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GPL Week 28: Kotoko losing ground in title chase as Gold Stars move top

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Asante Kotoko’s title hopes took another hit after a surprise 2-1 home defeat to FC Samartex 1996 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in their Week 28 encounter.

The fixture, which was abandoned on Sunday due to heavy rain, resumed on Monday morning.

Samartex made the most of the second half, with Christian Boateng and Emmanuel Mamah finding the net to stun the home crowd.

Albert Amoah grabbed a late consolation for Kotoko, who remain fourth on the table with 43 points, eight points behind leaders Bibiani Gold Stars.

Gold Stars climbed back to the summit of the 2025/2026 Ghana Premier League following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Nations FC at Dun’s Park.

Samuel Atta Kumi opened the scoring before an own goal from Asante Boahen restored Gold Stars’ lead after Razak Simpson had converted a penalty to draw Nations FC level.

The win places Gold Stars a point clear ahead of Medeama with six matches remaining, further tightening an already intense title race.

Hearts of Oak also kept their ambitions alive with a composed 1-0 win against Young Apostles at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Frank Abora Duku’s first-half strike proved decisive, pushing Hearts up to third place and firmly back into contention.

Basake Holy Stars continued their impressive home run by edging Karela United 1-0, thanks to Bismark Teye’s second-half goal. The victory marked their 10th consecutive home win and lifted them to seventh on the table.

In the Bono derby, Berekum Chelsea claimed a crucial 1-0 win over Aduana FC. Emmanuel Ofosu’s calm finish boosted Chelsea’s survival push while dealing a blow to Aduana’s top-three aspirations.

Elsewhere, Heart of Lions recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Vision FC with early goals from Kelvin Asenso and Michael Ephson, while Swedru All Blacks snatched a dramatic late victory over Dreams FC through Zayat Bubakari.

As the season enters its decisive phase, the pressure continues to mount at both ends of the table—Gold Stars set the pace in the title chase, while Nations FC and Young Apostles remain embroiled in a tense relegation fight.

Rio Ferdinand claims that Marcus Rashford’s possible £26 million move to Barcelona is a “complete robbery” and that he would “100 percent” have revitalised the forward at Manchester United.

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Marcus Rashford’s possible £26 million (£34 million) sale to Barcelona has been described as a “absolute robbery” by Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand. The defender-turned-pundit wants to see the England international back to Old Trafford because he thinks he has now found his greatest form while on loan at the Spotify Camp Nou.

The cut-price cost indicated for Rashford, who is presently restarting his career in La Liga, shocked the former United captain. Under Flick, the attacker has emerged as a key member of Barcelona’s attacking line after overcoming a difficult past several years with the Red Devils.

Ferdinand suggests that United would be making a significant mistake by letting a player of Rashford’s calibre leave for such a low amount. 

“If Barcelona get him for the reported £26m that we’re talking about and they get that version of Marcus Rashford, that is an absolute robbery, it’s a steal,” Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel. “I just say good luck to him, I want him to do well, because I’ve seen him grow as a young player at United and good luck to him in that sense.”

Despite his admiration for the 28-year-old, Ferdinand admits the forward’s time in Manchester is likely over. When asked if he would take the United academy graduate back at Old Trafford, he said: “Absolutely! Would you have that Marcus Rashford back? 100 per cent, but I think that ship has sailed. Potentially he’s that good, it’s just that we haven’t seen it for a while at United.”

Rashford himself appears to be enjoying the weight of expectation in Spain, as he recently told Sport: “Barcelona is a fantastic club. A club that is known for winning, and it’s this type of pressure – I want to say pressure but it’s not a bad type of pressure. It’s a pressure that you look forward to and a pressure that I want to have whilst I’m playing football. If I’m at a club that doesn’t demand these things then it’s more difficult for me to be motivated. It’s a fantastic environment for me to continue my football journey.”

Lionel Messi’s unusual errant pass during his most recent Inter Miami game goes viral.

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After Inter Miami’s 2-2 tie with Austin, Lionel Messi became popular for an odd reason. Fans thought the renowned forward was still searching for his retired former teammate Jordi Alba after he made a rare missed pass.

Messi was in the spotlight for the wrong reasons following Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with the Texas team, despite his career being characterised by surgical passing and unmatched vision. The great forward made a brief mistake during the match at Nu Stadium when he unleashed a pass down the left flank into empty space. Messi played a weighted ball toward the touchline in an attempt to start an attack, but he never saw an overlapping run. His teammates watched in bewilderment as the ball rolled harmlessly out of play.

The bizarre moment led to instant comparisons to Messi’s long-term partnership with the veteran Spanish defender. The commentator covering the match summed up the sentiment perfectly, joking that “the ghost of Jordi Alba was over there” as the ball trickled into the vacant space where the full-back used to reside. Alba, who shared nine trophy-laden years with Messi at Barcelona before joining him in Florida in 2023, called time on his professional career end of last year. However, it seems that nearly a decade of telepathic understanding between the two has left Messi with habits that are proving difficult to break in the post-Alba era.

