Premier league returns on Sunday

Accra, Feb. 14, GNA – The Glo Premier League will return to action after a month long break with League leaders Kumasi Asante Kotoko returning to the Essipong Stadium to face Medeama SC in a top liner opener of the season.

At the Dansoman Stadium, Acra, Liberty Professionals will take on Wa All Stars while Berekum Arsenals play host to Tudu Mighty Jets at the Golden City Park, Berekum, with Heart of Lions engaging Accra Hearts of Oak at the Kpando Park.

Struggling Bechem United will battle against Wassaman United at the Bechem Park with AshantiGold FC playing host to Edubiase FC at the Len Clay Stadium, Obuasi while Tema Youth will seek to add Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs to their victims at the Tema Stadium.

The game between Aduana Stars and Berekum Chelsea will be played on Thursday, February 23, due to a continental assignment by the defending League champions, Chelsea.

Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan received a rousing hero’s welcome

Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan received a rousing hero's welcome reception on his return to his United Arab Emirate side Al Ain on Monday morning.

The 26-year-old was flown to his Dubai-based from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on a self-financed private airplane and landed at the Al Ain International Aiport at 2:20 am local time.

Hundreds of Al Ain fans organized a cars procession after his car from Al Ain airport to his house in Al Shuaibah Area.

After he got home he again went out, expressing his gratitude and appreciation for his fans and the unforgettable welcoming he received.

Drogba enjoying Elephants' smooth run

Ivorian captain Didier Drogba has said he is enjoying his team's
perfect run at the ongoing 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations.

The highly rated Elephants reached the last four of the tournament
after seeing off co-hosts Equatorial Guinea in their quarter final
clash on Saturday in Bata.

Drogba, who scored a brace after missing a first half penalty, said
encouragement from his colleagues aided his comeback. African
Footballer of the Year, Didier Drogba scored the other goal.

"My teammates encouraged me and were very supportive. I had to get
back in the game and I owe ​​them these goals. I'm glad I did it for
them and I am proud of my teammates."

The 33-year old adds that his team has exhibited character and are
poised to go farthest in the competition.

"In 2006, we were in the final and lost. In 2008, we scored many goals
but failed to reach the final. Here we have shown character."

The Elephants, winners in 1992 will face either co-hosts Gabon or Mali
at the last four

Ghana edge Tunisia to keep the title hopes alive

Tournament co-favourites Ghana are still on course for dream final
against Ivory Coast after the Black Stars beat Tunisia 2-1 after
extra time to book a semi-final clash with Zambia on Wednesday. Ghana
edged Tunisia in a fiery match played in Franceville , Gabon.
Ghana drew first blood courtesy of returning captain John Mensah'
second goal of the tournament ten minutes unto the match. In similar
fashion to his first goal against Botswana during the his side's
opening match, Mensah reacted quickest in the box from a corner kick
and headed past Aymen Mathlouthi . The clock had just

Ghana had midfielder Sulley Muntari back in the side but for the first
time since 2006 defender and stand in captain John Panstil missed out
on starting as Black Stars coach Goran Stevanovich a solid side .
Tunisian coach Sami Trabelsi brought back into the side amongst others
goalkeeper Mathlouthi and captain Karim Hagui.
Ghana dominated the early exchanges and bossed the midfield with Dede
Auew Emmanuel Badu and Muntari lively. Tunisia looked rattled by the
early goal and struggled to get into rhythm and the frustration was
evident when captain Hagui was booked for dissent when an appeal for a
penalty was waved away.

Ghana 's Asamoah Gyan sent a shot just wide of Mathlouthi's goal while
a rocket of a shot from Badu sailed centimeters off the upright during
a period the Black Stars were on top. Tunisia did look dangerous
though whenever Yousef Msakni was on the ball. The Esperance man
played in some through balls to Khalil Chammem and Zouhaier Dhaouadi
as the Carthage Eagles looked to hit back. In the 42nd minute very
much against the run of play Tunisia found the equalizer through
Sabeur Khalifa. The tall striker headed past Larsen Kwarasey after
Ghana had failed to clear a high bal from a couple of attempts.
Dhaoudi 's chip was too high for defender Samuel Inkoom at the far
post but Khalifa attacked the ball from close range and knocked in an
equaliser.

