Blind, plus the consistently fantastic form of De Gea as being key to the achievement.

“Chris and Daley communicate so well with me. Everyone in the defence is great, of course David as well. He’s a top goalkeeper and he saved us again on Saturday,” he added. “You can see the partnership between Daley and Chris and how they express themselves, they’re a great pair.

“I’m enjoying playing full-back but I’m happy to play anywhere the manager wants to put me. I just do my best and try my hardest.”

Jesse Lingard spoke before the semi-final about the fearlessness he, Fosu-Mensah, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have all played with this term. His team-mate concurs, but adds that the support from the experienced members of the squad has been invaluable.

“It’s about confidence but I think we all try to do what we always do and just play our football,” he continues. “We work hard, I work hard and I want to learn a lot. I’m open to learning a lot. I do my best and listen to the coaches and the senior players like Wayne, Carras, Chris and Daley. I listen to them all and try to do something with it.

“The senior players just help me with what I have to do on the pitch, where I have to stand sometimes and other things. It helps me a lot.”

The Dutch defender’s all-action displays have thrilled the United fans and, while he says it’s a great feeling to see the supporters’ reaction, he insists there is plenty more to come.

“I’m very delighted [to see the fans’ reaction] but, as I said, I have to keep working hard,” he insisted. “I just try to keep my head cool and try to do what I always do when I play and focus on playing my game.”

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Fosu-Mensah Learning From Experience

Fosu-Mensah Could Follow Schweinsteiger

Louis van Gaal has yet to determine the best position for Tim Fosu-Mensah and admits the Manchester United youngster could emulate Bastian Schweinsteiger’s switch at Bayern Munich.

United fans who have followed the Dutch defender’s rise through the ranks will have seen him excel in the centre-back, full-back and central midfield positions during spells for the Under-18s, Under-21s and most recently the first team.

When asked during Thursday’s press conference whether Fosu-Mensah’s future could be in midfield, the manager said the options are still open for the 18-year-old and recalled how he nurtured and converted a young Schweinsteiger when he was Bayern boss.

“It is dependable on vacancies in your squad,” declared van Gaal. “You have seen that players in my squad are playing in different positions than what they are used to in their former careers. It is also a little bit of luck.

When there is a vacancy and you think a young player has the quality to play there, you give him the chance. If he takes the chance then that makes him already mentally a good player.

“You cannot say that a player is [just] a full-back. You can see qualities and you make a profile of positions and then you look at the qualities of a player and see if he can fit that. Can he do that, can he perform that? Maybe he shall perform it and then he sticks to that position and then he is the best of all.

“You can ask Bastian Schweinsteiger who, at Bayern Munich, played on the right side, the right wing. I made him a centre midfielder because I looked at his profile and I thought that he can better play in the middle and he enjoys it more than on the right side. I have changed a lot of positions of players.”

Fosu-Mensah is just one of a number of young Reds who have impressed for the senior side this term, with Marcus Rashford being the one who has grabbed the headlines with seven goals in 13 games. Van Gaal reminded us of his track record of giving chances to budding players throughout his career.

“I have had that in all my clubs because I give youngsters the chance to do that,” he insisted. “My first club was AZ Alkmaar and I was trainer-coach of the second team, I then played with five players from my second team when I was first-team coach.

“At Ajax I had Patrick Kluivert, at 18, who made the same performance as Marcus Rashford. So, I can give a lot of examples of that, it is not new! At Bayern Munich it was Thomas Muller and in Barcelona Xavi was 18 and Iniesta 17. Motta was also 17 and he is now at Paris Saint Germain. It is not strange.

“The big issue is not age. It is quality.”

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Fosu-Mensah Could Follow Schweinsteiger

Isaac Mensah targets more with Hearts of Oak

Isaac Mensah is targeting even more awards for Accra Hearts of Oak after being adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in last Sunday’s Ghana Premier League (GPL) Match-Day Four game with Bechem United at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The playmaker was a delight to watch and dully deserved his award for the role he played in helping the Phobians post a comfortable 3-1 victory over the Hunters to move top of the GPL table.

Mensah, scored Hearts’ third goal, and, his general contribution to the play was indeed remarkable as the opposition found it difficult in taking the ball off him.

“I will like to thank the match assessment committee in choosing me as the best player of the game,” Mensah told his club’s official newspaper, the Hearts News.

“Hopefully, it will inspire me to do even more for Accra Hearts of Oak this season as we look to win the ultimate at the end of the campaign,” he added.

He becomes the third Hearts of Oak player to win an MVP award this season, following in the footsteps of Samudeen Ibrahim who won in the season opener against New Edubiase United in Accra and club captain, Robin Gnange who won the award in Tarkwa against Medeama SC on Match-Day Two.

Accra Hearts of Oak will next play Inter Allies at the Tema Sports Stadium on Sunday, looking to preserve their unbeaten start to the season with the possibility of extending their lead at the top.

Isaac Mensah targets more with Hearts of Oak

Inter Allies Will Keep Improving - Evans Mensah

Inter Allies winger, Evans Mensah has said his side will keep working hard to improve on their form after making a flying start to the 2015/16 football season in Ghana.