Supporters were quick to point out that the error was likely a result of deep-seated muscle memory rather than a decline in ability. Social media was flooded with reactions, with one fan noting on X that “Messi misses Alba for real,” while another suggested the captain simply “forgot Alba retired for a moment”. The sentiment was echoed throughout the digital space, with users commenting that “muscle memory is real” and joking that the superstar was “out here passing to ghosts”.

Enzo Fernandez launches war on Chelsea for Real Madrid.

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The famous Argentine plans a coup

Enzo Fernández, an Argentine international, is adamant about leaving Chelsea this summer.

Liam Rossiner, the manager of Chelsea, declared last Friday that Fernández had been left out of the team for both the Premier League match against Manchester City and the FA Cup match against Port Vale. The manager cited the player’s previous remarks as having ‘stepped the line’.

In response to a question about which European city he would prefer to live in, the 25-year-old told Luzo TV, “I always tell my wife that if I had to choose a city in Europe to live in, I’d love Madrid because it’s very similar to Buenos Aires in terms of lifestyle and everything,” casting doubt on his future with the Blues.The “

According to the Spanish programme “El Chiringuito”, Enzo will not merely hint at a move to Real Madrid next season, but will take a decisive stance.

The Spanish programme indicated that Enzo will submit an official request to leave Chelsea next summer, in order to help facilitate his move to Real Madrid.

“El Chiringuito” explained that the main obstacle will be the fee Chelsea will demand to agree to Enzo’s departure, which could reach €150 million.

The Spanish programme revealed that Real Madrid may delay the deal until the last week of August to put pressure on Chelsea to lower the price.

Chinese logistics firms turn away from the Middle East as war increases prices.

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Chinese logistics companies are scaling back operations in the Middle East, as the current war continues to heighten geopolitical risks and disrupt global trade.

Instead, corporations are shifting resources to other regions, such as Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas.

A senior executive at an international logistics firm with a full-chain operation in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, stated that the company has a customs broking, foreign warehouses, container truck fleets, and pickup truck fleets in the region, as well as a team of over 100 employees.

Because of the current scenario, the majority of their Dubai-based colleagues are now working on a flexible schedule, and some employees have already returned home early for vacation.

“In light of the development trends of the Middle East war, our business footprint in the region will further shrink. Therefore, we will increasingly allocate our resources to routes serving Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas, including redeploying personnel to other countries as part of our new layout,” said Fan Jiansheng, head of an international logistics company based in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.

While companies are actively adjusting their layouts and shifting to other regional routes, they face the pressure of rising freight rates.

“On other routes — the United States, Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia — freight rates have risen by 10 to 20% or even more, whether by air, courier, or sea, due to rising fuel surcharges,” said Li Liangjuan, head of a freight forwarding company based in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. “From the end of February to the beginning of April, rates have gone up four or five times in just one month,” she added.

In response to the continuing trend of rising freight rates, many European and American trading companies and cross-border e-commerce businesses have begun bulk purchasing and stockpiling in advance to hedge against further rate increases.

“Combined with current order demand, many of our warehouses in North America are now completely overloaded,” said Zhao Kaijie, head of a warehousing and logistics company based in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.

Iran rejects the 45-day ceasefire agreement.

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Tensions in the Middle East are fast growing as Iran rejects a planned 45-day ceasefire and insists on a permanent end to the war.

US President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Iran, setting a hard deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that failing to comply might result in widespread strikes against essential infrastructure, such as power plants and bridges. Trump further stated that he is “not at all” concerned about potential war crimes allegations related to such activities.

The United Nations is pushing back. Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that targeting civilian infrastructure violates international law and urged caution as the situation worsens.

Meanwhile, the conflict continues to unfold on multiple fronts. Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Iran early Tuesday, prompting retaliatory missile fire from Tehran toward Israel and neighboring Gulf states.

The human toll is mounting. More than 1,900 people have been reported killed in Iran, though updates have stalled. In Lebanon, over 1,400 have died and more than one million people have been displaced. Casualties have also been reported across Israel, the West Bank, and among US forces.

The Artemis II astronauts create history with their record-breaking lunar flyby.

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NASA’s Artemis II crew are returning to Earth following a historic mission around the far side of the Moon, marking humanity’s first return to deep space since the Apollo era.

The expedition not only provided breathtaking, never-before-seen pictures of the lunar far side, but also broke records. Artemis II travelled further from Earth than any other human mission in history, surpassing Apollo 13’s record in 1970.

During the seven-hour flyby, the four-person crew—three Americans and one Canadian—had a powerful moment when passing behind the Moon. A 40-minute communications blackout marked their closest approach, during which they witnessed the Moon and Earth in stunning three-dimensional detail.

Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen described the view as transformative, saying it felt as though they had been “transported” to the far side of the Moon. He called it an extraordinary human experience that left a lasting impression.

The Artemis II mission is a crucial step toward NASA’s ambitious goal of landing astronauts near the Moon’s south pole within the next two years.

Now homeward bound, the crew is expected to complete their journey with a Pacific Ocean splashdown later this week, closing a new chapter in lunar exploration.

Dangote refinery exports grow amid interruptions related to the Iran war.

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Nigeria’s Dangote refinery, Africa’s largest, is taking on a key role as fuel and fertiliser shortages spread throughout the continent due to disruptions caused by the Iran war.

During a tour to the vast Lagos factory, billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote spoke confidently. He stated that the refinery is currently operating at full capacity, producing 650,000 barrels per day and aggressively servicing not only Nigeria but also most of West, Central, and Eastern Africa.

In reality, the refinery has already sent around 17 cargoes of petrol to various African countries. At the same time, shipments of urea fertiliser are rapidly increasing as countries search for other supply. Dangote noticed a definite shift: more exports are now going to African markets, something the corporation wasn’t prioritising previously.

The factory can manufacture up to 3 million metric tonnes of urea per year, the most of which is usually sent to the United States and South America.

But despite this surge in output, there’s a catch. Fuel prices in Nigeria are still hitting record highs because rising global crude prices are offsetting the benefits of local refining.

Dangote says the solution could lie in sourcing more crude domestically, and crucially, pricing it in local currency to ease pressure on fuel costs.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s state oil company is reportedly increasing crude allocations to the refinery, signaling stronger support as the region leans on Dangote’s operation to stabilize supply during a volatile global moment.

Minority Caucus pledges to amplify, tackle emerging concerns of cocoa farmers

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The Minority Caucus in Parliament has pledged their dedication to ensure that cocoa farmers in the country derive optimum benefits from their hard work and to enhance their livelihoods.
Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and the Minority Chief Whip, emphasised that the caucus would continue to amplify the voice of the cocoa farmers in parliament and held the government accountable.
The MP gave the pledge when the Caucus paid courtesies on Osahene Kwaku Atekyi II, the Paramount Chief of the Kukuom Traditional Area, and Nana Osei Kofi Abre II, the Paramount Chief of the Kenyasi Number One Traditional Area in the Ahafo Region.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh explained that their visits to the region were to enable the MPs to engage the cocoa farmers, identify and help tackle challenges affecting their socio-economic livelihoods and impeding the growth of the sector.
He explained that as the embodiment of the people, it was imperative to engage the chiefs and queens of the area too, saying that cocoa remained the cornerstone of the economy, and farmers ought to be treated fairly.
“Our visits are driven by growing concerns of cocoa farmers, nationwide in connection with the recent reduction in cocoa producer price and delays in payments of cocoa farmers,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh explained.

At Kukuom, Osahene Atekyi also expressed concern that the delayed payment had affected the socio-economic livelihoods of many cocoa farmers and their families in the region and called on the government to expedite action and pay the farmers.
He said the interest of cocoa farmers remained paramount if the nation could produce more cocoa and quality beans.

Ghanaians urged to patronise locally-made textiles for industry growth, job creation

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Mr Michael Asare Yeboah, the Managing Director of Mackenzie Ghana Limited (MGL), a Sunyani-based local garment manufacturing company, has urged Ghanaians to patronise local textiles to boost industry growth for job creation and economic development.
He said besides quality, the public ought to support the growth of the textile industry, saying that the sector could absorb more people and thereby contribute to addressing the unemployment situation in the country.
Mr Yeboah who gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) about his perspectives of the local garment industry, noted that Ghana ought to learn a cue from neighboring Cote d’Ivoire which had banned importation of second-hand clothing to promote industry growth.
“If we can emulate that example, the garment sector can create job opportunities for the youth and thereby stimulate economic growth,” he stated.
Mr Yeboah noted that: “A significant percentage of shops in Cote d’ Ivoire are involved in the manufacturing of local dresses, employing many people and keeping their currencies circulating within the local economy”.
He said that: “When we support local production, money stays in the country, and people get work to do”.
He expressed worry that the local industries struggled to compete with “cheap imports” saying that was leading to job losses and factory closures. Mr Yeboah urged the public to give contracts to local garment industries for job creation as well as to spur economic growth and development.
“By supporting local industries, Ghanaians can help revive the sector and create more employment opportunities for the youth”, he stated, saying that the industry had been a significant contributor to the nation’s economic growth and development.
Nonetheless, Mr Yeboah regretted that local industries were confronted with a myriad of challenges including poor sales, competition with imported clothing, and limited access to raw materials and government support.
He called on the government to support the local industries to thrive and contribute significantly to job creation and economic growth.

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