A few minutes into the second half Ghana was forced to make a change
as captain John Mensah went down under a challenge to be replaced by
Isaac Vorsah. Both teams stepped up play with chances opening up at
both ends. Badu went on a mazy run and let go a stinger of a shot
which was on target until a Tunisia defender blocked it and from the
resultant corner kick, substitute Vorsah was just centimeters over the
bar with a header. At the other end Msakni saw his effort bundled out
for a corner before Jamel Saihi broke through on goal and was only
stopped by a timely tackle from John Boye. The was now fiercely
contested with both sides looking for the winning goal during the
dying minutes of the match. Substitute Issam Jemaa almost won it for
Tunisia when he let fly from a distance and Kwarasey had to beat the
shot away for a corner kick. Gyan then turned his man inside the box
before shooting but his effort whistled past Mathloutthi's left hand
post and the tie was heading for extra time.

In the first period of extra time Tunisia aided by fresh substitutes
pressurized the Ghanaian defence sensing the momentum was with them.
Ghana broke at the other end and the Black Stars could not believe
their luck when the outstanding goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi gifted
them a goal. Mathlouthi went up to collect a cross and seemed to have
the ball gathered but as he came down he dropped it at Andrea Ayew's
feet and the midfielder gladly accepted the gift and scored Ghana's
second goal. Tunisia went down to ten men after Aymen Abdennour was
sent off for raising his hands on Dede Ayew. The Carthage Eagles went
in search of the equalizing goal while Ghana defended for their lives.
Ghana hung on for victory and now head to Bata Equatorial Guinea where
they meet Zambia in the semi-final on Wednesday

Rio Ferdinand not interested in England captaincy

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand has ruled himself out of the running to replace John Terry as England captain.

Terry, who will stand trial in July over allegations he racially abused Ferdinand's brother and QPR defender Anton, has been stripped of the role.

"I don't want to be England captain after the last episode," Ferdinand wrote on social network site Twitter.

"Just want to concentrate on playing for Man Utd and if I make the squad then as ever I'll be delighted."

Ferdinand was handed the captaincy for the first time in 2008 as part of coach Capello's rotation ploy ahead of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Later that year, manager Fabio Capelloappointed Terry as permanent skipper, only to stand him down following allegations that the Chelsea defender had an affair with team-mate Wayne Bridge's girlfriend.

Ferdinand then took over,before managerFabio Capello's decision to turn back to Terry in March 2011, the "eposide" to which Ferdinand refers.

Terry was in line to face Ferdinand inChelsea's meeting with Manchester Untied on Sunday, but the Blues skipper has pulled out with injury.

Speaking before that news emerged, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "I think I'd have a word with Rio to see what his stance is.

"He's been fighting the racism issue for years. But if he has to rise above that he's got nothing to be ashamed of - if he does decide to shake John Terry's hand [on Sunday]."

Source: www.bbc.com

AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS 2012 : JOURNEY SO FAR

Group A

	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Zambia	3	2	1	0	5	3	7
Eq Guinea	3	2	0	1	3	2	6
Libya	3	1	1	1	4	4	4
Senegal	3	0	0	3	3	5	0

21/01/12: Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Libya, Bata
21/01/12: Senegal 1-2 Zambia, Bata

25/01/12: Libya 2-2 Zambia, Bata
25/01/12: Equatorial Guinea 2-1 Senegal, Bata

29/01/12: Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Zambia, Malabo
29/01/12: Libya 2-1 Senegal, Bata

Group B

	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Ivory C	3	3	0	0	5	0	9
Sudan	3	1	1	1	4	4	4
Angola	3	1	1	1	4	5	4
Burkina F	3	0	0	3	2	6	0

22/01/12: Ivory Coast 1-0 Sudan, Malabo
22/01/12: Burkina Faso 1-2 Angola, Malabo

26/01/12: Sudan 2-2 Angola, Malabo
26/01/12: Ivory Coast 2-0 Burkina Faso, Malabo

30/01/12: Sudan 2-1 Burkina Faso, Bata
30/01/12: Ivory Coast 2-0 Angola, Malabo

Group C

	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Gabon	3	3	0	0	6	2	9
Tunisia	3	2	0	1	4	3	6
Morocco	3	1	0	2	4	5	3
Niger	3	0	0	3	1	5	0

23/01/12: Gabon 2-0 Niger, Libreville
23/01/12: Morocco 1-2 Tunisia, Libreville

27/01/12: Niger 1-2 Tunisia, Libreville
27/01/12: Gabon 3-2 Morocco, Libreville

31/01/12: Gabon 1-0 Tunisia, Franceville
31/01/12: Niger 0-1 Morocco, Libreville

Group D

	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Ghana	3	2	1	0	4	1	7
Mali	3	2	0	1	3	3	6
Guinea	3	1	1	1	7	3	4
Botswana	3	0	0	3	2	9	0

