For Misr El-Makasa, for Ismaily, for Al Ahly and other top-flight sides in Egypt, center forward John Duku Antwi has shown staggering efforts on the land that will host the African Nation’s Cup starting June 2019.
As the foreigner with most goals in the Egyptian League, John Antwi has closed in on 1982 skipper, Emmanuel Quarshie who led Ghana to its 4th and last Cup of Nations title. Emmanuel Quarshie is a regarded legend for Zamalek, but for the former Sekondi Eleven Wise striker, he’s regarded as the best foreigner to have ever stepped foot in the Egyptian league.
It is not a mere say that Ghanaians will put their hand on the chopping board that John Antwi has a huge part to play in the Coach James Akwasi Appiah led side’s quest to bring home the tournament, if there’s any chance this time, after it has eluded Ghana for the past 37 years.
As a player in the last tournament that Ghana won, the former Kumasi Asante Kotoko left back perhaps has to draw the line in the relevance of certain key factors which are somehow key indicators of a year that Ghana has the merit to bring home the tournament.
For John Antwi, football is coming home – the home that he has been for the past 8 years. He cannot just unlook for it to be snatched away once again. And again, John Antwi has spent some magnificent 6 years in the Egyptian league starting 2013, when he made a $250K move from Sekondi Eleven Wise to Ismaily.
He’s carved for himself a topscorer award in the Egyptian Cup, Egyptian League and a handsome hat-tricks in his strides of becoming the foreigner with most goals in the Egyptian league.
The former Sekondi Eleven Wise forward has featured and scored on almost all the six venues to be used for the 2019 AFCON; the Cairo International Stadium, the Al Salam Stadium and the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Alexandria Stadium in Alexandria, Suez Stadium in Suez and Ismailia Stadium in Ismailia have all felt the Goal Poacher’s shoe.
He’s arguably the best Ghanaian forward across the globe this season, scoring 10 staggering league goals for Misr El-Makasa.
This season alone John Antwi has made some remarkable achievements on the venues to host the 2019 AFCON, 5 out of his 10 league goals this season has come on venues that are chosen for the tournament; on the Al Salam Stadium John Antwi scored in a 2-1 defeat to Al Ahly, he scored one of the goals in a 2-1 win against El Qanah FC at the Alexandria Stadium, he scored when El Makasa lost 2-1 to Ismaily at the Ismaily Stadium and a 1-1 draw against both Pyramid FC and Smouha FC at the 30th June Stadium.
Indeed, the Egyptian Premier League cannot be written without the name of the Ghanaian forward making an appearance in the history books with his magnificent, unprecedented and remarkable performances over the past six years.
In his second season with Ismaily, John Antwi score 4 and 11 times in the Egyptian Cup and the Egyptian league to run home with top scorer awards in both competitions.
His remarkable form over the past years in the Egyptian Premier League has been one of the many reasons why many Ghanaians believe John Antwi has a part to play if the trophy has to arrive in Accra in July.
It has come across one too many that John Antwi should have been nodded for various tournaments which he has been overlooked; in 2014, prior to the world cup under same manager, John Antwi failed to make the Black Stars team despite loads of calls from Ghanaians, the attacker was last seen on the bench in a world cup qualifier against Uganda in 2017.
Should Kwesi Appiah invite him, Antwi will not just give the Black Stars another option in the attack, but also reliability upfront in a player that his presence already sends shivers down the spine of indigens of the host country and the crowd backing him for it.
Antwi has proved on countless occasions why he deserves a slot in the Black Stars, toping up with a dazzling and a mind-boggling last minutes stunner that gave Misr El-Makasa a point in their last game against league leaders Pyramids.
He was last invited to the Black Stars during Ghana’s world cup qualifier against Uganda in 2017 and he’s ripe for another invitation for the 32nd edition of the prestigious tournament on the African continent (AFCON).
