Former England international of Ghanaian descent, Danny Welbeck, scored twice as Chelsea produced a remarkable comeback to beat Leeds United 6-3 in a nine-goal EFL Cup thriller on Wednesday.

Welbeck played the full 90 minutes and scored Chelsea's fourth and sixth goals as the Premier League side recovered from a two-goal deficit to progress from their third-round tie.

Leeds took the lead in the 23rd minute when Tarik Muharemovic rose highest to meet Harry Wilson's corner and directed his header inside the right post.

The visitors doubled their advantage shortly after half-time through Brenden after a smart assist by Lukas Nmecha.

Unfortunately, they failed to defend, and Chelsea responded almost immediately.

Cole Palmer pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute before levelling three minutes later, calmly finishing into the bottom-left corner after Morgan Rogers released him on the edge of the area.

Chelsea completed their turnaround in the 60th minute when Rogers picked out Pedro Neto on the edge of the box, with the winger firing into the bottom-left corner to put the hosts 3-2 ahead.

Welbeck then got on the scoresheet six minutes later after he was assisted by Morgan Rogers.

Leeds refused to give up and reduced the deficit in the 76th minute through Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

However, Chelsea restored their two-goal advantage four minutes later when Valentin Barco reacted quickest to a rebound inside the box and fired into the bottom-right corner.

There was still time for Welbeck to add his second of the night. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Barco sent the forward through inside the area, and Welbeck reacted with a header to complete Chelsea's 6-3 victory.

The two goals mean Welbeck now has three goals in his three outings for Chelsea since his summer move.

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Ghanaian midfielder Enock Otoo scored in FCI Levadia Tallinn’s 4-0 win over FC Kuressaare in the Estonian Premium Liiga, helping the league leaders stay firmly on top.

Levadia controlled the match from the opening minutes and never looked in danger after Maksimilian Skvortsov opened the scoring in the sixth minute.

Gregor Lehtmets doubled the advantage before halftime, and Otoo added the third in the 81st minute to cap a strong all-round performance. Geovani then completed the rout two minutes from time as Levadia wrapped up another convincing victory.

The result keeps Levadia in first place with 65 points, while Kuressaare remain eighth on 28 points. Otoo’s goal was one of the highlights of the afternoon, and he also drew support in the fan vote for player of the match, finishing behind Wendell Gabriel in the polling.

Levadia’s momentum now turns toward their next league fixture against Parnu on September 12. If they maintain this level, they will remain difficult to catch in the title race. Otoo has made 25 appearances, scored five goals, and assisted one in the Estonian Premium Liiga this season.

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The ceremony is scheduled to start at 11:00am and is expected to bring together senior figures from Ghana’s football administration and juvenile football structure.

All Regional Football Association (RFA) Chairmen are expected to attend, alongside members of the Executive Council. Their presence underlines the importance placed on Colts football within Ghana’s wider football development system.

Members of the National Juvenile Committee will also be present as the various stakeholders formally usher in the 2026/27 season.

The launch will allow football authorities and other stakeholders to establish the direction for the new season and renew their commitment to developing juvenile football across the country.

Colts football remains a key platform for nurturing young talent and helping players progress into the organised football system. The launch therefore represents an important moment ahead of the start of the 2026/27 season.

It will also mark the fifth consecutive season in which the Colts Football Season has been launched and successfully completed.

The event at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence is expected to bring together the principal figures responsible for overseeing and supporting the juvenile game. The attendance of the RFA Chairmen, Executive Council members and the National Juvenile Committee reflects the coordinated structure behind the competition.

With the new season due to be formally introduced on 15 September, the launch will provide an opportunity for those involved in the programme to reaffirm the role of Colts football in Ghana’s football pathway.

The programme’s focus on young players makes it an important part of the country’s football development structure. By providing a route into organised football, it continues to serve as a foundation for the development of juvenile talent.

The 2026/27 campaign will follow four previous seasons that were each launched and successfully completed in succession. The upcoming ceremony will therefore represent both the start of a new season and the continuation of an established annual process.

GFA COMMUNICATIONS

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The successful applicants are Scancom Plc, operating as MTN Ghana; Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, trading as Telecel Ghana; and Goal Telecommunications Ltd.

The NCA announced the qualification yesterday, following its assessment of applications for spectrum licences in the 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz bands.

The regulator said four applications were received before the August 27, 2026 deadline, but only three met the requirements to proceed.

Infrava Ltd was the only applicant that failed to qualify.

According to the NCA, the qualification exercise involved an eligibility review and a technical qualification assessment under Envelope A, which contained the technical and qualification submissions.

