Accra Lions Football Club is a football club based in East Legon, Accra, Ghana. The club competes in the Ghana Premier League, the top division of the Ghanaian soccer league system, and in the Ghanaian FA Cup.[3] It plays its home matches at the Accra Sports Stadium.[4]
 | |||
| Full name | Accra Lions Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 12 December 2015[1] | ||
| Ground | Accra Sports Stadium Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana | ||
| Capacity | 40,000[2] | ||
| Chairman | Oliver König | ||
| Coach | James Francis | ||
| League | Ghana Premier League | ||
| 2023–24 | 2nd of 18 teams | ||
| Website | www.accralions.com | ||
|
| |||
History
editAccra Lions Football Club was founded on 12 December 2015.[5]
It secure promotion after 2 seasons in the Greater Accra Division 2 after winning the Zone IV division with a record 73 points in 28 matches to qualify for the middle league.[6]
During the Greater Accra promotional playoffs at the Tema Sports Stadium, Accra Lions booked the sole qualification ticket with a 100% winning record. It beat Emmanuel FC (4–1), R-Stakes (3–0) and Photizo Future Professionals (2–0) to slot into Division 1 Zone III which includes clubs based in Greater Accra, Eastern Region and Volta Region.[7]
On 28 January 2018, Accra Lions officially announced the Accra Sports Stadium as its new home ground for the 2017/2018 Division 1 League.[8]
In 2018 it made its debut in the Ghana Division 1- Zone 3[9] and in the Ghanaian FA Cup.[10]
After becoming champions in the Ghana Division One 2020/2021, Accra Lions earned promotion to the Ghana Premier League. It scored the most goals (57 goals in 28 matches) and the club's striker Rauf Salifu ended up as top scorer in this seasons Division 1 with 21 goals.[11]
In the FIFA Global Transfer Report 2021, Accra Lions ranked 7th in Africa ( CAF ) with 10 outgoing transfers. The following year it was able to transfer 10 players abroad.[12]
On 23 May 2023, Accra Lions officially announced that former German international, World Cup Winner and FIFA World Player of the Year, Lothar Matthäus has joined Accra Lions Soccer Club as board member and shareholder.[13][14]
Accra Lions finished the Ghana Premier League season 2023/2024 as runners-up. They reached second place (out of 18 teams) with the youngest first division team in the world. On matchday 7 against Bofoakwa Tano they played with an average age of 18.09 years. Throughout the whole season it was the youngest squad that ever played in the Ghana Premier League. [15]
Staff and players
editSource:[16]
- Head coach
James Francis
- Sporting director
- General manager
Ishmael Hamidu
- Director of finance & administration
- Enoch Kofi Osei
- Goalkeeper's coach
- Osei Boateng
- Physiotherapist
- Manaf Abubakar
- Assistant academy manager
Fiete Kaupp
Squad
editAs of 1 October 2024 [17]
| No. | Nat. | Name | Date of Birth | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keepers | ||||||
| 1 |  |
Kwadwo Bonsu | 02.05.2000 | |||
| 22 | |
Daniel Afful | 03.09.2005 | |||
| 33 | |
Carl Domie | 13.07.2008 | |||
| Defence | ||||||
| 2 | |
Remember Boateng | 15.11.2004 | |||
| 3 | |
Kofi Peprah | 30.03.2007 | |||
| 4 | |
Ali Mohammed | 07.02.2002 | |||
| 5 | |
Jacob Awoute | 28.01.2005 | |||
| 14 | |
Felix Amofa | 25.06.2007 | |||
| 15 | |
Musa Hamzata | 04.05.2003 | |||
| 16 | |
Issah Mohammed | 06.04.2006 | |||
| 21 | |
Richard Agyen | 25.07.2007 | |||
| 24 | |
Ibrahim Issa | 11.11.2003 | |||
| 25 | |
Baba Salifu Apiiga | 07.03.2007 | |||
| Midfield | ||||||
| 8 | |
Fuzy Taylor | 02.06.2008 | |||
| 12 | |
Larry Ayuuba | 05.04.2007 | |||
| 18 | |
Sadat Seidu | 05.01.2004 | |||
| 20 | |
Lawrence Setordjie | 16.07.2008 | |||
| 23 | |
Samuel Tettey-Narh | 01.03.2007 | |||
| 26 | |
Caleb Agyemang | 02.02.2007 | |||
| 28 | |
George Paaku | 26.01.2006 | |||
| 31 | |
Musah Anikaro Joseph | 16.10.2005 | |||
| Attack | ||||||
| 7 | |
Abdul-Shakun Abubakari | 21.04.2004 | |||
| 9 |  |
Lucky Nwafor | 21.05.2005 | |||
| 11 | |
Faris Tahiru | 19.02.2007 | |||
| 13 | |
Emmanuel Doku | 05.05.2008 | |||
| 19 | |
Bernard Kesse | 17.03.2004 | |||
| 27 | |
Osman Yousif | 03.12.2005 | |||
| 29 | |
Ezekiel Alladoh | 13.09.2005 | |||
| 30 | |
Ahmed Yousif | 13.11.2006 | |||
| 32 | |
David Akintunde | 25.04.2004 | |||
| 37 | |
Blessing Asumang | 11.05.2006 | |||
Former Players
edit
Crest
edit-
2015–2024 -
2024–present
Notes
edit- ^ "Our history". Accra Lions Football Club. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "Accra Sports Stadium – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "2018 MTN FA Cup preliminary round fixtures". FootballMadeinGhana. 5 April 2018. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- ^ "Accra Lions FC opts for Accra Sports Stadium as home ground for Division One League campaign". Ghanasoccernet. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Our history". Accra Lions Football Club. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "Our History". Accra Lions FC. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Accra Lions FC snatch Greater Accra Division One League ticket with three straight wins". GhanaSoccernet. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Accra Lions FC opts for Accra Sports Stadium as home ground for Division One League campaign". Ghanasoccernet. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Division One - Zone Three". Ghana Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "MTN FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND GAMES TO BE PLAYED THIS WEEKEND". Ghana Football Association. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- ^ "Accra Lions earn maiden promotion to Ghana Premier League less than six years after being founded". Joy Sports. 18 July 2021. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
- ^ "FIFA GLOBAL TRANSFER REPORT 2021" (PDF). FIFA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ "LOTHAR MATTHÄUS IS A LION". Accra Lions FC. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
- ^ "Bundesliga legend Lothar Matthäus buys Ghana's Accra Lions". DW. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
- ^ "ACCRA LIONS ENDS 2023-24 GPL SEASON AS RUNNERS-UP". ALFC. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Accra Lions FC Staff". Accra Lions Football Club. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ "Accra Lions FC Squad". Accra Lions Football Club. Retrieved 1 October 2024.