Baba Rahman signs off PAOK loan with first major career trophy

Ghana defender Baba Rahman won his first major trophy after helping PAOK to a 2-1 victory over Olympiakos in the Greek Cup final.

The on-loan Chelsea defender excelled initially playing in a wing-back position before working hard in the second half to see out the victory.

Vieirinha and Krmencik scored the goals for PAOK while M’vila got one for Olympiakos who came into the game as huge favourites having walked the league this season.

Rahman has rediscovered his competitive edge in the Greek League and has been rated as the best left back in the second half of the season.

The 26-year-old missed only one league game since his debut for PAOK in February and has clocked 13 league starts and three cup games, helping the Thessaloniki based club to their first cup in a decade.

The former Schalke man arrived as a man in need but leaves the league as one of it’s best players having helped PAOK to an impressive second placed finish in the league and winning the cup.

Injuries had threatened to bring Rahman’s promising career to a premature end following two knee injuries picked up first while playing for his country and later when playing for Spanish side Mallorca.

But like every true champion, the Ghanaian has fought back and enjoyed a stellar second half of the season with PAOK. The Greek side are desperate to have him back next season as they look to progress in the UEFA Europa League preliminary stages but all will depend on Chelsea and the plan they have for the left back who still has a year’s contract left with the london based club.

Rahman’s return to both fitness and form will be music to Akonnor and a boost to Black Stars ahead of the World Cup qualifiers scheduled for later this year and ultimately the Africa Cup of Nations to be staged in Cameroon in January 2022.

Ghana has to navigate games against South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers if they are to be amongst the countries to represent Africa at the Qatar World Cup finals next year.

Coach Akonnor will also be hoping to better the round of sixteen stage the Black Stars reached in the last edition of the AFCON with the current crop of players at his disposal.

This season has rounded off in a great form for some Ghanaian players with Mo Kudus winning the league with Ajax , Andre Ayew leading from the front as Swansea head to Wembley for a final match against Tariqe Fosu’s Brentford and Thomas Partey in the count for a league winners medal from Atletico Madrid despite joining Arsenal on transfer deadline day last summer.