24/01/12: Ghana 1-0 Botswana, Franceville
24/01/12: Mali 1-0 Guinea, Franceville

28/01/12: Botswana 1-6 Guinea, Franceville
28/01/12: Ghana 2-0 Mali, Franceville

01/02/12: Botswana 1-2 Mali, Libreville
01/02/12: Ghana 1-1 Guinea, Franceville

---

Quarter-Finals:

1. 04/02/12: Zambia v Sudan, Bata
2. 04/02/12: Ivory Coast v Equatorial Guinea, Malabo
3. 05/02/12: Gabon v Mali, Libreville
4. 05/02/12: Ghana v Tunisia, Franceville

Semi-Finals:

08/02/12: QF1 winner v QF4 winner, Bata
08/02/12: QF3 winner v QF2 winner, Libreville

3rd place play-off: 11/02/2012, Malabo

Final: 12/02/2012, Libreville 

John Terry: FA strips England captaincy from Chelsea defender

John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy, the Football Association has confirmed.

The 31-year-old Chelsea centre-back was informed of the decision by FA chairman David Bernstein in a phone call at 1000 GMT.

He is due to stand trial in July over racial abuse allegations after an incident with QPR's Anton Ferdinand.

Terry, who lost the captaincy once previously, has entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

In a statement, the FA said Terry would not "captain the England team until the allegations against him are resolved".

It continued: "The FA board expected the trial to be concluded prior to the European Championship.

"Further to Wednesday's confirmation that the trial will not take place until after the tournament, the board has discussed the matter in detail and has collectively decided it is in the interests of all parties that John has the responsibilities of captaincy removed at this time.

"This decision has been taken due to the higher profile nature of the England captaincy, on and off the pitch, and the additional demands and requirements expected of the captain leading into and during a tournament."

The FA said Capello was free to select Terry for the Netherlands friendly in February and Euro 2012.

"FA chairman David Bernstein has spoken to both John Terry and Fabio Capello to explain the facts to them," the statement continued.

"Fabio Capello has not been involved in the FA Board discussions which reached this conclusion, but understands that the FA Board has authority to make this decision.

"Fabio Capello will take the decision as to who will be made captain moving forward.

"This decision in no way infers any suggestion of guilt in relation to the charge made against John Terry. The FA will be not be making any further comment on this matter."

BBC Sport understands the majority view among FA board members was that Terry should be stood down.

Capello had until now maintained the position that Terry was innocent until proven guilty and that he should be free to select him as his captain until his trial is over.

There was some nervousness among board members as to how the Italian would react, with some fearing he will see it as undue interference in team affairs.

But there was an acceptance among the FA hierarchy that the matter should be taken out of his hands.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson backed the FA's decision, saying it would have been "impossible" for Terry to continue.

Robertson said: "I completely support the FA's decision. It would have been impossible for John Terry to have continued as captain with this charge over his head."

The FA was forced to act after Terry's case was adjourned until 9 July - a week after the Euro 2012 finals end - ensuring that the affair will dominate the build-up to the championship.

For some time now, Bernstein has been growing increasingly concerned at the FA's position on Terry.

Some board members have lobbied him to take decisive action to ensure the FA is not accused of being weak on racism.

Black players within the England squad have also been putting pressure on the Professional Footballers' Association to take a stronger stance on Terry. This is believed to have also played a part in forcing the FA to act.

Terry was previously stripped of the captaincy when Capello removed him from the role in February 2010 following allegations he had an affair with an England team-mate's ex-girlfriend.

Terry was reinstated 13 months later with Capello saying "one year of punishment is enough".

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas said he did not agree with the FA's decision and revealed Terry would miss Sunday's game against Manchester United because of the knee injury which kept him out of Tuesday's match at Swansea.

"You have to ask the FA about it and the people responsible for the decision," he said. "The statement from the FA is pretty clear on what was their decision-making. John will continue to be our captain and I have no further things to say."

African Cup of Nations 2012 : Quarter Finals Fixtures

QUARTER FINALS

• By date
• By game week

Sat	04/02/12	Zambia	16 : 00	Sudan		More info
		Côte d'Ivoire	19 : 00	Equatorial Guinea		More info
Sun	05/02/12	Gabon	16 : 00	Mali		More info
		Ghana	19 : 00	Tunisia