PSL: Lawrence Lartey Excels In Ajax Thriller

Ghana Youth defender,  Lawrence Lartey, excelled for his South African side in the opening match of the PSL.

The Ajax Cape Town defender extended his impressive form in off-season into the opening matches of the season to snatch a crucial point for his side in a 1-1 drawn game at Baroka.

The former Ashgold defender, proved crucial at both ends with timely clearances in the closing stages of the game to snatch a fully deserved point for his Cape Town-based PSL side.

Nathan Pulse opened the scoring for Cape Town but a composed finish from Ricardo Kgole Matloga levelled the scores for the Premier League debutant, midway through the second department of the game.

Lawrence Lartey then rescued his side from the claws of defeat with a timely clearance to keep the score at 1-1 with few minutes to regulation time.

The talented centre-back traded the Ghana Premier league for the South African topflight after starring at the back for Ashgold SC en-route to their championship trophy.

He excelled in his debut season at Ajax Cape Town and has already hinted at improving his personal performance in the current season.

Former Black Stars rear guard, John Paintsil, watched from the bench as Kaiser Chiefs slumped to a late 2-1 defeat at Bidvest Wits whiles Joseph Adjei missed out on the Cape Town City FC opening win of the season.

PSL: Lawrence Lartey Excels In Ajax Thriller

Lawrence Lartey Tips Ashgold For A Stronger Second Round

Ajax Cape Town Ghanaian defender Lawrence Lartey has predicted a very strong second round of the season after their dreadful start to their title defence.

The 21 year old former Ashgold centre back envisaged a very strong response from his Obuasi based champions ahead of the return of the league.

Ashgold Sporting Club endured a nightmate start to the season with just 2 wins in the entire first round including 6 successive news in the division.

Former centre back for the reigning champions, who traded the Ghana Premier league for the PSL however confidently tipped the Aboakese side for a second half resurgence on the domestic championship.

“Ashgold sporting club will surely bounce back during the second round of the season. I am sure Ghanaians will see a different side from the one that played in the first round. Even with same players, Ashgold will come good and finish the season in a very strong position”, Lawrence told sports crusader exclusively.

The 2014/15 FCPPL defender of the season also tipped his Cape Town based PSL side to storm the South African Professional league next season.

“I targeting a top half finish for Ajax Cape Town next season. A very strong performance from the team and a spot in the MTN Top 8 is a target”, The South African based Ghanaian defender rounded.

Managerial and administrative setbacks have engulfed Ashgold SC in a tumultuous 2016 GPL season they will barely want to remember.

Lawrence Lartey Tips Ashgold For A Stronger Second Round

Lawrence Lartey Opens Up On Donation to Ashgold

South African based Ghana Youth international Lawrence Lartey has finally opened up on reasons why he supported his former club Ashgold ahead of the second round of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Champions League game in Algeria with kits.

The former Ashgold centre back admitted having a strong bond with his ex team mates and was obliged to give back ahead of their crucial trip to Algeria.

The 2014/15 FCPPL premier league defender of the season revealed his satisfaction at putting smiles on the faces of his former team mates as they embarked on their continental campaign.

Lartey, 21, who played a starring role at the back for Bashiru Hayford triumphant side joined the exodus train to South Africa, but continue to show allegiance to the Miners.

The Ajax Cape Town centre back motivated his former side with 30 travelling jackets, 30 Bag Packs and other assorted items ahead of their trip to Algeria where they eventually lost 3-2 on aggregate.

“It is always my prayers to give back to Ashgold as a player. I thought this was the perfect time to do so and to motivate my brothers out there.

“I wanted to put smiles on the faces of the management, the supporters and the nation as a whole”, Lartey told sports crusader.

Ashgold crushed out at the first hurdle in the 2016 CAF Champions league despite leading the first leg 1-0 at home. The Miners lost the return leg 3-1 despite the huge expectations from Ghanaians.

Lawrence Lartey Opens Up On Donation to Ashgold

Lawrence Lartey Hoping To Settle Well At Ajax Cape Town

Ghanaian international  Lawrence Lartey is hoping to settle in quickly with the Urban Warriors as he hopes to help plug a leaky defence.

The Ghanaian defender, who was signed in November, finally received his work permit earlier this month, and has started the last three games for the Cape side, who are struggling in 12^th position in the PSL standings.

Ajax have let in 20 goals in their 14 League matches thus far this season, and five in their last three, and Lartey hopes he will help shore up the backline.

“I have only played a few games, but I hope as time goes on, I hope to settle in properly and cope with every situation at the club,” the 21-year-old mentioned.

“In the first two games, it wasn’t bad, but then we lost the last game [3-1 to Chippa] and I felt bad. As a defender you always hope for a clean sheet, but unfortunately we didn’t and let in three goals. But things are on course and as time goes on, I believe we will get used to each other a bit more and sort out the small problems.”

Lartey has been utilised in his favourite centre-back position alongside Rivaldo Coetzee, with Abbubake Mobara pushed out wide at right-back, and the junior Black Stars international says he is forming a solid paring with the Bafana Bafana defender.

“Our relationship is good,” he said. “We’ve played a few games now and we are on course. Gradually we will get used to each other and hopefully do the job as one body.”

Lartey then noted the difference between the PSL and Ghana’s top-flight, where he played previously at Ashanti Gold.

“In my point of view, the fields make a huge difference,” he said. “In Ghana we have very few well-kept fields, but coming to South Africa you have much better pitches than Ghana.

“The level football is not that different – it’s good, the reason being here you have the better pitches which makes the game much faster, so that’s a slight difference.”

Lawrence Lartey Hoping To Settle Well At Ajax Cape Town