Yes!!! The First Capital Plus Bank Premier League
bounces back this weekend after going on break for 20 days (16th
Aug, 2015). This year’s league will probably go into the history books as one
of the most interesting and exciting league to have been played in the country.
As it stands now, clubs joining BA United for relegation and who is to win the
penultimate trophy is still unknown. But, events seem to be turning into Ashanti
Gold’s favour in the sense that a win for them on Sunday will see them win
their first league trophy in 20 years now.
A quick glance through the fixtures for week 29 shows
mouthwatering, blood and sweat thing and an all to play for, in matches
involving clubs at the bottom half of the league table. The last two matches in
the league will be more vital for clubs such as New Edubiase, Bechem United, Great
Olympics and Heart of Lions
In the past two weeks, there has been ‘alleged’
friendship between clubs to soften their stands to allow others sinking to have
a firm stand at the end of the league. Whether true or not, we hope to see the
competitiveness among clubs in the various league centres’s as shown since
match day 1.
Without a shred of doubt, the top liner and a cracker
of a match this weekend will be Heart of Lions and Accra Great Olympics at the
Ho stadium. What a match we have in our hands this weekend. Other matches
include troubled Asante Kotoko who has been struck down twice this week after
narrowly losing the MTN FA Cup to Meadeama due to a bad refereeing decision
from Joseph Lamptey and his assistants and then again being deducted 6 points
from their accumulated points and are 15th on the league table. They
face Hasaacas at the same venue this Sunday. BA United will patiently wait for
Accra base Liberty Professionals and try to act as bad nut as they wave good
bye to the league. At the Tema astro turf, Inter Allies will face MTN FA Cup
winners this season, Medeama. Accra Hearts of Oak will also be in battle
against Berekum Chelsea at the nation’s wembley whiles Ashgold could end their
20 years of winning a league trophy on Sunday by defeating WAFA. Lastly, Aduana
FC plays relegation scaring New Edubiase at the Dormaa Park.
Heart
of Lions Vs Great Olympics.
The biggest clash this weekend is the clash between
these two clubs, Heart of Lions and Accra Great Olympics at the Ho Park in my
opinion. The destiny to stay in the league lies in their hands in connection to
their position on the league table. Quite ridiculously, both clubs are tied on
the same points but only a goal separates them. Olympics are 12th on
the league table with 37 points likewise Lions, 37 points and 13th
on the league table.
Great Olympics won the first leg by three goals to
two at the Accra sports stadium. Already tested the might of the Lions in the
first leg and subsequently coming out with a victory, nothing will seem to
scare the ‘Oly dade’ boys by causing and upset at the capital city in the Volta
Region. Their clash on Sunday will be Heart of Lions’ 4th time of
playing teams from the Greater Accra Region. They have previously engaged them
on 3 occasions, drawing 2 and winning 1. They have scored only 1 goal and
conceded none. Contrary, this will be Olympics second visit to the region after
losing 2-1 to Sogakope base WAFA in Week 3 on the 25th of June 2015.
What makes this clash really interesting is a fight
to beat the coils of relegation. Lions are yet to lose a home in the league so
far whiles
Olympics are unbeaten in their last 7 matches and has netted in their
last 3 outings, since week 22 (19th July, 2015). Lions have played
14 home games in the league so far. They have 9 wins and 5 draws. Subsequently,
they have scored 21 and conceded 4. An interesting twist is; they are yet to
concede at home in their last 3 matches (since week 24).
On the same account, Olympics have travelled 14
times as guest to other clubs in the league. They have won 1, which is better
than none as compared to other clubs, drew 5 and lost the remaining matches, 8.
Olympics have allowed in 17 goals and in turn netted 7.
Prince Acquah and Osman Muntaka both have 5 goals
each and are the leading goal scorers for their club, Heart of Lions whiles
Kwame Boateng and good old Godwin Attram have 8 and 5 goals respectively for
Olympics. These players are in shape and top form for their clubs and could
cause havoc to any leaking defense on any given day. Predicting the outcome of
the game will be difficult. But Lions will have a home advantage over Olympics
come Sunday. May the better and well prepared team win.
Hasaacas Vs
Asante Kotoko.
The last time Sekondi Hasaacas was in the league
with Great Olympics (34 points), they were both relegated in the 2009/2010
season with 21 points, alongside regional rivals, Eleven Wise (31 points). Both
clubs are in the league once again and are somehow battling relegation.
Hasaacas wouldn’t want what happened in 2010 to repeat itself as reports
gathered this week from Sekondi reveals that, the supporters are fired up as well
as the team to face the unlucky porcupine warriors, Asante Kotoko this weekend.
