Kotoko-Medeama Share Spoils

A heart-pumping 90 minutes of beautiful football coupled with super goals ended in a 2-all stalemate at the Baba Yara sports stadium when Kumasi Asante Kotoko hosted Medeama SC on Match Week of the Ghana Premier league.

Neither side had a point prior to the match and they fought gallantly and deserved to share points on the plate.

Bennett Ofori and Michael Yeboah’s strikes were cancelled by Malik Akowuah and Bismarck Oppong to earn both sides a point apiece.

Medeama SC started the game on the front foot to exorcise the early season ghost which has haunted them from day one and ensured they lost two matches on the thrott to Ashanti Gold and Hearts of Oak at the Obuasi Len Clay stadium and Tarkwa T&A park respectively.

The alacrity with which the began the game provided an early opening for Malik Akowuah to strike ferocious shot on target. Ofori Antwi fumbled woth the first shot, but gathered with aplomb on his second attempt to bring the ball under control.

Almost packed Baba Yara sports for Kotoko v Medeama (image by: Ghana Premier League Live)

Kotoko took control proceedings from there, and dictated the pace of the game, asking Tom Strand and his boys numerous questions. A beautiful interplay between Bennett Ofori and Obed Owusu sent the latter one-on-one with Muntari Tagoe in Medeama’s post, but his first touch failed him as the goalkeeper gathered with ease.

Kotoko’s hard work paid dividends on the 20th minute, when a defensive blunder allowed Bennett Ofori, who has been a nemesis all afternoon to find the back of the net, walking the ball through.

The game became a midfield battle as Medeama brought the arsenals in them to fight out to avoid a third successive defeat.

Theophilus Nyame brought down Kwaku Donsu at the edge of the box. Malik Akowuah took responsibility and scored a stunner, silencing the fully packed Baba Yara sports stadium spectators.  The game from there on looked even, and first half ended with no advantage to either side.

After recess, Kotoko piled more men forward and fought hard for every 50-50 ball. Eric Donkor went close to regain the lead for the Porcupine Warriors, but he missed the net by inches.

A minute later, Michael Yeboah grabbed the headlines. His deflected shot on the 52nd minute found its way Into the net, beating Muntari Tagoe completely.

Medeama SC responded to the second set back, firing from all cylinders to get a point. Bismarck Oppong ensured the traveling supporters were not disappointed with the leveller on the 74th minute.

Medeama looked the better side to amass all points but they were profligate in front of goal. Kotoko also had Ofori Antwi to thank as the former the U-20 goalkeeper pulled of word class save from close range to claim the record premier league champions a point.

A heart-pumping 90 minutes of beautiful football coupled with super goals ended in a 2-all stalemate at the Baba Yara sports stadium when Kumasi Asante Kotoko hosted Medeama SC on Match Week of the Ghana Premier league.

Neither side had a point prior to the match and they fought gallantly and deserved to share points on the plate.

Bennett Ofori and Michael Yeboah’s strikes were cancelled by Malik Akowuah’s stunner and Bismarck Idan beauty.

Medeama SC started the game on the front foot to exorcise the early season ghost which has haunted them from day one and ensured they lost two matches on the thrott to Ashanti Gold and Hearts of Oak at the Obuasi Len Clay stadium and Tarkwa T&A park respectively.

The alacrity with which the began the game provided an early opening for Malik Akowuah to strike ferocious shot on target. Ofori Antwi fumbled woth the first shot, but gathered with aplomb on his second attempt to bring the ball under control.

Kotoko took control proceedings from there, and dictated the pace of the game, asking Tom Strand and his boys numerous questions. A beautiful interplay between Bennett Ofori and Obed Owusu sent the latter one-on-one with Muntari Tagoe in Medeama’s post, but his first touch failed him as the goalkeeper gathered with ease.

Kotoko’s hard work paid dividends on the 20th minute, when a defensive blunder allowed Bennett Ofori, who has been a nemesis all afternoon to find the back of the net, walking the ball through.

The game became a midfield battle as Medeama brought the arsenals in them to fight out to avoid a third successive defeat.

Theophilus Nyame brought down Kwaku Donsu at the edge of the box. Malik Akowuah took responsibility and scored a stunner, silencing the fully packed Baba Yara sports stadium spectators.  The game from there on looked even, and first half ended with no advantage to either side.

After recess, Kotoko piled more men forward and fought hard for every 50-50 ball. Eric Donkor went close to regain the lead for the Porcupine Warriors, but he missed the net by inches.

A minute later, Michael Yeboah grabbed the headlines. His deflected shot on the 52nd minute found its way into the net, beating Muntari Tagoe completely.

Medeama SC responded to the second set back, firing from all cylinders to get a point. Bismarck Oppong ensured the traveling supporters were not disappointed with the leveller on the 74th minute.

The Mauve and Yellows looked the better side to amass all points in the dying embers of the game but they were profligate in front of goal. Kotoko also had Ofori Antwi to thank as the former the U-20 goalkeeper pulled of word class save from close range to claim the record premier league champions a point.

Kotoko-Medeama Share Spoils

Super Sub: Bernard Ofori Floor AshGold In Battle of Champions.

Medeama SC floored Ashanti Gold at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday afternoon to lift the Ghana Football Association’s Super Cup trophy.

