Match Build Up: Ashgold vs Hearts

The rivalry between AshantiGold SC and Hearts of Oak will be rekindled in Obuasi later today at the Len Clay Stadium.

AshGold have started their title defence poorly in the opening round of the season with just two wins in eight matches.

But they gave their campaign a boost with a hard fought win against New Edubiase United in the Adansi derby in midweek ending their six matches without a win.

The 1997 CAF Champions league losing finalist are approaching this epic clash without their  two talented youngsters Amos Addai and Paul Abakah Nkrumah who are nursing their respective injuries.

Tijani Joshua will be assessed if he can be available for selection on Sunday after picking up an injury in the derby on Wednesday.

Alhassan Nuhu is expected back in the Ashanti Gold SC line up for Sunday’s match after he missed in the midweek clash.

Japanese-American tactician Kenichi Yatsuhashi’s union with the Phobians as head coach is in the balance following a recent bust up between him and his employers before their trip to Obuasi.

Hearts of Oak are making a journey to the mining town without injured quintet Samudeen Ibrahim, Thomas Abbey, Richard Yamoah, Isaac Oduro and Selasi Adjei.

The Phobians failed to win in midweek when they were held by West Africa Football Academy to a 1-1 draw.

Samuel Yeboah is doubtful.

Hearts of Oak left back Kennedy Appiah featured for the defending league champions last season.

MATCH FACTS

Head to Head (Since 2000)

Total matches played = 26

Ashanti Gold SC wins = 8

Drawn matches = 9

Hearts of Oak wins = 9

Match Build Up: Ashgold vs Hearts

Hearts Midfielder Discharged From Hospital

Accra Hearts of Oak midfielder, Thomas Abbey has been discharged from hospital after a successful rib operation.

The creative midfielder was elbowed in the rib by a Dwarfs defender during a tussle for the ball in the air and the creative player came off worse as he was later diagnosed with a blood clot and needed surgery to aid his recovery.

Thomas Abbey playing against New Edubiase in match week 1

Abbey was operated last week and had been in the hospital for further medical observation since then.

Hearts of Oak midfielder, Thomas Abbey

Sportscrusader.com source has revealed the midfielder has responded positively to treatment and will continue with his recovery at home.

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Hearts Midfielder Discharged From Hospital

We"re Not Under Pressure - Wa All Stars

Wa All Stars head coach, Enos Adipa has told Sportscrusader.com, in an interview that his side is under no pressure, since they annexed top spot in the 2015/16 Ghana Premier League season.

The Wa club has been the revelation in the league this season and their recent 3-1 victory over Accra Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium, sent a clear message of their intentions for the season.

All Stars are yet to taste defeat in the 7-week old premier league and remain the only side, with the best defensive record conceding just two goals and this impressive form has seen the bookmakers name the Enos Adipa led side favourites to record a historical league title.

This has been viewed as added pressure to a very young side but coach Adipa in an interview with Sportscrusader.com calmed down talks of the team being under pressure.

He said, “We are not under pressure as we approach each game as and when it is needed. we face each team with different tactics, mindset and strategy.”

“We vary the tactics as a league game nears on and this comes along with being on top of the league table, its own pressure. we are relaxed and will play our normal tactical game,” he added.

We"re Not Under Pressure - Wa All Stars

Kotoko Revise Gate Fees For Liberty Match

Management has announced changes in Sunday’s match day seven, 2015/16 Premier League match at home to Liberty Professionals.

It was published earlier in the week that GHȼ5, GHȼ8 and GHȼ20 will be charged at the gates but Operations Manager, George Kennedy in a brief chat with Asantekotkosc.com announced changes in the initial publication.

Now GHȼ4, GHȼ6 and GHȼ15 will be charged at the popular stand, centre line and VIP stand, said the management member.

Kotoko have won one of their six matches. They have drawn twice and lost three times this season. The team goes into Sunday’s match with Michael Osei in-charge.

They are bent on returning to winning ways by beating Liberty.

Kotoko Revise Gate Fees For Liberty Match

Ghana Premier League: Officials Named For Match Week 7

Match officials for this weekend’s round of matches in the Ghana Premier League (Match day 7) have been announced.

The following the Match officials for Week 7:

MATCH: Inter Allies vs Bechem United

Venue: Tema

REF: Prince Amoah

ASST 1: Ben Samari

ASST 2: Micahel Asare

4TH REF: Kenney Padi

MC: A. Annan-Lomotey

MATCH: Wa All Stars vs Ebusua Dwarfs

Venue: Wa

REF: Timothy Obuobisah

ASST 1: Effah Tetteh

ASST 2: Richard Kotey

4TH REF: Ali Alhassan

MC: Baah Agyei

MATCH: Techiman City FC vs Hearts of Oak

Venue: Techiman

REF: William Agbovi

ASST 1: A.S. Malik

ASST 2: Alex Anning

4TH REF: Maxwell M. Arhin

MC: Kweku Eyiah

MATCH: WAFA vs New Edubiase

Venue: Sogakope

REF: Theresa Bremansu

ASST 1: David Laryea

ASST 2: Theresa Akongyam

4TH REF: Daniel Laryea

MC: CW Okai

MATCH: Ashantigold vs Dreams

Venue: Obuasi

REF: Isaka Afful

ASST 1: Kwesi Brobbey

ASST 2: A.F. Zakari

4TH REF: Emmanuel Ansah

MC: Kwasi A. Boateng

MATCH: Asante Kotoko vs Liberty Professionals

Venue: Kumasi

REF: Otis Oppong

ASST 1: Joseph Sey

ASST 2: Falilu Rahama

4TH REF: Adari Latif

MC: Agyiri Banor

MATCH: Berekum Chelsea vs Aduana Stars

Venue: Berekum

REF: Ebenezer Amoh

ASST 1: Ashitey Amarh

ASST 2: Michael Agbenuzah

4TH REF: Wiseman Ghansah

MC: Augustine Asante

MATCH: Hasaacas vs Medeama (April 14)

Venue: Essipong

REF: Reginald Lathbridge

ASST 1: Dawood Ouedraogo

ASST 2: Bawa Haruna

4TH REF: Solomon Mordey

MC: Godsway Glah

Ghana Premier League: Officials Named For Match Week 7

Clean Up The Mess, Kotoko Told

Aspire football academy football administrator, Abbey Pobee has called on Kumasi Asante Kotoko to begin with an internal clean up if they are to return to the top of Ghana football as they used to.