Kotoko has been hard done this season
and has been in the news for the past two weeks for all wrong reasons. Losing the president cup on
penalties to your bitterest rival, Hearts of Oak. Again, losing the MTN FA Cup to Medeama for
the second time on a bad decision from the centre referee and to top it all,
losing 6 points to their rivals for fielding an unqualified player. The woes of
Asante Kotoko never cease to end. How prepared are they, psychological, to face
Hasaacas who are strong and resilient at home this season come Sunday.
Since 2005, Kotoko has played Hasaacas 14 times in
the league. They have won 8, drawn 5 and lost 1. To add to it, they have scored
19 and conceded 12 of the 31 goals produced. Then again, since 2005, Kotoko has
visited the Sekondi Township 8 times for league matches. They are yet to lose a
game as they have picked 5 wins and 3 draws, scoring 13 and conceding 7.
Picking from the same year, the porcupine warriors have engaged Hasaacas 6
times in league matches and are again yet to lose a game against them, won 3
and drawn 3. Hasaacas only win against Kotoko was on the 14th of
April 2007 when they defeated them 1-2 at the Baba Yara stadium.
Hasaacas this season are unbeaten at home in 14
league matches. A home invincibility they will appreciate protecting as they
play their last home match on Sunday. They have drawn 4, won 10 and
subsequently scored 24 and conceded 8. On the flip side, Kotoko have won 4, lost
5 and drawn 5 in their 14 outings. Talking of goals, they have allowed in 17
whiles netting 16 this season. Asante
Kotoko will pride themselves going into this match as they are unbeaten in their last 5 matches in the league (since week 24). This will be Hasaacas 3rd time of playing Ashanti Regional teams this season. They have stamped their authority over them by winning the previous two clashes and kept a clean sheet as well (1-0 against Edubiase and 2-0 against Ashanti Gold).
Kotoko will pride themselves going into this match as they are unbeaten in their last 5 matches in the league (since week 24). This will be Hasaacas 3rd time of playing Ashanti Regional teams this season. They have stamped their authority over them by winning the previous two clashes and kept a clean sheet as well (1-0 against Edubiase and 2-0 against Ashanti Gold).
BA
United Vs Liberty Professionals.
Is all said and done for BA United and a continuous
wave of good bye from them is just two matches away as they are set to join the
division 1 league next season. They are bottom on the league table with 19
points. A surprise win of the remaining two matches will still see them get
relegated but a bettered point accumulated from 2010/2011 league season when
they were relegated with 22 points. BA United could be a bad and bitter nut for
Liberty as they also desperately need all the three points at stake. 40 points
seems safe for Liberty for now but looking at the closeness of the points build
up by clubs, George Lamptey will have to go for the kill by picking all the
three points.
Poorly, BA United are yet to pick a win in their
last 3 matches against Liberty whiles conceding 8 and scoring none. In a worse
scenario, they are yet to pick a win in 14 league matches since they won 2-1
against Berekum Chelsea on week 14. In their last 10 home games, they have
conceded 11 goals. As much as BA United can’t score, they are also conceding in numbers as
well. On a normal day, the worst results for Liberty should be a draw game at the
Sunyani Coronation Park.
Unfortunately for Liberty their leading goal scorer,
Kennedy Ashia is with the Black Meteors in Congo for the All African games but
as collectively and beautifully as they have played this season, putting BA to
the sword is just a matter of time.
Inter
Allies Vs Bechem United.
One team that I really love their accolade is Inter
Allies, ‘Eleven is to one’. Literally, it means they play as a team and as a
unit, one for all and all for one. They host Brong Ahafo base club Bechem
United at the Tema Park. Coach Paa Kwesi Fabien and his Allies boys will be
missing the services of their inspirational captain Joseph Aidoo who is loan to
Swedish club Hammarby whiles their centre back Baba Mensah, expert in penalty
kicks, is with the Black Stars far away in Rwanda for Gabon 2017 Nations Cup
Qualifiers. Their goalkeeper Kwame takes on the captain’s band for the
remaining two games whiles Simon Martey deputizes him as vice.
Bechem United is currently 14th on the
league log with 37 points whiles Allies are 4th with 41 points. In
14 matches played at home, Allies have lost only one and that was against WAFA
in the first round. They have won 9 and drew 4 . Again, they have scored
18 and conceded 5 which is very good from their quarters. Well, in contrast,
Bechem United are yet to pick an away win in this season’s league. They have
woefully lost 12 and drew 2 in the process. In scoring abilities, they have
scored 8 and conceded 24.
In their last 5 matches, Allies have won 1, lost 2
and drew 2 whiles Bechem have 2 wins, 2 draws and a loss. In their last 3
meetings, both have a win with one ending in a draw. Allies have scored 4 and
conceded 2 in the 6 goals produced in their clashes. But sadly for Bechem, they
are yet to score in their last 3 outings.
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