Writer:: Amoah Kofi
Twitter:: @milikykophy
Facebook:: Miliky-Amoah Kophy
"How are the mighty fallen in
the midst of battle!".... A quote from 1 Samuel 1:25 seems to be having a
telling effect in our league, on one of our footballing giant, precisely in the
camp of the continental club masters, Accra Hearts Oak. Former CAF Champions
league winner in 2000 and 20 times winners in our local league are currently
back at the relegation zone and are 15th on the league log. With 2 games to end
the league season, the Hearts of oak fraternity will presumably be in full
swing and put in much efforts behind the scenes and bounce back to pick the
remaining 6 points to help them escape relegation. The league resumes on
September 6th with Hearts playing Berekum Chelsea at home and WAFA away in the
following week at the Sogakope Park to end the season. Critically, Hearts faith
to escape relegation and stay in the league next season depends on their last
match base on points build up by clubs above them and matches left. Alot of
questions seems to trickle in on what has really gone wrong this season for the
Phobia fraternity. Unbeaten in their last three matches, yet find themselves
almost giving us a "good bye". A point at the Tarkwa TNA Park is quite
laudable than to lose all the three points. Medeama has always dominated Hearts
of Oak in recent matches and looked set to repeat the same dose but the spoils
were shared as both teams failed to score. Goalless it ended at the Tarkwa
Park.
On Saturday, the league leaders
Ashanti Gold travelled to the Brong Ahafo region to engage Berekum Chelsea at
the Golden City Park. A match that clearly will determine Ashgold's faith of
winning this season's league really lived up to its billing. As early as the
8th minutes, former Maristburg striker, Yakubu Mohammed shot the miners in the
lead with a calmly converted penalty. Chelsea's striker Kofi Owusu connected in
a cross to cancel Ashgold's lead in the 35th and in the 66th minutes, Latif
Salifu weaved his way through the Ashgold defence to double Chelsea's lead in
the second half. The saviour I will say, Emmanuel Osei converted a second
penalty for the miners in the 78th minutes to help them pick a point back to
Obuasi.
At the Ho Park, Heart of Lions were
at home to second place Aduana Fc this weekend. Prince Acquah converted a
penalty in the 18th minute to give Lions the lead. No goals were registered
again as Lions held on to pick all the three points. Very vital at this stage.
The Baba Yara wasn't left out of the
action as Asante Kotoko played already relegated BA United (yet to be
confirmed by the FA) who nearly served a cold dish to the Kotoko family
this afternoon. Captain of the side, Amos Frimpong connected in a header from
Eric Donkor's corner kick in the 18th minutes to give Kotoko the lead. Shortly
after, Obed Owusu doubled Kotoko's lead in the 25th minutes before first half.
Just when Kotoko thought there were controlling affairs, BA United had other
ideas as Abdul Karim and Abdul Wahab pulled parity in the 63rd and 76th minute.
Richard Mpong, who hasn't seen much action for a chunk part in the season for
Kotoko really silenced his critics, gave head coach David Duncan a second
thought about him and a last laugh for the Kotoko fans who have travelled far
and near to watch their resurgent club. Mpong quickly shot Kotoko in the lead
shortly after coming in as a sub and doubled his efforts three minutes later in
the 82nd and 85th minutes to hand Kotoko all the three points.
Obuasi Len Clay wasn't short of
excitement and nervy moments as New Edubiase fought from a goal down to defeat
Yusif Bassigi's Hasaacas. Fredrick Quayson scored the first goal for Hasaacas
in the 34th and his fifth in the season thus far. Just before the whistle was
blown for the end of first half, Bernard Ofori leveled things up for Edubiase
in the 45th minutes. With Edubiase missing a penalty in the second half, things
were beginning to look bleak for them but Anabila Latif popularly called
"Pogba" scored the winning goal in the 90th minutes as he did against
Hearts of Oak.
Good old Godwin Attram who was all
over the field in their game against WAFA could have scored a hat trick if not
for the penalty he missed in the second half. Already having three goals in the
league for Great Olympics, he scored his 4th and 5th goal in the season in the
50th and 78th minutes respectively. WAFA, as much as they could, tried but had
no answers to the goals as they lost by two goals to nil.
Elsewhere at the Bechem Park, Bechem
United held on to Noah Martey's 62nd penalty strike and the only goal in the
match ( his 10th in the season) to pick all the three points at
this crucial stage whiles Liberty Professionals saw off Eleven is to one, Inter
Allies at the Carl Reindolf park in the closing stage of the game. With 8 minutes
to end the match, Edward Ebo Mends scored the match winner in the 82nd minutes
for Liberty to make sure the three points are safe in the bags.
