On this day 4 April 2017 (Exactly 2 years ago) The Ghana Football Association named James Kwesi Appiah as coach of the Ghana Black Stars.
The decision was taken by the Executive Committee of the GFA after approving the report of the six-man coaching search committee.
A GFA statement read :”The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has named James Kwesi Appiah as the new coach of Senior National Team, the Black Stars.
“The decision was taken by the Executive Committee of the GFA on Tuesday after approving the report of the six-man coaching search committee.
“Appiah will be handed a two-year contract and will start his duties on 1st May, 2017
“He will also take full charge of the Local Black Stars”.
On this day 4 April 2004 (Exactly 15 years) Accra Hearts of Oak inflicted a convincing 4-0 defeat on visiting TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo in an international friendly played at the Accra Sports Stadium .
The goal feast which marked the debut of the Phobians in the year, saw an entirely different set that included only a few members of the regular boys firing from all cylinders to ensure victory.
Hearts young Louis Agyemang who from all indications made the difference in the team’s attack, even though playing in an unfamiliar position upfront, shuffled well and combined effectively with Emmanuel Osei Kuffour without blemish.
Agyemang’s composure manifested itself as an assert upfront that saw the natural defender opening the floodgates in the 10th minute having benefited from an off side trap to race deep into Mazemde’s goal area after he was set clear with a through pass by Adjah Tetteh from the mid field.
Inspired by the early goal, Hearts launched series of onslaught on the visitors who exhibited luck of ideas coupled with poor finishing power even though they did well in “the engine room” where the likes of Ramazani Naawina, Kabany Mulota and Illunga Mukadi won most of the 50-50 balls against Francis Bossman and Adjah Tetteh.
The trend of the game however did not change much but Hearts returned from recess on a faster pace culminating in Kuffour’s intelligent lob from a Bernard Don Bortey’s set up that went off target.
The visitors found it tough handling slippery Agyemang playing well in the absence of the Lawrence Adjei’s and Ablade Morgan’s had no option than to whack him in their vital area for the referee to award the Phobians a penalty five minutes after the recess.
Bortey who incurred the wrath of the supporters exactly three weeks before the match when he messed up a penalty kick from the same spot in their match against Stade d’ Malien at the same venue some how appeased the fans with the second goal amidst cheers from the partisan supporters.
The 2000 African Champions did not look back and stimulated by the ever cheering supporters, pressed for more goals which finally came their way five minutes later with a typical Tetteh’s lob few meters behind the box which forced goalkeeper Kidiaba Muteba to back pedal and overstretch his limit in a belated attempt at stopping the goal bound ball after the midfielder had caught him off his mark.
The forth goal was a matter of course when Kuffour finished off a Bortey set-up which saw Agyemang doing all the dirty work when he weaved his way through a cluster of defenders with power and overwhelming strength. The pendulum of action tilted from one end to the other but that could not change the outcome of the game which saw fans chanting and singing praises to the supposed “new found” coach, Ernst Middendorp’s winning formula which had seen them playing less beautiful football, but taking their chances and recording vital goals.
On this day 4 April 2012 (Exactly 7 years ago) Teenage girl suicide bomber killed Olympics sports officials after blowing herself up in Somalia.
A young woman strapped with explosives blew herself up at a ceremony in the Somali national theatre, killing the country’s Olympic and football bosses.
She detonated her suicide belt as Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali was on a podium addressing 200 people gathered to mark the first anniversary of the country’s satellite TV network, an AFP reporter who witnessed the incident said.
Somali Olympic Committee president Aden Yabarow Wiish and Somali Football Federation chief Said Mohamed Nur were killed in the blast
On this day 4 April 2018 (Exactly a year ago) Former England and Chelsea midfielder Ray Wilkins died in hospital at the age of 61.
Wilkins, who also played for Manchester United, AC Milan, Rangers and QPR, was being treated at St George’s Hospital in London following cardiac arrest.
His family thanked “Ray’s friends, colleagues and members of the public” for the many messages of goodwill.
Chelsea said they were “devastated to learn of the passing of our former player, captain and assistant coach”.
The club added: “Rest in peace, Ray, you will be dreadfully missed.”
Wilkins’ family said: “It is with great sadness we announce that Raymond Colin Wilkins passed away this morning.
“Ray leaves behind his loving wife, Jackie, daughter Jade, son Ross, and his beautiful grandchildren, Oliver, Frankie, Ava, Freddie, Jake and Archie.
“We are asking for privacy at this very difficult time.”
On this day 4 April 1967 (Exactly 52 years ago) A member of the Uruguayan 1930 FIFA World Cup winning side, Héctor Scarone, died at 68
Honestly, I’ve faced a lot of opponents and seen a lot of players in my life, but for me Hector Scarone was the best of the lot.”
“High praise, indeed. Not least coming from Giuseppe Meazza, Inter’s all-time top scorer and one of the greatest talents ever to come out of Italy. Meazza and Scarone shared a dressing room at Inter in the 1931/32 season and – despite their working relationship lasting just one year – the impact the Uruguayan had on Meazza was clearly a long-lasting one.
He won the South American
Championship four times: in 1917, 1923, 1924, and 1926, and the Olympic gold medal twice: in 1924 and 1928 recognized as FIFA World Cup.
At the age of 19, he scored the goal that gave Uruguay the title at the 1917 South American Championship, in the final against Argentina, his fourth international match.
Scarone finished his international career by leading Uruguay to the 1930 FIFA World Cup, and although his international career ended that same year, the 31 goals in 52 matches (actually 52, but 21 goals were in unofficial matches) he scored for his country stood until as of 2011 as the national record.
By George ‘Alan Green’ Mahamah
