GPL Round-Up: Kotoko Stunned, Hearts Held At Anyinase, Olympics And Bechem United Humiliated And More From Match Day 21
Weekends in a league season are always packed with entertaining activities from match centres. For week 21 of the Ghana Premier League, there were plenty of actions with goals coming in from all angles. Here is a round-up of the matches with myactiveonline’s Clifford Adumbire.
Saturday Thrillers
Match week 21 begun in Accra with the Scientific Soccer Lads edging out the Blues by two goals to nil courtesy of a strike apiece from Abraham Wayo and Amadu Adamu in each half. Liberty however are still trailing the Bono Region giants by three points as they lie 14th on the table, two places below Chelsea.
Medeama ended Mariano Barreto’s honeymoon at Kumasi Asante Kotoko by stunning them with a 2 – 1 defeat at the Porcupine Warriors new home at the Len Clay Stadium which was a fortress until now. Emmanuel Gyamfi shot the Oseikrom boys into the lead but that rather proved to be a consolation after Prince Opoku and Richard Boadu both scored for the Yellow and Mauves. Kotoko took the lead 13 minutes into the game but was pegged back at the half-hour mark by Prince Opoku’s goal. Richard Boadu then scored what turned out to be the winner on the stroke of halftime to take his side to recess with the lead. The presence of the returning Brazilian magician, Fabio Gama could not however prevent Kotoko from tasting their first defeat under Barreto.
Accra Great Olympics great form heading to the end of the first half of the season that had them dreaming of the title seem to be fast dissipating. The Dade boys were humiliated by Cape Coast Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs in a 5 goal thriller. Simon Martey and Kofi Elia Jnr both scored to give the Crabs a two goal lead before the break. After recess, Michael Asamoah and Enock Affram added more misery to the hapless Olympics as Annor Walker’s side struggled for ideas. Gladson Awako scored a consolation goal for Oly Dade as they returned to Accra empty handed and dropping to 4th on the table.
Sunday Action
Ashanti Gold blew Bechem United apart in what turned out to be a one sided affair on Sunday afternoon. Yaw Annor and Amos Addai both scored in under 15 minutes of play with the latter converting from the penalty spot after he was fell in the box. Seth Osei added the third moments before recess to leave the Hunters with a mountain to climb. After the break, the Miners added another through subsitute David Abagna who scored his sixth goal of the season for the Obuasi side. The win left Ash Gold on 7th with 30 points, same as United who are 8th.
A Zubairu Ibrahim first-half goal was the difference as King Faisal beat fellow strugglers Inter Allies 1 – 0. The win was their first in April following goalless draws against WAFA SC and Ashanti Gold on either side of a 3 – 1 defeat to Aduana Stars
Meanwhile, Accra Hearts of Oak had to wait for a late goal from Kwadwo Obeng Jnr to salvage a point at the CAM Park at Anyinase against Karela United FC. Substitute Maxwell Boakye shot the Anyinase based side into the lead in the 70th minute before Obeng Jnr pushed it to a draw after scoring in the 85th minute. The result put Hearts in 3rd on the table, two less than leaders Medeama and one more than Karela who are 5th.
Sam Adams scored two goals in 18 first-half minutes to give Aduana Stars the win following their 4 – 0 trouncing in the hands of Bechem United in their last outing. He scored from the spot in the 4th minute before adding his second in the 18th minute. Justice Mensah got the consolation for Sharks after 85 minutes of play.
Asamoah Gyan’s return to the field for Legon Cities could not prevent them from losing two points at home following a 1 -1 stalemate against Dreams FC. Hans Kwoffie put the Royals in the lead in the 44th minute before Abdul Jalilu equalized later for the Still Believe.
WAFA closed match week 21 with a 1 – 0 win over Eleven Wonders. The Academy Boys got the only goal of the match through Abdul Bassit Issah in the 33rd minute. The result sent Eleven Wonders into the relegation zone with 22 points from 21 matches and WAFA to 10th with 29 points.
The Stats
The week produced 23 goals in all with 16 of them coming from home teams and the remaining 7 from away teams. There were two penalty goals and one person [Sam Adams] scored a brace. The week produced an average of 2.55 goals per match with home teams winning 5 of the matches, 2 wins by away teams and two draws. There was no match that ended without goals. Both draws produced 4 goals, 2 apiece and the away sides came from losing positions to force the draws. There were 2 penalty goals and both came in the first half.
By: Clifford Adumbire | myactiveonline.com
