Accra Lions vs Elmina Sharks opens Premier League campaign
Premier League new boys Accra Lions will welcome last season’s last day surprise package, Elmina Sharks in the opening match of the new season at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The debutants will play host to the Elmina-based side who narrowly escaped relegation on the last day thanks to an impressive 0-1 victory over the Porcupine Warriors at Obuasi which also meant they completed the season’s double over the Kumasi-based side.
Accra Lions strolled to the Premier League with Tema Youth closely on their heels as they both chased the single available slot in Zone 3 of the Division One league.
Rainer Craft’s side that is just six years old in its football life will be hoping to begin their campaign on a perfect note as they would hope to prolong their stay in the league. They beefed up their contingent by adding players some new faces to the squad in the offseason and would be expectant of starting on a brilliant note.
Salifu Rauf and Evans Etti who plundered in 30 goals between themselves last season will also be hoping to set the Premier League on fire with vital goals and doing it against Sharks would be a special moment to start from.
Elmina Sharks would want to avoid last season’s near-disaster performance where their fate had to be secured on the last day thanks to that solitary goal win at Obuasi. Every man has one life and theirs may not be more so a good start would be something vital from them.
The two sides have no previous competitive meeting in between them before and would be strangers to each other when they square off at the Accra Sports Stadium in the national capital.
Benjamin Tweneboah and Benjamin Boateng were the high scoring players for Sharks last season and Tahir Mensah was an instrumental presence in the side aside from securing their safety with that solitary goal against Kotoko at Obuasi. The former two have however left the side with Boateng being the latest of the duo to exit after he joined Egyptian side Alexandria in the offseason following Tweneboah’s switch to Aduana Stars in the mid-season transfer window.
They added former Inter Allies left-back Emmanuel Adjetey to their ranks on a free transfer as well as Hearts of Oak midfielder Michelle Sarpong on loan. Francis Oteng and Ebenezer Adukwaw both also joined the Sharks from Skyy FC and would be expected to cushion the team’s effort at improving their league performance this season.
The match will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, October 29, 2021, at 6 pm.
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