GFA EXCO Member, Dr. Randy Abbey has disclosed that qualifying for the 2026 World Cup must be the priority for the Black Stars.

Abbey who is Heart of Lions President says nothing else can be the priority but qualifying for the Canada, United States, and Mexico tournament.

Inaki Williams' last-minute goal against Madagascar gave Chris Hughton's team three points to start their world qualification series.

With a 1-0 victory in the 95th minute, the Black Stars gained some momentum heading into their second Group I matchup with Comoros.

Speaking after the game in Kumasi, Abbey told Citi Sports: “If we say we are big boys, we need to do what big boys do, and so we have no chance than to top the group and go to the World Cup.

“I mean what else can be the priority, qualification to the World Cup must be your number one priority,” he added.

The team touched down in Moroni on Saturday ahead of the clash with Comoros on Tuesday at 4 pm at the Stade de Moroni.

Chris Hughton will be aiming to win this game and take some pressure off himself and the team to create a relaxed atmosphere for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

New Marwako Restaurant At Lashibi, Klagon Under Bridge Opened To The Public

Leading and highly respectable Ghanaian restaurant and fast food joint, Marwako Fast Food has been committed to bring delicious and wholesome meal to the doorstep of Ghanaians.

On Saturday, November 18, 2023, the fifth joint was opened at Lashbi, under bridge, Klagon to the public with the MD Mr. Zaid Zaabalawi assuring Ghanaian of high quality and affordable meals.

He said they decided to operate at catchment areas to save transport costs of customers.

Alhaji Imam Abass Abdul Karim, Deputy Imam, Ghana Police performed the opening ceremony tape cutting and hailed the location as good for the residents of Ashaiman, Lashibi and Tema. He commended Marwako for maintaining hygienic standards.

PRO Mohammed Amin Lamptey said Marwako is the best eatery with delicious and irresistible food taste.

“We offer the best fried rice and chicken, potato chips and grilled chicken, shawama, pizza, meat pie, ice cream and natural fruit juice of many fruits and flavors.

He noted that Marwako is a family oriented restaurant with the capacity to entertain your family and any foreign visitor to Ghana.

“Our foods are not only delicious and irresistible but very competitive and affordable .You can visit and find out for yourself at our branches in Abelemkpe, East Legon, Spintex Road, La and now Klagon under bridge,(Lashibi community 18) for your memorable satisfaction” he said.

General Manager, Richmond Kponor told the media in an interview that Marwako Fast Food Ltd which began in 2006 will continue to expand with high class eateries in Ghana.

“Our next stop could be outside Accra in Cape Coast and Takoradi, we study the locations and try to help the public not to waste money on transportation to get Marwako food which is simply the tastiest and hygienic” he hinted

Marwako Fast Food is an award winning and favourite hygienic fast food restaurant,

Contact numbers of other Marwako branches are:

Abelenkpe:    050 010 2030 – 050 155 3451

La              :    050 411 1103 – 050 411 1106

Spintex      :    050 411 1161 – 050 155 3456

East Legon :    050 155 3454 – 050 155 3455

Klagon       :   020 515 8490 – 020 515 8491

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Nick Ball punched his way into title contention with his most significant win to date.

The unbeaten featherweight outhustled former WBO junior featherweight titlist Isaac Dogboe to claim a twelve-round, unanimous decision victory. Judges Mark Lyson (119-108), Kevin Parker (118-109) and Kieran McCann (116-111) all ruled for Ball in their TNT Sports/ESPN+ televised WBC featherweight title eliminator Saturday evening at AO Arena in Manchester, England.

Ball took the fight directly to Dogboe and forced an aggressive pace early on the night. Dogboe maintained a tight guard and patience in lieu of getting caught up in an in-ring shootout with his younger, unbeaten foe.

The all-action approach had its drawbacks for Ball. The first moment came late in round two. Dogboe was outboxed for much of the frame before he connected with a counter left hook. Ball was briefly stunned but remained upright through the bell—as well as in between rounds, as he chose to stand in his corner in lieu of sitting on his stool.

Ball avoided a knockdown call late in round three. Dogboe turned his shoulder towards the onrushing Brit and attempted a left hook that landed on Ball’s shoulder. An ensuing exchange saw both fighters miss and Ball fall to the canvas, which referee Victor Loughlin correctly ruled a slip.