The Authority said all applicants had been formally informed of the outcome, with reasons provided where applicable.

With the qualification stage completed, only the three successful applicants will proceed to Stage 3 of the selection process, which involves the opening and ranking of their Best Price Offers.

The NCA said the Envelope B submitted by Infrava Ltd would not be opened because the company did not qualify at the earlier stage.

The regulator said the three qualified applicants would separately be notified of the date, time and venue for the opening and ranking of their Best Price Offers.

The process is part of Ghana’s efforts to assign additional spectrum for the deployment and expansion of 5G services, with the 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz bands forming part of the spectrum being considered under the licensing exercise.

The latest development therefore leaves MTN Ghana, Telecel Ghana and Goal Telecommunications Ltd in contention as the process moves from technical and eligibility assessment to consideration of the financial offers.

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Berekum Chelsea fans remain optimistic about the team’s chances of securing a positive result when they face Dreams FC in their next Ghana Premier League fixture.

The Bibires will return to the Golden City Park on Sunday, September 13, at 3:00 pm, looking to recover from their heavy 4-0 defeat to Hearts of Oak at the University of Ghana Stadium.

Despite the disappointing opening result, supporters believe the team can quickly put the setback behind them and produce a much-improved performance on home soil.

Speaking to the club's media, one supporter said: "I will say that what has happened has already happened, so we will put that behind us and look forward to the upcoming match on Sunday. You have gone to the first match away; Hearts beat you 4. We are also looking forward to you playing at Golden City and scoring 16 for us; that is what we want."

Another supporter said: "If they will know the first eleven, it will be after the 2nd or 3rd matches, but unfortunately the team we met wasn't a small team. That is why we conceded the goals, but I have faith in the team that this season they are going to do better than the previous season."

With home advantage, Chelsea will hope to respond strongly against Dreams FC.

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The Group B fixture will be played at the 4th August Sports Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with Ghana aiming to make a positive start under head coach Kasim Ocansey Mingle.

The Black Starlets will face Benin in their second group match on 13 October, before completing the first phase of the competition against hosts Burkina Faso three days later.

The WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship is being used as the qualifying tournament for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Morocco. Ghana must progress through the group stage and then negotiate the knockout rounds if they are to reach the continental competition.

Only the two teams that reach the final of the WAFU Zone B championship will secure qualification for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. As a result, Ghana must go all the way to the final in Ouagadougou to guarantee a place in Morocco.

The Black Starlets are former FIFA U-17 World Cup champions and will be seeking to build momentum from the opening encounter with Togo. Their group also includes Benin and Burkina Faso, meaning Ghana face a demanding route through the regional tournament.

Preparations for the competition have been led by Mingle, who oversaw an extensive scouting and screening exercise across Ghana. The process focused on players from the 2010-year group as the coaching team worked to identify the talent needed to form a competitive squad.

Ghana will now shift its focus towards the tournament in Ouagadougou, where the Black Starlets will attempt to negotiate a challenging group and reach the decisive stages of the competition.

The regional championship represents the crucial first step in Ghana’s pursuit of a place at the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. With only the finalists assured of qualification, every group-stage result will be important as the Black Starlets seek to remain in contention for a return to the continental showpiece.

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The Ghana FA Cup champions suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Malian side in a highly competitive first-leg encounter last Saturday.

The match, played at the Stade Mamadou Konaté, ended in favour of FC Diarra, handing the Malian outfit a slender advantage heading into the decisive return encounter in Ghana.

Despite the setback, former Hearts of Oak left-back Korsah remains confident that Nations FC have what it takes to overturn the deficit and progress at the expense of their opponents.

The experienced defender believes the support of the home fans, coupled with the team’s preparation and experience, will be crucial as Nations FC seek to complete the comeback.

“Coming back home, I think we have the support and experience to face our opponents. All the boys are ready, and we will make sure we qualify for the next round of the Confederation Cup. We know the task ahead of us, and we need to deliver. We are physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally ready because we cannot let Ghanaians down,” he said.

With home advantage on their side, Nations FC will be determined to produce a much-improved performance and overturn the one-goal deficit to keep their continental campaign alive.

The return leg is scheduled to take place in Ghana on Sunday, September 13, with the champions needing a victory to secure their place in the next phase of the competition.

Nations FC are making their debut appearance in Africa’s second-tier club competition after winning the 2025/26 MTN FA Cup.

A victory over FC Diarra would see Nations FC advance to the second preliminary round, where they would face either Niger’s AS Zam or Burkina Faso’s ASKO de Kara.

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The Managing Director of Hearts of Oak has announced his resignation from the position, bringing an end to his tenure at the helm of the Ghanaian football giants.

