More were expected by late evening and this morning too. Those in included big boys – captain Stephen Appiah and his deputy John Mensah.

Appiah arrived from his Italy base while John Mensah arrived from England. He has completed his switch to Sunderland from Olympique Lyonnnais. Goalkeeper George Owu and Asamoah Gyan are also around. Asamoah scored at the weekend for Rennes.

Also expected from around the world are John Pantsil, Matthew Amoah, Eric Addo, Haminu Dramani, Samuel lnkoom, Opoku Agyemang. As for Michael Essien, Anthony Annan and Richard Kingson, they will be expected to be in Tuesday night.

Ghana lead Group Four of the World Cup qualifiers with all nine points. Ghana will surely qualify for the World Cup if they beat Sudan and Mali hold Benin in Coutonou.

Ghana delivered the win before the end of the first half but still pressed for more goals in the second. Despite that the Chipolopolo increased pressure on the Stars in the latter stages especially after Michael Essien made way for Stephen Appiah.

It must be said that the Swiss-based Samuel Inkoom did very very well in the game, not least by securing a penalty which Junior Agogo converted well. Those who had been to the Stars earlier training session said it was a replica of what he learned at the time.

The win was a redemptive gesture for both Agogo and another troubled man – Sulley Muntar. Sulley has not been in the green zone of fans especially after his mother said her son was indispensable.

Speaking of Inkoom, the injury to some players in the team and others’ inability to secure UK visas meant he played in midfield for the first time ever in his career.

He played like he’d been there all these years and I was impressed.

So the goals came from Sulley Muntari, Stoppilo Sunzo (own goal), Junior Agogo and Haminu Dramani. Stoppilo Sunzo scored Zambia’s only goal as well.

Says coach Rajevac: “We needed to keep winning, so it was important that we did that. Now we will go into the next game with our confidence really high.

“The players who turned up showed just why Ghana is such a good team because even without many regulars, it was a good performance.”

The Black Stars’ next World Cup Qualifier is against Sudan at home on 6 September.

Starting team: George Owu/William Amamoo, John Paintsil, Harrison Afful, Eric Addo, Francis Dickoh, Anthony Annan/David Telfer, Michael Essien/Gladson Awako, Samuel Inkoom, Haminu Draman/Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari/Chris Dickson, Junior Agogo/Kwame Quansah.

Subs: William Amamoo, Stephen Appiah, Gladson Awako, David Telfer, Chris Dickson, Kwame Quansah

Eric Bekoe hasn’t played in national colours for one whole year and Stephen Appiah, due to his clubless issues, has also not been around since last featuring for Ghana against Benin in Kumasi.

Samuel Inkoom has been named in the side but with the Black Satellites on duty in Switzerland ahead of the World Youth Championships in Egypt, it is unlikely he will make the journey to England too.

Appiah is also back after he opted out of Ghana’s last 2 games because he said he had ‘family issues.’ I’ve stated earleir that I think that decision was wrong, to be honest.

Goalkeepers: Richard Kingston (Wigan Athletic, England), George Owu (Al Masry, Egypt)

Strikers: Asamoah Gyan (Rennes, France), Mathew Amoah (NAC Breda, Holland), Prince Tagoe (Hoffeinham, Germany) and Eric Bekoe (Egypt)

Those who don’t believe that no African nation can win the World Cup are not alone. Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho, though he has warm words of the African game does not feel that this is Africa’s time as yet.

“I see a good future for Africa and it is good because next year the World Cup is in Africa and I hope African teams will do something special at the World Cup.”

Yes, we know that. The former Porto and Chelsea man went on and stopped short of patronizing the continent.

“Maybe not win it, but they can do very well, because there are some really good players in Africa.”

As it is now in the World Cup qualifiers, Ghana are in a very attractive position and many in the country have already started dreaming of booked tickets for the showpiece.

The feeling is that after what was a good Germany 2006 for Ghana, South Africa 2010 may yet be better. Germany 2006 saw Ghana beating the USA and Czech Republic, as well as being beaten by Italy and Brazil, so that was seen as a respectable performance.

With the current crop of new players in the team setup in addition to the experienced guys, this may be the year that Ghana – and other African nations – make it a tournament to remember.

Maybe – just maybe – Ghana and Africa would make Mr. Mourinho eat his words.

Ghana international striker Asamoah Gyan is said to be a target for David Moyes’ men, with reports that he is in England this week to hold discussions with the club.

The 22-year-old Rennes player has failed to make an impact in Ligue 1 and was linked with a move to The Toffees this time last year as well. Asamoah has been in and out of the treatment room.

Many do not doubt his talent, yet there is a worry that he may do a Michael Owen on the country and never really fulfill his true potential.

No matter how much he is crocked, we’ll always remember him for this moment of history 3 years ago in Germany.

After 5 goals in the Asian Champions League and 2 goals in the on-going qualifiers, Prince Tagoe may be feeling he is ready for the new challenge he has set himself to.