Dogboe was not afforded the same courtesy on the other side of the bell to begin round four. Ball connected with a left hook, though a follow-up forearm shove forced Dogboe’s fall. Loughlin immediately issued a count without ordering Ball to a neutral corner, as Dogboe immediately protested the knockdown call.

Ball worked behind his jab in round five. He later caught Dogboe with a left hook on the inside behind a right hand that was blocked.

Dogboe momentarily lost his balance from a right hand early in round six. He quickly recovered and tightened up his high guard. Ball adjusted and landed to the body. Dogboe slipped a right hand and came back with a brief flurry upstairs.

Ball rode out an early surge from Dogboe, who looked to land upstairs early in round seven. It didn’t quite take, as Ball significantly outworked the aged titleholder for much of the round. A brief defensive lapse saw Ball catch a right hand late after missing wildly with a left hook along the ropes.

Dogboe was urged by his corner after the end of the eighth round to offer more movement but to bite down and respond on the moments Ball rushed his way inside. The latter part came into play when Dogboe landed a counter left hook which caused Ball’s knees to buckle late in the ninth. It came as Bell otherwise enjoyed a dominant round but once again showed holes in his still developing game.

Ball was warned for holding and throwing Dogboe in the tenth. The sequence occurred shortly after Dogboe landed a counter right hand over the top inside the final minute. Ball—who fought through a bloody nose—enjoyed a solid round to that point but briefly lost his head for which he was admonished by Loughlin.

Round eleven was all one-way traffic. Ball threw punches from all angles and split the high and tight guard of Dogboe, who walked forward but did not have it in him to let his hands go. An attempted ten-second drill by Dogboe was anticipated by Ball, who say back against the ropes and picked off the incoming.

Dogboe desperately needed a knockout in the twelfth and final round. The willingness was there as he targeted the body. Ball quickly adjusted and fired off a series of straight shots upstairs. Dogboe landed a right uppercut midway through the round but it was countered by a series of power shots. Dogboe later landed a right hand and a left hook to the body but it wasn’t enough to avoid the scorecards or his second straight defeat.

The outcome saw Dogboe fall to 24-4 (15KOs). He dropped a competitive but clear decision to Robeisy Ramirez in their WBO featherweight title fight on April 1 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which snapped a four-fight win streak following back-to-back defeats to Emanuel Navarrete.

Despite now sitting as the mandatory challenger, Ball ( will likely have to wait deep into 2024 for an actual title shot.

Mexico’s Rey Vargas (36-1, 22KOs) holds the full WBC featherweight title, while Texas’ Brandon Figueroa (24-1-1, 18KOs) holds the interim version. Their bout was once poised to land on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade undercard, then rumored for a December 9 Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) show that was since removed from the schedule. It remains among a deep roster of PBC fights awaiting a home once Showtime closes up shop at the end of the year.

Nevertheless, Ball is in a good position in the year ahead. A quality win over a veteran contender and former titlist like Dogboe came in a much-needed step up in competition, which will leave him better prepared for the next level.

By Jake Donovan

Ghanaian kickboxer, Gerald Dah is ready to fight the Pacific 70 kg champion, Rungtiwa Jantas of Thailand in Hong Kong on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

Gerald is one of the very active Ghanaian kickboxers and his dream is to win the enviable Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) award and a winning this in this match is very important to him.

He was recently engaged in a local bout on October 26 to 28 in Bintulu, Malaysia against Sibsan from Thailand which he lost on unanimous points decision, however, he is leaving no stone untuned for the title bout  on November 21 in Hong Kong against Rungtiwa Jantas also of Thailand.

Gerald Dah comes from the Volta Region of Ghana. He is 175cm and weighs 76kg with an impressive record of 30 fights, 24 wins, 6 loses and 2 draws.

In 2013, he won the WKBC Championship in Hong Kong, in 2014, he won the WKF Kickboxing Championship in Austria, and later in 2022 he was the Super Muay Thai Champion in Malaysia.

He currently trains at the Top Dog Muay Thai Gym in Malaysia and called on Ghanaians and the media to support combat sports.

Friends of Boxing and the Ghana Kickboxing Association wish him success.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

…Total cash prize of 385,000ghc for grabs at Damang from November 29 to December 2

Mr. Joshua Mortoti, Executive Vice President and Head of West Africa of Goldfields has disclosed that the winner of this year’s, 10th edition of the Goldfields PGA will take home 80,000ghc.

Speaking to the press at a brief but impressive meeting on Friday, he expressed delight to launch the 10th anniversary edition of the annual Gold Fields PGA championship, which marks a major milestone in our journey to promote professional golf in Ghana. 