In a message to the Phobian family, the outgoing Managing Director described the decision as a difficult one, while expressing gratitude to the club’s Board for the opportunity to serve.

“This has not been an easy decision to make,” he stated, adding that serving the club had been “a great honour and a deeply rewarding experience.”

He particularly thanked the Board, led by the club’s Board Chairman, HRH Togbe Afede XIV, for the trust, confidence and opportunity given him during his time in office.

He also expressed appreciation to the National Chapters Committee (NCC), led by Alhaji Yusif Abdulai, for what he described as their support and “brotherly love” throughout his tenure.

Despite stepping down from his executive position, the outgoing Managing Director stressed that his association with the club would continue.

“Although I am stepping down from my role, I am not stepping away from the club,” he said, reaffirming his commitment as a supporter of the Phobians.

He further pledged to remain available to serve, assist and support Hearts in whatever capacity possible.

The former Managing Director also thanked everyone who supported and worked with him during his tenure, while expressing confidence in the club’s future.

He concluded his message by wishing blessings and prosperity for Hearts, saying he leaves the position with “immense appreciation” and a firm conviction that the club has a bright future ahead.

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The Managing Director of Hearts of Oak, Julius Ben Emunah has announced his resignation from the position after just eight month, bringing an end to his tenure at the helm of the Ghanaian football giants.

In a message to the Phobian family, the outgoing Managing Director described the decision as a difficult one, while expressing gratitude to the club’s Board for the opportunity to serve.

“This has not been an easy decision to make,” he stated, adding that serving the club had been “a great honour and a deeply rewarding experience.”

He particularly thanked the Board, led by the club’s Board Chairman, HRH Togbe Afede XIV, for the trust, confidence and opportunity given him during his time in office.

He also expressed appreciation to the National Chapters Committee (NCC), led by Alhaji Yusif Abdulai, for what he described as their support and “brotherly love” throughout his tenure.

Despite stepping down from his executive position, the outgoing Managing Director stressed that his association with the club would continue.

“Although I am stepping down from my role, I am not stepping away from the club,” he said, reaffirming his commitment as a supporter of the Phobians.

He further pledged to remain available to serve, assist and support Hearts in whatever capacity possible.

The former Managing Director also thanked everyone who supported and worked with him during his tenure, while expressing confidence in the club’s future.

He concluded his message by wishing blessings and prosperity for Hearts, saying he leaves the position with “immense appreciation” and a firm conviction that the club has a bright future ahead.

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Ghanaian midfielder Rahim Ibrahim made his UEFA Champions League debut on Wednesday night after being named in Slovan Bratislava’s starting lineup against Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes. 

The 25-year-old was handed his first taste of Champions League football by coach Yaya Toure after playing a key role in Slovan’s run through the qualifying rounds.

Ibrahim featured in all six of the club’s qualifying matches, helping them reach the league phase of the competition.

Born in Salaga on June 10, 2001, Ibrahim grew up in Salaga and later in Mamobi in Accra. He began his career with Ghanaian club Accra Lions before making the move to Europe.

He joined AS Trencin in Slovakia in 2020 and spent five years with the club, making close to 100 appearances.

His performances eventually earned him a move to Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava in February 2025, where he signed a four-year contract.

Now, Ibrahim has taken another big step in his career by starting against PSG in the Champions League.

For a player who began his journey in Salaga and Mamobi, facing one of Europe’s biggest clubs on the Champions League stage marks a significant moment in his rise through the game.

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Hearts of Oak have reportedly parted ways with Managing Director Julius Ben Emunah, just seven months after his appointment.

Emunah took charge on February 2, 2026, succeeding Dr Delali Anku-Adiamah, and was brought in to strengthen the club’s administration, commercial operations and sporting structure.

Before joining Hearts of Oak, he served as Head of Competitions at the Ghana Football Association (GFA), having previously worked as the association’s Club Licensing Manager, National Safety and Security Officer and Western Regional Administrator.

His reported departure comes at a delicate stage for the Phobians, who have just opened the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Berekum Chelsea.

Although the circumstances surrounding the reported decision remain unclear, his exit could have an impact beyond the club’s administrative structure.

Emunah had developed a strong relationship with the technical team and players and was regarded as an important link between the club’s administration and football department.

His departure, if confirmed, could therefore disrupt some of the stability Hearts of Oak have built ahead of a season in which expectations are high.

The club has yet to officially confirm his reported exit or announce a replacement.

For now, the Phobians must manage the uncertainty while attempting to maintain the momentum generated by their impressive opening-day victory.

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