MTN soccer Academy yields results … Steven Sowu off to Ajax, Gideon Baah gets U-20 call

Ghana's biggest and most exhilarating reality show on TV - the MTN Soccer Academy - has entered its third season with remarkable successes from the previous two editions.

The 2008 ultimate winner, Steven Sowu, who exhibited extraordinary abilities and excellence throughout the competition, is currently on his way for trials with South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, Ajax Cape Town, popularly known as the “Urban Warriors.”

Meanwhile, outstanding performances by skipper Gideon Baah of Sporting Mirren Football Club in the just-ended elite football league season of Ghana, has won him a ticket to justify his inclusion into the Black Satellite line-up for the 2009 FIFA World Youth Tournament, slated for Egypt in September.

Baah proud winner of the maiden edition of the MTN Sports Academy has played two seasons in the Ghana Premiership and underwent a two week trial with UK Chelsea Football Club in 2007.

The 2008/09 Premier League season, arguably the most competitive in recent years, prominently featured two other products of the 2008 MTN Soccer Academy, namely Michael Gator of Kpando Heart of Lions, and Bismark Frimpong of Accra Hearts of Oak, the newly crowned 2009 League Champions.

This year's event, the 3rd in the series, is due to be launched this Friday July 31st and has been dubbed the MTN Soccer Academy Ghana-Nigeria 2009, which means the project has expanded its reach beyond the shores of Ghana to Nigeria. This international flavour has become necessary, so as to expand television audiences and explore soccer talent in Nigeria, who are craving for participation to showcase what they have in this year's edition.

The show is being organised by Optimum Media Prime, and will be telecast live on Metro TV and AIT TV Nigeria this year. It promises to build on the previous two years, with exciting modalities and content by OMP.