A late controversial finish by Bennett Ofori was enough to send the sparse spectators who had enjoyed the scientilatting performance from the Mauve and Yellows frenzy.

Tom Strand on Wednesday stated emphatically he was going to win the trophy, and the alacrity with which the MTN FA Cup champions took the game to the Miners showed they were ready to replicate the words the Swede told the press at the launch of the match at the FA secretariat.

They hit hard at the premier league title holders from the blast of the referee’s whistle, dominating the early exchanges and Ashgold had to revise their notes. The Miners quickly settled for the counter-attacking approach and soaked the enormous pressure Medeama SC poured on them.

However, they were very poor in executing the plan as the players hardly knew where to find their colleagues on the pitch, Medeama won all the 50-50 balls and asked Fatau Dauda numerous questions, but fortunately, he had answers.

At the other end, Muntari Tagoe was enjoying a holiday until AshGold broke through the right flank with Augustine Sefa. The final ball though, was feeble.

Few minutes later, the under post denied AshGold who woke from their siesta the lead when Emmanuel Osei Baffour struck a well executed interplay with Tijani Joshua.

The pendulum again swung in favour Medeama SC who were doing almost everything right but only a goal deluded them. Donsu who was AshGold biggest threat orchestrated the midfield with his super balls. Fatau Dauda, AshGold’s best on the day was at his best and pulled off fantastic saves to deny Benjamin Bature and and Yaw Ansah, forcing the game to end goalless in the first half.

Medeama SC took off from where they left in the 2nd half of the game by taking the game to Ashgold like they did in the early minutes of the first half. Ashgold, however managed to curtail the attacking threats of the Tarkwa-based club.

The tempo of the game cool as Medeama settled into the ‘control the game’ approach.

The glorious opportunity of the match fell to Kadri Mohammed to shake the net, after Hudu Yakubu’s corner kick found his head in an unmarked position, but his header missed the post.

Medeama responded by putting together a fast counter attacking play that finally fell the way of Benjamin Bature, their leading attacker. However he shot wide to create no problem for Fatau Dauda in post.

Muntari Tagoe pulled off a super save to deny Joseph Atto Bissah who struck a sumptuous bicycle kick with less than a quarter to the end of the match. His save forced to ball onto the path of Emmanuel Osei, he slotted home the rebound,  but flagged offside.

Bernard Ofori grabbed the headlines with three minutes to end proceedings when he scored from a position but believed he was offside, but the referee pointed to the center circle for AshGold to restart the match.

And Medeama led 1 nil. Three additional minutes was not enough for AshGold to claw back into the game, and the CAF Confederation Cup participants matched to the VIP for the Super Cup trophy — defending Tom Strand’s words last Wednesday.

Ashgold starting line-up: Fatau Dauda, Augustine Sefah, Tijani Joshua, Awudu Nafiu, Kadiri Mohammed, Eric Opoku, Joseph Atto Bissah, Shafiu Mumuni, Isaac Amoah, Emmanuel Osei Baffour, Nuhu Fuseini

Medeama starting line-up: Muntari Tagoe, Moses Sarpong Samuel Adade, Paul Aidoo, Daniel Amoah, Malik Akowuah, Atta Adjei, Kwasi Donsu, Benjamin Bature, Abass Mohammed, Enoch Atta Adjei.

Super Sub: Bernard Ofori Floor AshGold In Battle of Champions.

Hearts of Oak Didn"t Know What They Were Doing - Abdul Salam Yakubu

Bank roller of New Edubiase Football Club, Abdul Salam Yakubu for constantly deceiving themselves during the just ended players transfer window.

Accra Hearts of Oak were linked with many key players in the New Edubiase set up but none of them signed for the Phobians.

It was alleged that Abdul Salam Yakubu never wanted to sell his players to the 2000 CAF Champions League winners, but Abdul Salam said Hearts were never serious in the pursuit of his players.

“They were first to write a letter to us showing interest in Fuseini. We waited but they never came with any offer for the player,” he said.

“We even had to call them at a point, but they kept making promises that they will table an offer but they never did.

“They came back for Bennett Ofori but they never tabled any offer for the player, they kept making empty promises and at a point, we had to call them again because Medeama were putting pressure on us.

Hearts of Oak nothing to show that they were untested in the Ofori so we had to let him go.

“It was same about the Black Meteors player, Emmanuel Nti and we had to let him go to AshGold for medicals. They did same about our goalkeeper. So actually I don’t know what they’re doing. ”

Hearts of Oak signed Samudeen Ibrahim and Samuel Yeboah on transfer deadline day.

Hearts of Oak Didn"t Know What They Were Doing - Abdul Salam Yakubu

Kotoko"s Bennett Ofori Wins Discovery Of The G-6 Invitational Tournament

Organizers of the G-6 Invitational Tournament have named Asante Kotoko’s Bennett Ofori as the Discovery of the tournament.

Ofori was one of the outstanding players of Kotoko a he managed to help them win the tournament that also had the likes of Aduana Stars, Hearts of Oak, Berekum Chelsea, SC Medeama and Ashantigold.

For his prize, he received a plaque from the headline sponsors of the tournament First Trust Savings and Loans.

Kotoko"s Bennett Ofori Wins Discovery Of The G-6 Invitational Tournament