Soccer News of Thursday, 22 May 2014

Source: Sammy Heywood Okine

Essien and KP Boateng to miss Big Game

… but SWAG Best Player Augustine Okrah hopes to shine



Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng are the only known absentees after getting permission to be away from the team’s early preparations for the World Cup in Accra.



The full complement of the Black Stars squad for the World Cup is expected to feature in the exhibition game against a local select side named the Dream Team at the Accra Sports Stadium.



According to the organisers, PrimeVal Consult, the entertainment aspect of the farewell game has been cancelled and the in place would be the grand opportunity for kids below the ages of 14 years to interact with the Black Stars and take memorable pictures with them.



Almost the whole set of players selected by Dr. Coach Kwesi Appiah has assembled in Accra and fireworks are expected to blast at the national stadium.



The Dream team which all local players wish to be part would be selected from a strong squad comprising tried and tested players like SWAG Premiership Player of the Year, Augustine Okrah, Abeiku Ainooson, Kwabena Edusei, Jordan Opoku, Michael Akuffo, Wilful Cobbinah, Atobrah and other players who featured at the CHAN or have in recent time improved their performance.



Football fans in Accra and other parts of the nation have described the match as very worthy and the organisers have been praised by the sports media.

Theo Armah of Tema based Obonu FM said the game will allow Ghanaians know the match fitness of the Black Stars before they leave for the last two friendly and the World Cup. He urged football fans to comport themselves as the watch the game in peace respecting the ban on drumming and noise making.



Mozart of Pink FM fame noted that the farewell match is a laudable idea and he congratulated the inventors and organisers. He asked all spectators to abide by security arrangements and support the security men to have an incident free event.



Frank Ampadu of Weekly Sports Newspaper said the concept is great and urged Ghanaians to troop to the stadium in numbers to cheer the Black Stars. He advised the media to hype the match to the fullest.



Betty Benson of World Star Media expressed that she cannot wait to see the Black Stars play at the Accra Stadium, and prayed that they would give the fans much to talk about. She was very optimistic that the Black Stars will make Africa proud at Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup.