GPL PREVIEW: Wa All Stars Targets Top Spot With Bechem Scalp

Wa All Stars will be looking to reclaim their place at the summit of the Ghana Premier League when they host Bechem United at the Wa Park on Sunday.

The second-placed Wa-based side will go top of the division if they emerge victorious at home to the Hunters from the Brong Ahafo region.

The Northern Blues have their fate in their own hands after Hearts of Oak’s Sogakope nightmare on Saturday in the early kick-off game.

The division’s most nomadic side lost the corresponding fixture 2-1 in Bechem but their current run of 1 defeat in the last 20 home matches slides the table in favour of Wa All Stars.

Bechem United could slip into the red zone with defeat at the Wa Park, having previously lost 2 of the 3 trips to the Upper west.

The MTN FA Cup finalist eased past another Wa-based side, in Wa Rockets FC, but will have to up their game if they are to avoid another glaring defeat on Sunday.

The visitors have lost 9 of their 12 away ties this season and have kept just 2 clean sheets in the process, a thrilling 0-0 stalemate away to Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

With the return to form of Richard Arthur and the defensive solidity of Ismail Ganiu and Nicolas Mensah, energetic Hafiz Adams has been freed to surge forward.

Statistically, Wa All Stars might just breeze past their desperate visitors in grand style.

The host have won 2 of the 3 previous home ties and are unbeaten at home all season, last defeat at home is now exactly 364 days.

Wa All Stars have kept 18 clean sheets in the last 20 home fixtures, while their 1 goal conceded in the last 1,080 minutes at the Wa Park cannot escape mention.

Kennedy Ashia remains the last Ghanaian player as an opposition to find the back of the net at the Malik Jabir Park that has Richard Ofori on top of his game all season.

With first spot up for grabs, Bechem United will have to prepare mentally for a painful 90 minutes on the pitch.

GPL PREVIEW: Wa All Stars Targets Top Spot With Bechem Scalp

Saddick Alhassan Plays Down Title Charge

Wa All Stars’ stalwart midfielder, Saddick Alhassan, has played down any imagined title charge from his side despite their convincing win over Techiman City FC.

The player enjoyed his best game in the colours of the club as they tamed TCFC by two unanswered goals to maintain their second place spot on the log.

The former Dreams FC and Kumasi Asante Kotoko midfielder, however took the pressure off his team mates ahead of the title run-in.

The versatile midfielder  redirected the media lenses away from his club, assuring fans of consistent performance though.

“We are not bent on winning  the Ghana Premier league by all means.

” We will do our part and hope to be among the race in the last few matches.

” If we have the chance to battle for the trophy in the last five games, we will not hesitate to pounce on it.

“All we need is to be consistent  and enjoy our football on weekly basis”, Saddick Alhassan told sports crusader.

Wa All Stars maintained their second slot on the league standing thanks to an own-goal from Isaac Baah and a screamer from Paul Asare.

The Wa based side will next host Medeama SC at the Wa park before heading to Accra for the Inter Allies game.

Saddick Alhassan Plays Down Title Charge

GPL Preview: Citizens Head To Wa Park

Wa All Stars host Techiman City at the Wa Park in search of all three points at stake.

The league’s most nomadic side returns to their favourite home ground after the long journey to Sogakope for the WAFA clash.

The second-placed host will be eyeing their first  win over the Citizens in a league match after the 3-1 spanking at the Den.

A Baba Mahama-inspired TCFC mauled Wa All Stars in the corresponding fixture to atone for the FA cup elimination  at the hands of the Wa-based side.

Enos Adepa’s ambitious side remains unbeaten at home in the current campaign, yet, has not won a league fixture in the last three attempts.

An inspired Richard Ofori at the Red Bulls Arena, coupled with the attacking instincts of Paul Asare and Richard Authur, could however prove fatal for the visiting TCFC.

Wa All Stars dropped into the second slot after their 2-1 defeat at Sogakope but, a convincing win over Brong Ahafo premier league newbies could steer them back  to the summit.

The host will however be without talismanic  center-back, Ismail Ganiu, who picked his third booking of the campaign away to the Academy Boys.

Wa All Stars have won just three of their eleven league fixtures played in the month of July, the latest win dating back to July 22, 2015; a 1-0 win over Aduana Stars.

The hosts have shipped just one goal in over 900 minutes at the Wa Park – Kenedy Ashia, the last Ghanaian to have scored as an opposition player while with Liberty Professionals.

With one defeat in the last 20 home matches, Wa All Stars look set to register their first win in their last four league outings.

