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‘Man City lucky to win’

Manchester United and Manchester City salvaged Champions League Matchday 2 for the Premier League last Wednesday.

England's top division was staring at an embarrassing record of just one win in its first eight Champions League group stage matches after both Manchester clubs fell behind 1-0. But United and City both managed to pull out 2-1 victories over Wolfsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach, respectively.

Though relieved by the win, City’s manager, Manuel Pellegrini  said they did not deserve their last-minute victory. Sergio Aguero's penalty earned a 2-1 win, with keeper Joe Hart saving a penalty before the Germans took a 1-0 second-half lead.

• Arsene Wenger  — How will he deal with Man Utd?

Arsenal, Man United to the test

The Premier League has been typically unpredictable thus far, just  as it was starting to look like a one-horse race, Manchester City's sharp fall in form has seen the Premier League standings blown wide open as bitter rivals Manchester United took their place atop the English perch.

Week 8 presents another chance to look forward in anticipation of the drama to come, with the match between Arsenal and Manchester Unitedat the Emirates anticipated to be a big test of each club's title credentials.

Man Utd travel to north London having won three Premier League games in a row and currently sit top of the table, while Arsenal got back to winning ways in the league with an impressive 5-2 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium last Saturday afternoon.

Ayew, Afful, Gyan battle for top SWAG award

Black Stars trio of skipper, Asamoah Gyan, Dede Ayew and Harrison Afful are running neck-and-neck in an intriguing race for the 2014 Footballer of the Year award as the 40th edition of the MTN- Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards Night takes centre stage at the Banquet Hall of the State House tomorrow.

Kudjoe Fianoo — Resingned citing personal reasons.

Fianoo quits FA positions

Ashgold CEO, Kudjoe Fianoo, yesterday formally withdrew from all Ghana Football Association (GFA) activities and accordingly tendered his resignation from the Black Stars Management Committee with immediate effect.

The veteran football administrator, who led the Obuasi-based club to win the just-ended First Capital Plus Premier League, had until yesterday served as the vice chairman of the Stars management team since 2014 when the committee was reconstituted following a decision by GFA president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, to step down as the committee’s chairman.

Kwarasey did not quit Black Stars — Afriyie

The chairman of the Black Stars management committee, George Afriyie, has dispelled speculation suggesting that the team’s shot-stopper, Adam Kwarasey, quit national duties after Ghana’s botched World Cup campaign in Brazil last year.

The 27-year-old goalie is expected to return from a self-imposed exile by being named in Coach Avram Grant’s 20-man squad to play in a friendly against Canada at the RFK Stadium in Washington on October 13.

Samuel Osei Kuffour

Kuffour to take over Kotoko?

After weeks of lobbying for the top job, it has emerged that Samuel Osei Kuffour is in pole position to land the most envious and sought after job in the country.

The former Bayern Munich and Ghana international defender is set to be announced as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Porcupine Warriors next week.

The most intriguing aspect of the whole arrangement is the fact that Kuffour is also a member of the board of directors which supervises the supposedly failed Opoku Nti administration.

Cyrille (middle and Oliver (to his left) are joined by other winners for a pose

Cyrille reigns high at Man Ghana

The country last Saturday witnessed the crowning of Cyrille Adja Kofi as the new heavyweight champion of the Man Ghana muscle building competition.

The new Man Ghana heavyweight champion defeated Mohammed Mustapha in the grand finale in a contest which attracted a lot of spectators to the Accra Sports Stadium.

The former champion, John Anum, failed to participate in this year’s competition, giving way to Cyrille who dazzled the judges with some of his poses in the contemporary round to win the day.

SWAG Player of the Year: Will it be Afful, Ayew or Gyan?

The cream of Ghana's distinguished sports personalities would be decorated tomorrow evening by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) during the 40th edition of the country’s premier sports awards at the Banquet Hall of the State House.

About 25 sports personalities, teams and corporate bodies will be honoured for their achievements in the various sporting disciplines at the MTN-SWAG Awards that would attract stakeholders from the sports fraternity as well as other distinguished guests.

With the absence this year of the Sports Personality of the Year award, the ultimate prize on the night will be the Male Footballer of the Year prize to be competed for by the Black Stars trio of Asamoah Gyan, Andre Dede Ayew and Harrison Afful.

Disabled wrestlers enter the ring in Japan

A wrestling club made up of mostly disabled fighters is the focus of a new documentary. The director, Heath Cozens, hopes it will challenge people's perceptions of what is right and wrong when it comes to disability.

In downtown Tokyo inside a traditional town hall, a paraplegic man throws his head forward to headbutt another. Both of their legs are tied together and, lying on the floor of the ring, they wrestle until the bell signals the end of the round.

The next fight is introduced and Shintaro "Sambo" Yano, a 46-year-old man with cerebral palsy slowly enters the ring.

Mr Kennedy Agyapong

Kenpong salutes new ExCo members

The President of Kenpong Group of Companies, Kennedy Agyapong (Kenpong), has congratulated the newly-elected Executive Committee (ExCo) members of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on receiving the nod to serve at the top hierarchy of Ghana football.

Queens’ hotel siege costs $37,000

The Ministry of Youth and Sports is to pay about $37,000 as cost for the nine-day stay of the Black Queens at the M-Plaza Hotel since their return from Brazzaville where they won gold at the All Africa Games.

According to a report by Joy FM, the ministry was already indebted to the hotel.

Daniel McKorley (right) presenting the cash prize to gold medal winning duo, George Darko (2nd left) and Wisdom Na-Adjrago (far left).

McDan rewards tennis duo

The CEO of McDan Group, Daniel McKorley, has made a special cash donation to All Africa Games gold medalists George Darko and Wisdom Adzrago at his East Legon residence in Accra.

The gesture was in recognition of the tennis duo's brilliant showing at the just-ended African games when they defeated DR Congo in two straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in the men's doubles final.

The gold medalists received GH¢6,000 each, while each member of the team who made it to Brazzaville, including the coach and secretary general, received GH¢2,000 each.

David Koney Adjetey

Adjetey targets Rio Olympics

One of Ghana's silver medalists at the Brazzaville All Africa Games (AAG), David Koney Adjetey, has targeted qualifying for the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio next year after his feat at the continental competition.

Adjetey, a US-based Ghanaian taekwondoist, said his main aim was to train harder to make the Olympics in Rio.

This, he said, would put Ghana on the world map once again.

Mr Amartey (middle) with gold medallists George Darko (left) and Na-Adjrago.

Tennis has bright future – Enoch Amartey

The immediate past president of the Ghana Tennis Association (GTA), Enoch Amartey, has noted that with the right financial support, focus, infrastructure,   strategies, and motivation, tennis will become one of the biggest sports in Ghana.

Commending tennis duo, Na-Adjrago Wisdom and George Darko for winning gold at the just-ended All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo, he said it was time to support players and the technical men in diverse ways.

Speaking to Graphic Sports last Monday after hosting the gold medalists, Wisdom Na-Adjrago and George Darko, together with Ghana’s tennis contingent who participated in the All Africa Games, he said with the right support, the sky would be the limit for Ghana in terms of tennis.

Albert Commey(left) Eric Delali Senaye(right)

Shocker at FA polls

GFA vice-president Fred Crentsil and vice-chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, Kudjoe Fianoo emerged high profile casualties of the GFA National Executive Committee elections after losing their seats in a shock outcome at yesterday’s polls in Accra.

The highly-influential duo missed out in their bid to retain their seats on the Executive Committee as the delegates favoured new faces, with experienced administrators such as Kofi Manu (Blue Blue) and Jones Alhassan Abu also given the boot.

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