He trained – for the first time – with TSG Hoffenheim yesterday. He signed last month and only arrived in Germany on Saturday after leaving Saudi club Al-Ettifaq.

The German Bundesliga is rungs above any in Asia and the two-week intensive pre-season training session he has been subjected to should help him know what he is up for. His new team finished seventh in the Bundesliga last time round.

It is essential that the former Hearts of Oak man gets regular playing time if his position in the Stars setup is to be kept. Tagoe is a fighter, that much we know, however, we are left to wonder if his new coach Ralf Rangnick will give him the chance to show what he’s got.

Prince should not have racial issues with his team as they had four Africans in their setup last season: Nigerian Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke, Senegal’s Demba Ba, Ghana defender Isaac Vorsah, and Ivorian Boubacar Sanogo.

How he got here

Tagoe started his career abroad after the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations when he signed for Saudi side Al Ittihad from local club Hearts of Oak.

He played for Al Shabab in the United Arab Emirates in 2007 before joining Al Ettifaq a year later.

Name: Prince Tagoe
Nationality: Ghana
Date of birth: 9 November 1986
Age: 22
Position: Forward

Japan says it has reached an agreement with its Ghana counterparts to field its best team including Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari in the game.

The Blue Samurai will travel to Enschede, Holland on September 5 to face the Oranje and then four days later will meet Ghana in Utrecht.

“Both teams have promised to play members who have taken part in (World Cup) qualifying,” Japan coach Takeshi Okada said.

“The road trip will help us obtain first-hand knowledge of teams that have the potential to reach the last four.”

Currently, the Asians are 40th in the rankings and looking at the kind of players they possess, that game should be interesting.

On the premise that both teams would really play first-team guys, let’s see what the Japs have.

They do not have what you would call world class threats but they do have some decent names in there: Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble, FRANCE), Shunsuke Nakamura (Espanyol, SPAIN), Makoto Dasebe (Wolfsburg, GERMANY) and Junichi Inamoto (Rennes)

However, the real danger men who put the ball in the net regularly on the national level include Naohiro Takahara and Nakamura (both have 23 goals and are among the country’s all-time high scorers).

But these two guys are usually called for really really important matches and I like to think that they would consider Ghana an important prospect.

The rest of the lads Japan have used in recent friendlies are all home-based. Hey, don’t be fooled as it is their speed that may be a source of worry.

The team has won 6 out 0f its last 10 games ( some of the opponents were Yemen, Bahrain – twice, Finland, Qatar, Chile, Belgium and Australia).

Not bad at all.

Fifa does another training program for photographers/journalists. – Goal

Ghana’s got talent! Laryea’s back!

Today is D-day in the Egyptian league and Ismaili can spoil Manuel Jose’s bye-bye party for Ahly.

Imagine Frank Rijkaard in Africa. Now imagine him coaching Al Ahly. So says Goal.

Edmund Owusu Ansah to Petrojet? – GNA via Myjoyonline

Lloyd Owusu wants to move Down Under. – Ghanasoccernet

The same site also reports that troubled former Kotoko CEO has been granted bail.

In fact you may be forgiven if you suggested it.

Yep, he is that popular and famous. But his women issues are leaving people scratching their heads. More on his other flings (yikes!) and mini-scandals later.

Ms. Dela Ackumey, a woman who many had long expected to be Michael’s wife, is tugging the Chelsea man’s purse. The argument is simple.

Essien says they are not married. Dela says they are. The argument may look simple but the legalese surely aren’t.

Essien and Dela started hanging out about four years ago and those who know them say they were very much into each other. It is worth noting that at the time Mike’s Lyon career was looking good. And obviously, the woman in Dela took notice.

What I gather is that the French francs being sent to Ms. Dela Ackumey meant that she knew her boy was a catch…and so she pressured him to start marriage rites.

Here’s where it becomes dicey. Even though they split last year, Ms. Ackumey insists the Bison had performed marriage rights on her and therefore wants their ‘divorce’ to reflect that.

Ms. Ackumey is from Anlo in the eastern part of Ghana where the Ewe tribe are predominantly settled. However, Essien’s lawyers (led by a member of the influential Ofori-Atta family) say the said rites the Chelsea player performed did not amount to marriage rites in the traditional sense.

The lawyers also say that even if the rites amounted to marriage rites, the ceremony was contrary to what the big-pound earner wanted.

The French francs being sent to Ms. Ackumey meant she knew her boy was a catch…and so she pressured him to start marriage rites.

Media bonanza

And so the stage is surely set for what is turning up to be a media event of considerable size. Already, the Chelsea and Ghana midfielder has grown into something of a national icon since his big money move to Chelsea three seasons ago.

In anticipation of the animalistic nature the Ghanaian and world media can morph into, the court may let the two testify in camera. Especially as Ms. Ackumey says she has video evidence to show that they were married.

Let-the-circus-begin-!