ROUND UP OF WEEK 28 FIRST CAPITAL PLUS BANK PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES.

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.