The record Ghana premier league champions languish bottom of the league table after six matches and has just one win. This poor ran has seen the management of the club relieve coach David Duncan of his post and has become the second manager in a year to be asked to leave his post since the dismissal of two times league winning coach, Didi Dramani.

 

And this the tough-talking Pobee believes proves hiring and firing of coaches is not the problem with the club but there are internal forces dragging the club’s success.

Speaking to Sportscrusader.com, Pobee said, “Kotoko’s problems are beyond coaches and should not be laid at the door steps of them. There are too many in-fight as everyone is crumbling for a post and as such is using all arsenals to ‘destroy’ each other.”

“it seems everyone wants to be appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or board member of the club and this has brought divisions among the hierarchy. Until Kotoko cleans up the ‘home’s this mess will still be around,” he added.

Clean Up The Mess, Kotoko Told

Match Build-Up: Aduana Stars vs Kotoko

Aduana Stars will host Kumasi Asante Kotoko in a Match-Day Six fixture of the 2015/16 Ghana Premier League (GPL) on Sunday.

The 2010 premier league champions started the 2015/16 season abysmally-recording three consecutive defeats but since then seems to have returned onto the right track after recording a win and a draw against West Africa Football Academy (WAFA) and AshantiGold respectively.

Asante Kotoko have recorded only one win in five games and axes are flying over the heads of people in leadership positions.

The teams preparation towards the game in Dormaa is headlined by bonus rows. The club met on Thursday to trash out the issue and all roads leading to Dormaa seems to be clear before the eyes.

However, focus of the team must be on the game to avoid another disastrous performance to flame more issues.

A point separates both sides, occupying the 11th and 14th positions on the league log after five league matches.

Key Stats

Aduana Stars have never lost a home game against Asante Kotoko since making their debut in the domestic top flight league in the 2009/10 Ghana Premier League season.

However, Kotoko have beaten Aduana Stars consistently recently, winning three of their last five meetings in all competitions.

Match Build-Up: Aduana Stars vs Kotoko

16-Toothless Ghana Premier League Clubs

The top flight football in the country, the Ghana Premier league (GPL) can boast of 16-teams but same can’t be said of their confidence to stake a claim when it comes to seeking the commitment of the welfare of the various teams from the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

It’s mind boggling how teams in Ghana solely rely on the GFA for sponsorship money to help run their day-to-day affairs.

New Edubiase United had threaten to withdraw participation from the league after week three of the GPL, and, this has once again proven to be another false alarm from a Ghana Premier league side.

Majority of the blame in terms of how the club’s would have benefited from ensuring that the GFA managed the league well can be laid at the doorstep of the two most glamorous clubs, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko – glamorous we will discuss later.

A strong statement of intent from Hearts and Kotoko as to the commencement of 2015/16 sponsor-less league would have awaken the GFA who appear to be sleeping on the job in terms of seeking sponsorship for their own flagship product- the league.

The two biggest clubs in Ghana have failed themselves and the remaining 14-clubs and this has been perceived as a trump card for the GFA to have a jolly ride with these clubs.

The GFA is yet to retrieve the remaining amount of monies owned it from the Glo sponsorship deal which collapsed a couple of seasons ago and have done little in terms of the current wrangling with 2014/15 season headline sponsor, First Capital Plus Bank now Capital Bank to win back what is theirs.

16-Toothless Ghana Premier League Clubs

Liberty Awards Ebo POTM For February

Dansoman based, Liberty Professionals football club has voted Midfielder Ebo Mends as Player of the Month for February.

The midfielder has been in superb form for Liberty since the commencement of the league and his hard work has contributed to the side’s rise to 5th place on the league log.

Mends has played all the four games this far this season for his side.

The award is meant to be a motivating factor for the rest of the players to give the best and contribute their all when they put on the famous white jersey.

Liberty Awards Ebo POTM For February

We Expected Hearts To Get Tired ... - Bechem United

Kwame Opuni, head coach of Bechem United has admitted failure with his tactics in the 3-1 defeat to Accra Hearts of Oak in match week of the 2015/16 Ghana premier league season.

Hearts continued their fine start to the season with another impressive afternoon shift that saw them leapfrog both Dreams FC and Wa All Stars into first place on the league table.

The 20-times Ghana premier league champions are yet to lose this season and made an easy meal of Bechem’s threat as they put them to the sword but the surprise admission of Opuni after the game in relation to his tactics was a fascinating one.

During his post-match conference the soft-spoken coach admitted Hearts played him to his own game after looking to capitalise on the weariness of their host and then punish them when fatigue sets in.

He said, “I wanted to wait and see Hearts get tired and then capitalise on that to hit them on the counter attack but for the first half the plan failed. I had to change the tactics and Hearts took full advantage with their enviable fitness and killed the game off”.

We Expected Hearts To Get Tired ... - Bechem United