Host Team Wins Ghana Beach Soccer 2008

The crowds came, they saw and got involved and ultimately they just loved every bit of it especially as the host nation was able to HOST AND WIN! Not football but BEACH SOCCER. In what was surely the biggest gathering of true sports fans with a soft spot for the beach, fashion music and fun, players on this side of the globe strutted their stuff and made history. The Ghana Beach Sports Association (GBSA - www.myghanabeachsports.com) presented the 2008 Beach Soccer Cup with the full support of the National Sports Council and LOC Ghana 2008. Other notable partners were UNICEF with Ambassadors Hidetoshi Nakata and Marcel Desailly who all graced the occasion at one point or the other. With so much hype and excitement following the Nations Cup, the La Pleasure Beach Resort also came alive from 1st and 2nd February as 16 teams played out their own version of the Ghana 2008. In the end, Ghana's sensational young team triumphed a day before their Black Stars counterparts did the same over Nigeria. Under the guidance of coaches Yaw Amoah, Joe Mulberry and Gary Mountain, Ghana's team proved too hot to handle in the end as a stubborn Guinea side succumbed to 3-1 defeat in the final match. The two-day event was sponsored by PUMA, Voltic Mineral Water, Zoomlion, Buka African Restaurant, Asempa FM, Edern Security, HoneySuckle, Vibe FM, Media 360, Stanbic Bank, Antrak Air, Fan Milk, SUPPORTED by MTN, STANBIC BANK, LE SMART BIZ, PartFran, Living Room, TKO London.com, Pizza San Marco, Viban Multi Ltd . Participating countries were Morocco - Cameroon - Mali- Ghana - Guinea - Sudan - Nigeria - South Africa - Cote d' Ivoire - Namibia - Egypt - Zambia - Senegal as well as BBC World Service and a Ghana Media Team. According to Albert Frimpong coordinator of events for the Ghana Beach Sports Association, the GBSA is keen to sustain the interest of Beach Soccer nationwide and will soon come out with a comprehensive programme to get coastal communities and regional venues involved.'' We have already been to Keta to identify a pilot site for future events involving school children'' Meanwhile PUMA have indicated it's willingness to further boost beach soccer in Ghana following what they described as a highly successful maiden event. The founder and acting president of the GBSA, Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah thanked all the sponsors and also made special mention of the National Sports Council (NSC)for the tremendous support given to the association. ''This is just the beginning and as we learn from our mistakes we will only get stronger with every event.''