Ghana Premier League - Statistical Preview Of Week 21 (Part 1)

Writer: Amoah Kofi      

Twitter: @Milikykophy  

Ghana Premier League

The First Capital Plus Premier League enters Week 21 with mouth-watering encounters and various mini battles for positions on the league log. Clubs such as Heart of Lions, Olympics, New Edubiase and Hearts of Oak will battle other clubs for at least a point, if not all the three points. 

Ashanti Gold vs Aduana and Medeama SC vs Asante Kotoko will be the top-liners in this weekend league matches in my candid opinion. AshGold will have a point to prove against Dormaa-based Aduana Stars given they lost the league to them in 2009 and could  further extend their points on the log pending other results. Kotoko will also look to continue their impressive form against Medeama and heal any wounds caused in their defeat to their bitterest rivals Hearts on Wednesday in the President Cup.

Week 20 matches ended with superiority from home sides as they stamped their authority on visiting teams. 6 home wins and 2 draws. However, it failed to lighten up with goals as they recorded the same amount in Weeks 4,5 and 6 with 13 goals as against 28 goals in week 19.

Below are the analyses and previews for some (half) of the upcoming matches.

Inter Allies  vs  Olympics

Tema-based Inter Allies welcome Great Olympics to their 5,000 capacity astro-turf park this weekend. Inter Allies, over the weekend ended their winless streak of seven (7) matches against Wa All Stars, thanks to an exquisitely converted penalty in the 53rd minutes by Baba Mensah, which was his first goal of the season. 

On the other hand, Olympics ended their five matches winless streak against Liberty, an early goal by veteran Godwin Attram in the 8th min was enough to see them off. Allies, this season have not conceded more than a goal per game when playing at home, obviously very impressive. 

They go into this weekend's match with their chest held up high and all the bragging rights as they defeated Olympics by a goal to nil at their own backyard in the first round. Inter Allies have lost only 1 match at home (against WAFA), drawn three and won six of their 10 matches played at home, scoring 13 and conceding just 4.

Olympics, two-time league winners in 1970 and 1974, on the other hand are 15th on the league table with 22 points, having played 10 matches as guest to clubs. Won 1, drawn 2 and lost 7. Scoring 4 and conceding 13 goals.

With coach Paa Kwesi Fabien's boys beginning to pick up the pieces, winning 1 and drawing 4 in their last 5 matches as against Olympics who have 1 win, 1 draw and 3 losses in their last 5 matches, a win for Allies won't be surprising as it will further send Olympics down the league log.

Medeama SC  vs  Asante Kotoko

One of the top-liners in this weekend's league matches comes off at the Tarkwa TNA park. Asante Kotoko will like to use this clash to appease their fans and reaffirm their superiority in matches against Medeama against the back drop of a painful President Cup loss to their rivals Hearts of Oak on Wednesday. 

Medeama, who also lost to Edubiase over the weekend, will seek their first win over Kotoko in as many matches. Both clubs are pegged on the same points (28) with goals separating each other.

These two clubs have met 10 times dating back to 2009/2010 league season. Kotoko have the lion's share with 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat. 18 goals have been produced in such games with Kotoko scoring 13 goals whiles Medeama have just 5 goals. Interestingly, Kotoko's last four visits to Medeama have all resulted in a win, drawing none. A win for Kotoko will be their fifth.

The Tarkwa Mauves will like to at least protect their home invincibility as they have won 7 and drawn 3 in their last 10 matches played at home. Both clubs are pegged on the same points (28) and are again the highest scoring clubs in the league (26 goals, including Ashgold), but the number of goals conceded separates them. 

Nathaniel Asamoah, currently leading the goal chart with 13 will be meeting his former employers and will probably like to add more sorrrow to Kotoko's woes this season and probably increase his goal tally. Amed Toure who has scored in three out of last three matches and quickly catching up on Nathaniel Asamaoh has 10 goals in the league for Kotoko will look to increase his goal tally in Tarkwa.

Asante Kotoko have won 3 matches when visiting other clubs in the league. Out of 10 games, they've  scored 14 goals and conceded 15. With their undulating performance in the league, a win on Sunday will be somehow surprising against Medeama who have won only one out of their last 5 matches, sharing the spoils won't be a surprise. 

Bechem United  vs  Liberty Profs 

Bechem United, founded in 1966 and plays their league matches at the Nana Gyeabour park, a 5,000 capacity will welcome the Scientific Soccer lads, Liberty Professionals this weekend who are 6th on the league  log with 30 points. 

Liberty who were undefeated in 7 league matches lost to Olympics over the weekend by a goal to nil. Liberty will this time be seeking to break their so-to-say cursed away matches against a resolute Bechem side who are more stronger at home. They join clubs such a Medeama and others who are without an away win.

These two clubs have met 5 times spanning from 2011 to date. Their first meeting was in 2011 which Liberty won by a massive margin 5-0. They have won 3 and lost 2. Seventeen goals have been produced with Liberty having scored 11 and in turn conceded 6.

Bechem will like to make amends this time around after their goalkeeper, Rashid Seidu's howler gave Kotoko a late penalty to enable them pick all the three points last week. Bechem have lost only one match at home (against Kotoko). They have drawn one and won eight of their 10 matches played at home scoring 16 and conceding 6. As against Liberty who are winless in 10 away matches, drawn 6 and lost 4. Conceded 8 and scored only 3. The least recorded by visiting clubs in the league. Liberty's woes in away matches looks set to continue as Bechem will add them to their list of home victims. 

Wa All Stars  vs  BA United 

The Blues, Wa All Stars as they are nicknamed will be welcoming bottom rooted B.A United who are without a win in six matches now at the Wa Sports Stadium. Based on current performance and recent results, one wouldn't need any further analysis to predict the outcome of this match. Football, they say is full of uncertainties and based on this, B.A Utd could pull out a surprise at the Wa Park.

B.A United, bottom on the league log with 16 points and having conceded the highest number of goals in the league, 32, with internal wranglings taking a center stage, definitely this is a club heading for relegation with 10 games to go. The sacking of their CEO Roy Arthur last week prior to their game against Hearts of Oak game resurrected other issues pertaining to the board and management. Players on the other hand have been shrouded in bribery allegations and again intentionally losing matches so as to win huge sums of money with these betting companies, allegedly. They say he who fights and run away surely lives to fight another blissful day, prudently, it will be good if they are relegated so they put their act together for another top flight football.

These two clubs have met on three occasions in 2010, 2011 and 2015. Allt Sars have two wins and a lost, scoring 5 and conceding 3.

All Stars who are currently 3rd with 30 points will go all out to defeat B.A Utd to solidify their position on the league table so as to qualify for Top Four (4) and have a taste of African football outside the shores of Ghana. The die probably is cast against B.A Utd as they have lost all their 10 away matches conceding a whopping 23 goals, scoring only 4. This is a team not far from crises. There could be more than a goal recorded on Sunday and probably a goal fest.




 Part 2 of the preview will follow suit.