He noted that the tournament will be held from 29 November to 2 December at 18-hole Damang golf course which is owned by Goldfields.

“Thirty-three (33) Ghanaian regular pros and nine foreign regular pros from Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Zimbabwe and Nigeria will be competing for the coveted 10th anniversary champion title and bragging rights. They all qualified through the ‘Road to Damang’ competitions, which were held during the year.

We have also invited 18 senior pros, made up of 17 Ghanaians and one Nigerian, to participate in the competition”  he said

Mr. Mortoti was excited to announce that the anniversary tournament will welcome the first group of female golfers who aspire to become pros.

“They will play for three days and be awarded trophies. They will, however, not receive cash prizes. We hope that the opportunity to participate in this competition will provide them with practical experience, which will sharpen their talent and propel their careers in golf. As we always do, our special invited guests will join the amateur competition on Friday, 1 December” he added.

He tipped the 2022 champion, Kojo Barnni from the Tarkwa Golf Club to defending his title against pro golfers including Vincent Torgah, Emos Korblah, Lucky Ayisah and Francis Torgah.

According to the Vice President, the total cash prize is 385,000 Cedis, an increase from the 2022 cash prize of 346,000 Cedis. The regular pro champion will take home 80,000 Cedis, an increase from last year’s 60,000 Cedis. The senior pro champion will also receive 30,000 Cedis, up from the 20,000 Cedis received last year.

“Gold Fields has been the headline sponsor of the tournament since it began in 2014. During the past decade, we have nurtured pro golfers in Ghana and across Africa by providing an opportunity for them to showcase their talents on the golf course, promote their careers and improve their chances of competing in international tournaments. Even when the pandemic struck in 2020, we safely managed to keep this tournament alive, ensuring that it thrives because of its recognition as one of Ghana’s major golf championships, which pro golfers looked forward to every year” he emphasized.  

“Considering the advancement of the championship and the exceptional talents it has unearthed and groomed over the years, it is no surprise that other major sponsors would be interested in coming onboard to help raise its prominence and transform it into the most prestigious golf event in the country. Therefore, the PGA will be announcing a major sponsor for subsequent tournaments in due course” he said.

He thanked sponsors, Engineers and Planners, Genser Energy, Total Energies, Gaso Petroleum, Liebherr Ghana, Carmeuse, Barbex, Classic Cristken and AECI Ghana.

He also appreciated the media for the great coverage they continue to give to the Gold Fields PGA tournament each year.

“We believe that the media has a major role to play in making golf a popular, exciting and profitable sport in Ghana. We need your support to put the spotlight on Ghanaian pro golfers, so they can expand their careers beyond Ghana and compete in international golf tournaments” he said.

Mr. Hans De-Beer said that Damang has the best golf course in Ghana and they will continue to invest in the sport.

Mr. Ahmed Padori, competition director also educated some media men on the scoring in professional golf.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Break dancers representing some African countries have arrived for the 2023 edition of the Afro Break International Championship which comes off on Saturday, November 18 at Terra Alta, Abelemkpe in Accra.

The countries represented include hosts, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cote d’voire. Nigeria, Tanzania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Burkina Faso,

Before the main event the Afro Break Academy organized a conference and workshop at the Nima Maamobi Community Library / Learning Center to brainstorm on Breaking and its impact on society as well as how to forge unity and friendship with Breaking as the tool.

The resource personnel included France based Campamita, a former world dance champion from Mexico and Lilou who are judges for Saturday’s programme.

Participants were taken through some African dances that could be combined with Hip Hop like Kpanlogo, Adowa, Agdadja and Salsa.

Ghana will be represented by BGirl Tris Naomi and BBoy Blesso.

On 17th November, 2023 there will be a Community Cypher Battle at Labadi.

Saturday November 18th is the main day for the main African Battle at Terra Alta, Abelemkpe in Accra. Tickets are already out. For enquiries one can contact 0242948455 / 02448482397.

The Afrobreak Championship which has two belts at stake and other prizes for the best Bboy and Bgirl has attracted a few organisations and companies like the French Embassy in Ghana, KGL Foundation, Ghana Olympic Committee, National Sports Authority, Acces Culture, the Breaking Federation of Ghana, Attitude, AFD and others.

Last year, a contestant from Senegal won the title.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Top Ghanaian Table Tennis Player, Felix Lartey aka ‘Spider’ has got financial support from Stanbic Bank.