Mensah put up a man-of-the-match performance for Allies as they opened their account for the new season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Aduana Stars at the Tema Park last Sunday.

And the left winger said after the game that, the result has been “the reward for our hard work at training, and we will continue to do even more to improve on our performance”.

“We are happy with the result and will hope it continues in our next game on Sunday.” He added.

Inter Allies will next play Liberty Professionals at the Dansoman Park on Sunday as the Ghana Premier League (GPL) hits match-day-two this weekend.

They will hope to come out with a result in this game and Mensah will hope to play a part as they look for a win against a Liberty Professional’s side that lost 0-2 in their opening game to Bechem United last Sunday.

Inter Allies Will Keep Improving - Evans Mensah

Ropapa Mensah Targets Breakthrough Season With Inter Allies

Inter Allies attacking prodigy Ropapa Mensah is targeting a break through season after an opening day goal against Aduana Stars at the Tema Sports Stadium, in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) last Sunday.

The skinny forward opened the scoring account for Herbert Addo’s charges and is relishing the prospect of shouldering more responsibilities.

Ropapa Mensah announced his arrival on the Ghanaian football fraternity in the 2014/15 league season.

The stylish forward lowered expectations from his followers on the domestic scene but admitted the need to assert himself on opponents on weekly basis.

“It is my hope to announce myself to the football world at the end of the 2016 Ghanaian Football season.

“I am not bent on scoring lots or goals but just to enjoy my football on weekly basis.

“Last season I enjoyed playing behind attackers but wants to add variety to my game with many options under my name.

Ghanaians should watch out for a new Ropapa Mensah, with or without goals”, Mensah told sportscrusader.

The slippery attacker passed on flury of options to join domestic rivals as he set his sight on the European exodus bus

Ropapa Mensah Targets Breakthrough Season With Inter Allies

Ropapa Mensah poised for new season

Inter Allies attacking midfielder Ropapa Mensah is poised for a starting role with the Tema based side when the 2016 top flight season kicks off.

The skinny attacker is relishing the prospect of returning to competitive actions after a lengthy break from the league.

The Tema based stylish attacker warned his domestic rivals to be ready for a real threat fron the Harbour boys when the season unravels later next month.

The trickery attacker revealed his readiness to shoulder more responsibilities in the coming season as he works on his finishing.

Mensah starred prominently for Inter Allies usually deploid as an auxiliary attacker but has promised to add goals to his game when the new season kicks off.

“I am very much ready for the coming season but will want to take the league on, match by match basis. Inter Allies will be competing for the league trophy right from the first match of the season. I just want to add goals to my game so as to help my team alot. Every body look ready for the upcoming season. Our name is Eleven is to One and we will do same”, Mensah told sports crusader.

The Inter Allies attacker then fired a verbal warning to the traditional heavy weights in the league ahead of the February 20 kick off.

“Last season was for Ashgold but I will say much ahead of the season. Just watch out for Inter Allies this season.” Ropapa Mensah concluded.

Ropapa Mensah poised for new season

Jonathan Mensah crushes out of French Cup

Black Stars defender Jonathan Mensah crushed out of the Coup De France with a home defeat to AS Monaco.

The 25 year old saw full action in the marathon cup tie as Monaco progressed with late goals in extra time.

Jonathan Mensah has been crocked by a recurring injury picked with the national side since the commencement of the 2015/16 season.

Evian Thonon collapsed very late into the tie as Monaco won 1-3 in the last 16 tie of the domestic cup.

The former Udinese centre was reinstated into the starting berth after his surprised substitution in the league match upon his injury return.

The composed defender however churned out impressive display at the back for the Ligue II side despite exiting the tourney in front of their teaming fans.

Ivorian giant striker Lacine Traore opened the scoring for Monaco on the stroke of full time before Morgan Karmin drew parity for the second tier side 3 minutes into the hour mark.

A boggy last 30 minutes failed to separte the sides before late goals in extra time from Mario Pasalic and Helder Costa won the ticket for the 2004 European Champions league finalist.

Mensah was slapped with a four month ban from FIFA after spotting irregularities in his transfer from Udinese to Evian Thonon Gillard.

Jonathan Mensah crushes out of French Cup

Jonathan Mensah Returns in heavy defeat for Evian Thonon

Crocked Black Stars defender Jonathan Mensah made a dreadful return for Evian Thonon Gillard as they lost by four goals away to Clermont in a mid table clash.

The 25 year old former Udinese defender lasted the full duration on his league return but could do little to prevent his side from a 4-goal mauling in the mid table clash.

Evian Thonon slipped further down the log with 21 points from 20 matches.

The Black Stars center back was given the green light in his side’s heavy away win to Annecy in the Coupe de France last 32 stage to seal a place in the starting XI for the first time since November 6, 2015.

The former Udinese centre back lasted the full mettle of the Clermont as the visitors stormed to a four goal lead in the opening half before an own goal from Cedric Avreil toned down the heavy win.

It was Mensah’s third league appearance of the season in an injury ravaged 2015. Evian Thonon Gillard could move further down the log in the French Ligue II if results go against them on Saturday in the second tier league in France.

Jonathan Mensah Returns in heavy defeat for Evian Thonon