Accra Lions Football Club

A 93rd-minute defeat in the final match of our European Tour after five consecutive victories

IK Sirius 1️⃣:0️⃣ Accra Lions U19

Our U19 side suffered their first defeat of the European Tour in the final match of an extraordinary campaign, falling 1–0 to Swedish side IK Sirius after five consecutive victories. The decisive moment came in the third minute of stoppage time, when the hosts converted a corner with a powerful header.
The result was particularly unfortunate considering the quality of the opposition. Sirius fielded seven players from their first-team squad, which currently sits comfortably at the top of the Allsvenskan with an 11-point lead. Despite the significant age difference (Sirius: 21.2 years; Accra Lions: 16.9 years), the gap was barely noticeable on the pitch.
As had been the case against Eintracht Frankfurt’s U21 side and IFK Norrköping earlier in the tour, the experienced professionals controlled the opening stages. However, our young Lions once again grew into the match with every passing minute. In the 24th minute, Christian Bolonjo came close to opening the scoring after a swift counterattack involving Kweku Opare-Adu and Nasir Salihu, narrowly missing the target from around 20 meters.
The remainder of the first half was largely contested in midfield, with both teams limiting each other to very few clear-cut opportunities.
After the break, Accra Lions repeatedly threatened through their pace on the flanks, but luck deserted us in front of goal. Sirius impressed with their composed and intelligent build-up play, yet our defensive unit—once again expertly marshalled by the outstanding Richard Agyen—remained disciplined throughout and rarely allowed the hosts any genuine opportunities.
Our best chance of the match came in the 75th minute after an excellently constructed attack. Kweku Opare-Adu found himself with a golden opportunity from 12 meters, but was unable to find the back of the net.
Having failed to capitalize on our own chances, football delivered its cruelest lesson in stoppage time. A corner in the 93rd minute was met by a Sirius header that proved to be the match winner.
Despite the last-gasp defeat, our U19 team can return to Accra immensely proud of an outstanding European Tour. Victories over renowned opponents such as Eintracht Frankfurt U19 (3–1), Eintracht Frankfurt U21 (4–1), IFK Norrköping (3–2), and Hammarby U19 (1–0) underline the tremendous progress and potential of this young group.

The squad returns home not only with memorable results, but also with invaluable experience and important lessons that will further support the successful development of our players.

Another statement victory on our tour!

IFK Norrköping 2️⃣:3️⃣ Accra Lions U19

Just one day after an exhausting journey from Frankfurt via Riga to Stockholm, followed by a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride to Norrköping, our young Lions faced one of the biggest challenges of their European Tour: a match against 13-time Swedish champions IFK Norrköping.

The game at the historic Idrottsparken promised to be another fascinating test for our U19 side. The hosts fielded a team made up almost entirely of players from their professional squad, many of whom were significantly older and more experienced than our young Lions.

Despite the daunting task, Accra Lions made the perfect start. Just one minute into the match, Prince Ansah capitalized on a defensive error to give the visitors an early lead. Stung by the setback, Norrköping gradually took control of the game and deservedly equalized in the 24th minute as Tim Prica curled a superb free kick from 22 meters into the net.

As they had throughout the tour, our young Lions responded with remarkable character. Winger Jeff Dakpo restored the lead in the 35th minute with a composed finish, sending Accra Lions into halftime with a 2–1 advantage.

The lead did not last long after the restart, however. In the 48th minute, Norrköping’s Kylian Seka scored by head to level the score once again.

Undeterred, our Lions continued to fight. Following a brilliantly executed counterattack, Kweku Opare-Adu put Accra Lions back in front in the 52nd minute. The remainder of the match was a hard-fought battle, with our young side defending courageously and matching their professional opponents with determination and resilience.

At the final whistle, Accra Lions celebrated a fully deserved 3–2 victory, our fourth win in as many matches on this year’s European Tour and yet another impressive demonstration of the tremendous potential of this talented young team.

Accra Lions can confirm the immediate transfer of Lawrence Norkplim Setordjie to German Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt.

The attacking midfielder spent three seasons developing at our club, making a total of 52 league appearances across the Ghana Premier League and the Division One League for the Lions. During that time, he recorded six goals and 13 assists.

We would like to thank Lawrence for his commitment and dedication, and we wish him nothing but the very best for the next chapter of his career.

Good Game Accra Lions Football Club 🦁🤝🦅

Der Kooperationsverein Accra Lions FC aus Ghana ist seit dem 9. Juli bei der Eintracht zu Gast 🇬🇭 Zum Abschluss gewannen die Lions in einem Freundschaftsspiel gegen die U21 mit 4:1.

Danke für Euren Besuch! 🙌
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Our partner club, Accra Lions FC from Ghana, is visiting Eintracht Frankfurt since Juli 9th 🇬🇭 To wrap up their visit, the Lions won a friendly match against the U21 team 4–1.

Thank you for visiting! 🙌

A day to remember!

Eintracht Frankfurt U21 1️⃣:4️⃣ Accra Lions U19

Our young Lions, the Accra Lions U19 selection, continued their impressive European tour with another outstanding performance, defeating Eintracht Frankfurt’s U21 side 4–1 in convincing fashion.

Just four days after their 3–1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt’s U19 team, the challenge appeared significantly greater on paper. The U21 side, set to compete in the Bundesliga Reserve League, featured several youth internationals and a squad with considerably more experience.

As expected, our boys found the opening stages difficult. The German side, with an average age roughly three years older, dictated the first 30 minutes through their physical style of play and relentless pressing, preventing the Lions from finding their rhythm.

Gradually, however, the team adapted to the unfamiliar intensity. During the final 15 minutes of the first half, the Lions began to settle into the game and created their first promising moments.

The second half told a completely different story. In the 48th minute, Kelson Ofosu-Antwi won possession with a perfectly timed tackle just outside the Eintracht penalty area before slipping the ball through to Nasir Salihu, who calmly finished into the bottom-left corner from 14 metres to give the Lions a deserved 1–0 lead.

Eintracht responded with wave after wave of attacks, but the Lions’ well-organised defence stood firm, repeatedly breaking up the pressure before launching dangerous counter-attacks of their own.

One of those counters proved decisive in the 73rd minute. Centre-back Richard Agyen surged forward after winning possession on the right flank before finding captain Lawrence Setordjie, who once again showcased his outstanding quality with a thunderous finish to double the advantage.

Rather than sitting back, the Lions continued to press forward. Just two minutes later, Emmanuel Oduro converted Jeff Dakpo’s dangerous cross from close range to make it 3–0 after 75 minutes.

To their credit, Eintracht refused to give up. In the 85th minute, Germany youth international Christian Prenaj pulled one back with a well-deserved goal for the hosts.

The Lions responded immediately. Only a minute later, another swift counter-attack saw Zaidudeen Abdul Wahab break down the left before picking out Kweku Opare-Adu, who fired a precise left-footed strike from 15 metres beyond the goalkeeper to seal a comprehensive 4–1 victory.

Having recorded a 10–0 win over SpVgg Oberrad, a 3–1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt’s U19s, and now a 4–1 triumph over their U21 side, the Lions leave Germany with three wins from three matches and an outstanding aggregate score of 17–2. The team now travels to Sweden, where three more fixtures await over the next eight days.

Enjoy a few more moments from our 3–1 victory over the U19s of our partner club, Eintracht Frankfurt. It was a match that meant far more than the result on the pitch, reflecting the strong partnership and shared values between our clubs.

A huge thank you to Eintracht Frankfurt for the warm welcome, outstanding hospitality, and an unforgettable experience. We truly appreciate it!