In an exclusive interview with the current top seed in Ghana, he did not disclose the amount, but expressed his delight as the package will take care of his preparations towards the upcoming African Games including tickets.

“I am very happy and want to thank Stanbic Bank and the President of the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Mr. Mawuko Afadzinu for his contribution towards the package.”

Lartey promised to do his best to win a medal for Ghana at the Games, and commended the efforts of the government, Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Authority (NSA).

He applauded the media that promote the less financed sports.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Call is the mother of all Pre Christmas events in Ghana and that would be a statement of fact.

It was all thrills and spills when biggest gospel musical concert in the country, the MTN Stands in Worship came off at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Center on Saturday.

The energetic performances, amazing dance moves, the singing and shouting in the glory of the Lord ensured a memorable night for patrons and organisers.

It also opened the floodgates for events ahead of the Christmas festivals while giving patrons something to cheer about despite challenges during the year.

The event left patrons asking for more as they were filled with excitement with amazing gospel musicians who ensures that they made their presence felt on stage.

With a reach lineup of gospel greats including Perez Musik, Nacee, Piesie Esther, MOG and many more, the stage was set for an exciting evening.

Beginning the amazing night of soul-filling gospel music extravaganza was the MTN Choir who left audience in awe with their surprising yet extraordinary performance.

They sang, danced and made a huge statement to set a very high standard for the established musicians to beat.

The night was also not without some great mixes from DJ Paloma who was in a glorifying element and ensured every minute counted for patrons.

After MTN Choir and DJ Paloma set the mood with some fantastic praises, the stage was set for one of the finest in the gospel industry,Perez Musik's who changed the atmosphere to another level.

His appearance was electrifying as he took the audience through some worship renditions.

It was not surprising when Piesie Esther continued with a more flamboyant display with her ever-powerful voice and presence on stage.

Same could be said of the likes of Nacee, MOG, Nsroma Music and Pastor Edwin Dadson who were the toast of many patrons.

Noted for their pace-setting exploits, MTN once again delivered one of the best events of the year and patrons are already looking forward to the next concert from the telecommunications giants.

Source MTN

Award winning and favourite fast food restaurants, Marwako Fast Food Ltd continue to expand with high class eateries in Ghana.

The leading and highly reputable Ghanaian restaurant and fast food joint, Marwako Fast Food endures their bid to bring delicious and wholesome meal to the doorstep of Ghanaians.

In furtherance of the above, the highly-patronized restaurant is opening its biggest branch in the country on November 18, 2023

PRO Mohammed Amin Lamptey said Marwako is still in the saddle as the best eatery with delicious and irresistible food taste of fried rice and chicken, patato chips and grilled chicken, shawama, pizza, meatpie and natural fruit juice of many fruits and flavors.

He noted that Marwako is a family oriented restaurant with the capacity to entertain your family and any foreign visitor to Ghana.

“Our foods are not only delicious and irresistible but very competitive and affordable. You can make a passing glance today and check things for yourself at our Abelemkpe, East Legon, Spintex Road, La and now Klagon under bridge,(Lashibi community 18) branches for your memorable satisfaction” he expressed.

Contact numbers of other Marwako branches are:

Abelenkpe:    050 010 2030 – 050 155 3451

La              :    050 411 1103 – 050 411 1106

Spintex      :    050 411 1161 – 050 155 3456

East Legon :    050 155 3454 – 050 155 3455

Klagon       :   020 515 8490 – 020 515 8491

Marwako Always The Best!!

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Afro Breaking International Competition on Saturday, November 18

Nana Tuffour Okai aka Bboy Lyricx, founder of Afrobeak Academy has disclosed that the international competition will be held at Dzorwulu in Accra, on Saturday, November 18.

He was in Benin for the country edition and a nice opportunity and great pleasure to meet The French Ambassador His Excellency Marc Vizy and his Wife with IF Director Madam Fabienne Bidou.

Afrobreak International Championship Benin Qualifier 2023 was held on Saturday November 11. Other African nations have already organized and declared their champions. Ghana will be represented by BGirl Tris Naomi and Bboy Blesso.

Afrobreak is one of the organisations promoting Breaking at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The grand finale of AfroBreak Championship International is on November 18, in Accra, Ghana, after a conference and workshop at the Nima Community Library on Wednesday where the French Embassy in Ghana will support and advise the contestants.

Nana Okai is President of the Breaking Federation of Ghana.

By Sammy Heywood Okine