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Argentina snubs Ghana, picks Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire for friendlies in March

The Argentinian Football Association (AFA) has announced a slate of friendly games with two African countries in March.
Black Stars urged to learn from Argentina, who lost first game and still won World Cup
Black Stars urged to learn from Argentina, who lost first game and still won World Cup

The World Champions will face the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in the friendlies set to take place in China.

Earlier reports indicated that the Black Stars of Ghana will play the South American country in one of the friendlies.

According to a report by Joy Sports, the Black Stars will come up against Lionel Messi and co. on March 26.

The test match is meant to keep the team in shape ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying games against Mali and the Central African Republic in June.

Relatedly, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a member of Parliament for North Tongu has alleged that Ghana budgeted a whopping $8.5 million for the 2023 African Cup of Nations.

The NDC legislator shared the document on Twitter (formerly X), saying the government and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) wanted to conceal the budget from the public.

This comes after Ablakwa earlier revealed that the Ministry of Youth and Sports spent GHc19,262,766.35 ($1.5 million) on Ghana's qualifying campaign for the 2023 AFCON.

“From latest unimpeachable, irrefutable and indisputable intercepted documents in my possession — I can boldly confirm that the Ghanaian government and the GFA put together and agreed on a shocking AFCON preparation and participation budget of US$8,506,450.00. This hefty US$8.5million translates into a colossal GHS105million at current exchange,” he wrote on X.

“Note that the GHS105million is entirely separate from the GHS27.9million spent on the qualifiers.”

He added: “The figure US$8,506,450.00 is contained in an intercepted letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, dated 2nd January, 2024.

Ghana failed to win a single game during the 2023 AFCON in the Ivory Coast as the team got booted out of the tournament at the group stage.

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