Sports News of Friday, 11 February 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-02-11From sickbed to Equatorial Guinea: Mahama Ayariga shares 2015 AFCON journey
play videoFormer Sports Minister, Mahama Ayariga
The year was 2015 and the event was the Africa Cup of Nations which was being held in Equatorial Guinea.
A Black Stars team of bereft its stars had just lost their opening Group C game to Senegal and could be sent home if they lost their next game which was against an Algerian team
Read full articlewith an array of stars.
Somewhere in Accra, the Minister of Youth and Sports was on a sickbed receiving treatment. Word got to him that morale was down in camp and that his presence was required.
Danger loomed and for a Sports Minister who had been charged by the President then to provide leadership and help Ghana win the AFCON. The only option left was for him to find a way his to the team’s camp and provide the much-needed leadership.
He quickly rose from the bed and with clearance from his doctor and armed with medications set out to the team’s camp via road and flights.
He got to the team’s camp early enough to speak to the players and motivate them to win that all-important game against Algeria with Asamoah Gyan scoring a decisive goal in the dying embers of the match.
The Black Stars after that victory, thumped South Africa in the next group game and went all the way to the finals where they lost to Ivory Coast via penalties.
Watch Mahama Ayariga recount the story in the video below
