Sportz Phagocyte Corner

Ghana Women's Premier League 2022/23 winners Ampem Darkoa Ladies have qualified for their second consecutive WAFU B finals. A commanding 6-1 victory over Benin's Sam Nelly FC means the Techiman based side gets another shot at qualifying for the CAF Women's Champions League. Ampem Darkoa started the game on a front storming to an early 4-0 lead in the first half. Tracey Twum opened the scoring account with a quick-fire brace in the 1st and 11th before Mary Amponsah added to that tally in the 18th minute. Ophelia Asamoah's well taken strike sealed an emphatic first half display for Joe Nana Adarkwah's side. The Beninese pulled one back right after the break but Nancy Amoah's screamer made it 5-0 in the 66th minute. Tracey Twum put the cherry on the cake after completing her hat trick in the 69th minute with a wonderful solo effort. The win sets up a crunch finale between Ampem Darkoa Ladies and their Nigerian counterparts Delta Ladies on Thursday, August 31. The N...

 Supporters of the French Ligue 1 outfit RC Strasbourg protested against the multi-club ownership on Sunday during their 2-0 home win against Touloues at the Stade de la Meinau displaying a huge banner reading 'NO TO THE TIMESHARE' , after Chelsea owner Todd Boehly invested in the French side. BlueCo, the consortium led by American Todd Boehly, bought a majority stake in the club for a reported £65m. Boehly has previously said a multi-club model is a strong pathway for young players to gain experience away from the big clubs, but it seems Strasbourg fans do not want to be a part of it. Sections of the Strasbourg fans have already demonstrated their displeasure at Boehly's takeover in June. Some fans could previously be seen with makeshift banners saying: 'BOEHLY NOT WELCOME' in huge red letters, which combined with the protest today is a damning account of the American's takeover. It seems Chelsea are aiming to replicate the same approach as Manchester City, wh...

  Arguably the most controversial sporting chronicle of the year so far occurred just after the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup in Sydney. The president of the Spanish football federation, Luis Rubiales, kissed Barcelona forward Jennifer Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s 1-0 victory over England. The kiss which was delivered on stage during the official post-match ceremony and medal presentation was captured on camera and prompted an outrage on social media. Hermoso herself said on a live stream afterwards that she “didn’t like it”. Owing to the backlash from the incident, the Spanish FA on Monday August 21, issued an unqualified apology to the whole world and Hermoso in particular. In the statement, Rubiales admits he made a mistake and claimed he was overwhelmed with excitement by his country's achievement. We saw it as something natural, normal and not in bad faith, but there are people who this has hurt and I have to apologize. And where I surely made a mistake, I n...

  BUDAPEST 23: HERE WE GO... The World Athletics Championships finally kickoffs tomorrow with track and field competitions of the highest caliber being held in Eastern Europe. The 2023 World Athletics Championships will take place in Budapest, at the brand-new Hungarian National Athletics Centre from August 19–27. 49 sets of medals will be given out throughout the course of the nine days of competition in Budapest, and for the first time, there will be a special medal plaza where competitors and spectators may celebrate the medal winners.Six of the 49 events, including two marathons and four race walks, will be held on Budapest's streets through the city's historic district. On the first day of competition, four medals are up for grabs. The men's 20 km race walk will take place in Heroes' Square first thing in the morning. All eyes will be on Ryan Crouser, the current world champion in the men's shot put, when the evening's finals get underway. He holds the even...

Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) today announced the names of the top three nominees for the 2022/23 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award with Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi making the final three. This has sparked many arguments and debates among football fans across the globe about his eligibility for the award while playing outside Europe and whether he even deserves to be shortlisted for the honour. Messi, who had a relatively underwhelming 2022/23 European season with Paris Saint Germain, crashing out of the UEFA Champions League in the Round of 16, was shortlisted alongside Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne for the award. The award winner will be announced at the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage draw ceremony, which will take place on Thursday August 31 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. For questions on how a player plying his trade outside Europe could be considered for an European award, Messi's inclusion violets none of UEFA'...

 A new 'Sprint King' and 'Sprint Queen' will be crowned in the Hungarian capital of Budapest. An array of supremely talented athletes dominated by Jamaica and the USA will test each other's speed as the World Athletics Championship starts on Saturday August 19 in Hungary. Since Usain Bolt joined Maurice Greene and Carl Lewis as three-time men's 100m title holders in 2015, no one has been able to retain the sprint title. And with 2017 victor Justin Gatlin retired, individual Americans Christian Coleman (2019) and defending champion Fred Kerley (2022) can join that elite company of multiple world 100m champions. However, it looks a completely open occasion with reigning world 200m champ, Noah Lyles, peering towards a twofold whiles Africa's Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya and South African Akani Simbine, are also showing incredible structure as they bid to give their countries first men's 100m world medals. The quickest man on the planet this year is England...