A technical director at the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Coach Oti Akenten, has tipped the local Black Stars to survive the Ivroian threat and sail through to the next Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) to be hosted by Rwanda early next year.

He, however, admitted that the encounter today would be a tough one since tactically both teams appeared almost at par.

Speaking in an interview with the Graphic Sports, Coach Akenten was hopeful that the match officials would also do their bit to ensure the better side carried the day.

One of Africa’s most successful footballers, Samuel Eto’o, would storm Accra on Monday to begin the filming of FIFA’s 11 for health programme.

The Camerounian international would be coming alongside FIFA chief medical officer Prof Jiri Dvorak and they are expected to visit the Kotobabi ‘3’ JHS at Alajo.

The 34-year-old former Chelsea player will be part of the season 5 and 6 alongside a series of programmes he is expected to undertake while in the country.

The local Black Stars face a tough challenge today when they engage Cote d’Ivoire in the second leg of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier away at the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan.

The home side will be full of confidence heading into the tie, especially after the Ivorian authorities announced free entry for fans at the stadium, as well as a $2000-per-player bonus for members of the local Elephants if they are able to seal qualification.

Regardless of that, the home-based Black Stars coach, Maxwell Konadu insists that his 18-man squad will be able to get a favourable result which will ensure progression to the fourth African Nations Championship slated for early next year in Rwanda.

Wayne Rooney missed a penalty as Manchester United crashed out of the Capital One Cup at the hands of Middlesbrough (Boro) at Old Trafford last Wednesday night.

Championship promotion-chasers, Boro had a goal disallowed when Kike hit the post and Daley Blind put the rebound in his own net, with an offside flag curtailing their celebrations.

The Chairman of Neoplan Stars Football Club, Jonathan Pobee Abbey, has proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko to halt the feud between them over their placement on the league table.

He said it was also important for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to  seek external interpretation from Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) or the Confedration of African Football (CAF) so that the two teams regain confidence in the ruling of the FA.

The local Black Stars have a hurdle to surmount in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan today when they take on their counterparts in the second leg of the CHAN qualifier.

We have almost lost hope of the team surviving in today’s match following the narrow 2-1 in Kumasi a fortnight ago, knowing that away games in African competitions are often herculean tasks.

However, we can muster some courage to throw our weight behind the team to go all the way with the kind of surety being touted by the technical director of Ghana football, Coach Oti Akenten.

The national men’s hockey team yesterday played an improved game to beat Zimbabwe 4-2 and qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing African Hockey Championships in South Africa.

The team will meet Egypt tomorrow to determine which side qualifies to the final.

Earlier last Tuesday, the Black Sticks suffered a 0-4 defeat to South Africa, putting brakes to their winning spree since the tournament started almost a week ago.

FIFA Chief Medical Officer, Prof. Jiri Dvorak, and Cameroonian soccer legend, Samuel Eto’o, will visit the Kotobabi “3” JHS and Alajo “3” JHS on Monday, November 3 to film the “11 for health” sessions 5 and 6 respectively.

A GFA source has indicated that FIFA has approved Ghana as the first country in the world for the fourth leg of the 'Fifa 11 for Health' programme that trains kids in school to avoid health problems through various football drills.

Chad has named former Cameroun captain, Rigobert Song as their new national team coach.

The 39-year-old was appointed last Monday to succeed Frenchman Emmanuel Tregoat, whose contract expired on September 30.

The national hockey men’s and women’s teams are making inroads in the ongoing Africa Hockey Championships being held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Both teams  have performed creditably in their matches played so far, indicating that they are on the verge of  picking the sole tickets for the 2017  Olympic games if they continue to display such  high standard performances.

Newly-appointed coach of Accra Hearts of Oak, Kenichi Yatsuhatsi yesterday set an ambitious target of winning the First Capital Plus Premier League and MTN FA Cup in his first year.

Ex-Hearts of Oak goalie, Sammy Adjei’s dream of joining his former club next season could fall on rocks unless he avails himself for proper assessment at the training grounds.

One of the pioneers of women’s football in Ghana, Madam Sophia Okuley, last Sunday turned 80 years and she celebrated the anniversary with a party attended by most of the players she nurtured.

Joined by her family friends and women’s football family, Ms Okuley began the celebrations with a thanksgiving service presided over by Rev Father Nyan at the Anglican Church of Transfiguration at Haatso, in Accra and later a party.

As many players of the 1999 Black Queens squad who made their debut at the Women’s World Cup , turned up. They included Adjoa Bayor, Genevieve Clottey, Mercy Tagoe, Faustina Doyi, Gifty Lartey, Helina Wilson and Mavis Addae.

Jessica Tei and Nafiu Abubakar shared the glory after winning the ladies and men’s scratch events respectively at the Inaugural Open of the Achimota Golf Club played over the weekend. 

Both golfers beat off strong challenge to claim the top prizes -- a trophy and a return ticket to South Africa --on a weekend which brought together the cream of

Ghana’s golfers and some players from the West African sub-region, for the commissioning the country’s premier golfing destination, following extensive rehabilitation works undertaken by Pail McGinley Golf, which reshaped the course to bring it up to world-class standards.

The much anticipated All Africa Games (AAG) is over and participating nations are still assessing or digesting their performances. Since team Ghana returned, the country have been analysing her successes, as well as losses so that future participation would bring better results for the nation.

As the games closed a month ago with Ghana's best achievement coming in football - women's division and tennis placing 21st out of the 50 countries that participated in the games, Ghanaians no doubt showered lots of praises on the gallant ladies and George Darko and William Narh-Adirago.