GPL Preview:  Citizens Head To Wa Park

Wa All Stars Without Star Defender Ahead Of City Visit

Talismanic defender for WA All Stars, Ismail Ganiu, has been ruled out for the side ahead of the Techiman City clash.

The early season pacesetters will be without their traditional defensive pair of Ismail Ganiu and Issahaku Konda, with the former suspended and the latter with the National Under-20 side.

Ganiu added to his two cautions against WAFA SC, having accumulated two against Ashgold SC  and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

Ganiu was booked in the 51st minute for the Wa-based side away to WAFA SC in a 2-1 defeat for the northern Blues.

The former Wa Anokye Stars centre-back has been an ever-present figure in the central defence for the second-placed side all season.

Wa All Stars could return to the summit of the log if they take all maximum  points at home to TCFC and Medeama SC.

Wa All Stars Without Star Defender Ahead Of City Visit

Basigi Plots Hearts" Downfall

Sekondi Hasaacas coach Yusif Basigi is looking forward to an attractive game between hi8s side and Hearts of Oak in Sekondi.

The Sekondi side gave the Phobians a run for their money in the first round game, losing by a single game and Basigi is anticipating more of that

The match will be very interesting because playing against Accra Hearts of Oak is not an easy match. We will respect our opponent in order to defeat them because if you don’t respect your opponent, and you underrate them they will defeat you.

We are attracted to this match because it is very important to us and it not because we are playing against Accra Hearts of Oak but if you consider our position on the league table, it is very bad and we don’t need anybody to tell us to start performing so we are poised for this match.

On his players, Basigi was optimistic he will parade his best available team.

“The selection is not a problem because if you have all your players back in the team, the selection becomes easy. You will get many options and you can plan very well.”

“If you don’t get all your players back in the team, it puts you in a difficult situation but for now I have a lot of options and it is very good for the team.”

The Black Queens’ coach was confident his side will maintain their fine home record.

“We will respect them because they have an impressive away record but we also have to stick to our home records in order to get all the maximum three points.”

“I can promise the supporters that they should expect nothing but victory from the team so we are expecting them to troop into the stadium and support the team because the team belongs to them and I still maintain that we are going to win this match.”

Hasaacas have conceded the most goals in the Ghana Premier League so far.

Basigi Plots Hearts" Downfall

Dreams Will Survive - Damba

Goalkeepers’ trainer of Dreams FC, Abubakari Damba, is confident the Dawu-based club will escape relegation, despite their recent slump in the Ghana Premier League.

Damba, who switched camp from Accra Hearts of Oak, believes the club will bounce back as the topflight progresses.

Currently 7th on the league log with 26 points, Dreams have won one and lost two of their last three matches in the topflight.

“We have quality players and our players really play quality football,” Damba said.

“It’s just about showing some character I believe to whip up their sentiment to let them show some character and to deal with certain situations as and when they come in the game.

“I believe we will learn from our lessons and formulate the necessary tactics to deal with such situations.

“We are working out. I believe CK Akunnor has the capacity and the ability to do that.”

Dreams has won seven, lost six and drawn five of 18 games played this season.

They play as guests to Liberty Professionals in their next match on Sunday.

Dreams Will Survive - Damba

GPL Report: Kotoko Hold Techiman City

Techiman City continued their unbeaten home run as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Kumasi Asante Kotoko on Sunday at the Nana Ameyaw Park, Techiman on match day 16 of the Ghana Premier League.

Stephen Manu scored for Techiman City in the first half, before Amos Frimpong drew level for Asante Kotoko.

The visitors started the game very well by swinging their passes together and dominated the hosts in the early stages of the game.

Baba Mahama battle with Sarfo Gyamfi for the ball

However, Techiman City came into the game and Stephen Manu in trying to navigate his way through the Kotoko defence men was brought down resulting in a penalty kick. The former Kotoko player stepped forward to put his team in front in the 26 minute.

There were no more goals in the game to end the first half.

Back from recess Asante Kotoko intensified their search for the equaliser and Amos Frimpong the skipper of the Porcupine Warriors made their dominance count when he nodded in a cross from a free kick to make the score line 1-1 in the 56 minute.

Richmond Antwi emerged as the saviour of Techiman City as he came produced some fantastic goalkeeping to prevent Kotoko from walking away with all the three maximum points.

Techiman City are still unbeaten at home in the Ghana Premier League, but they failed to avenge their first round 2-4 defeat in Kumasi against the visitors.

GPL Report: Kotoko Hold Techiman City