On this day 16 June 2012 (Exactly 8 years ago today) Asante Kotoko midfielder Daniel Nii Adjei was named the best player of the 2011/2012 Ghana Premier League season by the Premier League Board of the Ghana Football Association.
Nii Adjei beat off competition from the season’s top scorer, Emmanuel Baffour from New Edubiase United and Berekum Chelsea forward Emmanuel Clottey to land the prestigious award at a ceremony at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi.
Nii Adjei’s team-mate Awal Mohammed was also named the defender of the season, beating off previous year’s award holder Rashid Sumaila of Dwarfs and Berekum Chelsea’s Edward Kpodo.
Wa All Stars captain Robert Dabuo edged Asante Kotoko goalie Soulama Abdoulaye and Berekum Chelsea’s Ernest Sowah to win the goalkeeper of the season award, whilst Tema Youth full back Joshua Oninku beat Asante Kotoko’s Baba Abdul Rahman and Mighty Jets’ Eli Agbeko to win the Discovery of the Year Award.
Maxwell Konadu landed the Coach of the year award for leading Asante Kotoko to the Premier League title. Other nominees for this award were Medeama SC head coach Bashir Hayford and Ashanti Gold acting coach Yaw Acheampong.
Full Award List
Footballer of the year
Daniel Nii Adjei (Asante Kotoko)
Defender of the year
Awal Mohammed (Asante Kotoko)
Goalkeeper of the year
Robert Dabuo (Wa All Stars)
Discovery of the Year
Joshua Oninku (Tema Youth)
Goal king
Emmanuel Baffour (New Edubiase United, 21 goals)
Coach of the Year
Maxwell Konadu (Asante Kotoko)
CEO of the Year
Dr. Kofi Kodua Sarpong (Asante Kotoko)
Award for Fair Play
Wa All Stars
Best behaved supporting Group
Wa All Stars
Best Referee
William Agbovi
Best Assistant Referee
David Laryea
Best Match Commissioner
M. Arthur-Dadzie
On this day 16 June 2002 (Exactly 18 years ago today) A thrilling golden goal from Henri Camara took Senegal through at Sweden’s expense and ensured Africa will be represented in the last eight of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
After felling France in their opening Group A fixture at the 2002 World Cup, Senegal escaped from their group only after unconvincing draws with Denmark and Uruguay. In the latter game they let a 3-0 lead slip and were, ultimately, fortunate to sneak through.
Few gave them much of a chance against Sweden who had, after all, escaped from the tournament’s “Group of Death.”
Henrik Larsson’s early goal seemed to give the Swedes the platform to advance to the quarter-finals.
Gradually, however, the West Africans began to get to grips with their Scandinavian opposition and Henri Camara pulled them level before half time.
The match went to extra time and, in an incredible moment of action, Anders Svensson’s pirouette and shot hit the corner of the goal frame before
Senegal tore forward on the counter attack.
As described by BBC Sport: “In the 103rd minute, Camara, who had earlier scored Senegal’s equaliser, latched on to Pape Thiaw’s clever backheel, ghosted past Johan Mjallby and netted off the post.”
What might have been a glorious winner for the Swedes became a stunning finish for the Lions of Teranga—in advancing, Senegal became only the second African nation to reach the quarter-finals.
Sweden: Hedman, Jakobsson, Mellberg, Mjallby, Lucic, Alexandersson (Ibrahimovic 76), Magnus Svensson (Jonson 100), Anders Svensson, Linderoth, Larsson, Allback (Andreas Andersson 64).
Subs Not Used: Daniel Andersson, Patrik Andersson, Antonelius, Edman, Farnerud, Isaksson, Kihlstedt, Ljungberg, Michael Svensson.
Senegal: Sylva, Daf, Coly, Pape Malick Diop (Beye 66), Henri Camara, Pape Bouba Diop, Cisse, Faye, Diatta, Thiaw, Diouf.
Subs Not Used: Souleymane Camara, Cissokho, Diallo, Diao, Fadiga, Makhtar N’Diaye, Moussa N’Diaye, Sylvain N’Diaye, Ndour, Sarr, Traore.
Booked: Coly, Thiaw.
Attendance: 39,747.
Referee: Ubaldo Aquino (Paraguay).
On this day 16 June 1984 (Exactly 36 years ago today) Michel Platini became third player to score a hat-trick in the history of the UEFA European Championship after scoring three against Belgium in a 5-0 victory for the host nation.
NB: Only 8 hat-tricks have been scored in the 15 editions of the European Championship tournament. The first hat-trick was scored by Dieter Muller of Germany, playing against Yugoslavia in 1976; the most recent was by David Villa of Spain, playing against Russia in 2008.
On this day 16 June 2014(Exactly 6 years ago today) Thomas Muller scored the 49th hat-trick in the history of the FIFA World Cup as Germany beat Portugal 4-0 at the Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil.
NB: Only 52 hat-tricks have been scored in over 800 matches in the 21 editions of the World Cup tournament. As FIFA is the governing body of football, official hat-tricks are only noted when FIFA recognises that at least three goals were scored by one player in one match.
The first hat-trick was scored by Bert Patenaude of the United States, playing against Paraguay in 1930; the most recent was by Harry Kane of England, playing against Panama on 24 June 2018.
On this day 16 June 2018 (Exactly 2 years ago today) Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology was used for the first time in FIFA World Cup, awarding France a penalty in 2-1 win over Australia in Kazan
On this day 16 June 1984 (Exactly 36 years ago today) American track and field athlete Edwin Moses won his 100th consecutive 400-meter hurdles race at the Los Angeles US Olympic Trials
By: George ‘Alan Green’ Mahamah
