GRi Sports News Ghana 17 - 04 - 2001
Hearts thrash Etoile du Congo in CAF
champions league
Olympics beat Hassacas by lone goal in
season opener
Goldfields, Bofoakwa fight to a standstill
Golf-Otumfuo opens 69th championship
CAF Champions League-Hearts thrash Etoile
du Congo
Kumasi (Asahnti Region) 17 April 2001
Defending CAF league champions, Accra Hearts of Oak began the defence of their title on a bright note with a 3-1 drubbing of Etoile du Congo in the first leg preliminary round match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour scored a hat-trick in the 42nd, 82nd and 84th minutes to give the champions a comfortable win.
Even though Hearts won the match, they kept their supporters on tenterhooks till the last 10 minutes of the game when Kuffour produced the magic that won the day for his side.
But the Phobians could have hit a cricket score had strikers Ishmael Addo, dribbler Charles Taylor and Osei Kuffour been purposeful and not squandered numerous chances, some of which were easier to score than miss.
Hearts shot the Congolese side ahead in the 17th minute when central defender Stephen Tetteh scored an own goal after goalkeeper Sammy Adjei failed to grab a cross from Mvete Guylaim.
The goal confused Hearts who found the going a bit tough as Etoile slowed down the game and forced Hearts to play to their pattern.
Hearts, however, warmed their way into the game and in the 23rd minute, Osei Kuffour missed what could have earned them the equaliser by allowing an Etoile clearance before he could hit the finisher.
Hearts attacked in burst and kept pushing the ball forward and in the 32nd minute, Etoile's goalkeeper Kekoukoudi Nkeni pushed Charles Allotey's shot away for his defence to clear it.
Then in the 36th minute, Charles Taylor cut loose from the left flank and laid on a pass for Osei Kuffour but he fumbled.
So persistent was the Hearts attacks that it was obvious that they could not be denied the equaliser, which did come in the 42nd minute through Osei Kuffour.
Hearts replaced Agyemang Duah with Richard Nii Noi on resumption while Etoile also pulled out Mossengba Gobin who got injured in the 53rd minute.
The changes gingered Hearts on to action and in the 54th minute, Osei Kuffour again had a gift chance to put his side ahead as he came face-to-face with goalkeeper Nkeni but he hit the ball against the goalkeeper.
Disaster nearly struck Hearts in the 57th minute. Goalkeeper Sammy Adjei in desperation to clear a back pass hit the ball against an onrushing Etoile attacker but he managed to clear it to safety.
Frustration crept gradually into the Hearts game as Ishmael Addo, Charles Taylor and Osei Kuffour missing begging chances to the chagrin of the supporters.
Just as their supporters were losing hope, Charles Taylor centred from the right for Osei Kuffour to dive-head the ball home for the second goal in the 82nd minute.
In the process, Etoile defender Atshouo Armel was sent off by Nigerian referee E.C. Onah for stamping on the head of Osei Kuffour.
Two minutes later, Osei Kuffour scored the third goal in a goalmouth action to seal the doom of Etoile.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 April 2001
The Star Premier League kicked off on Saturday April 14 at seven of the eight centers with most clubs coming out impressive as they tried to avoid defeat or keep the score sheet thin. New entrants Berekum Arsenals, trouble-hit Accra Great Olympics and Kumasi King Faisal managed with home victories while the remaining matches ended in a stalemate. Below are the results for the first week matches.
Star Premier 1st week results on 14 April
2001:
Accra: Olympics 1 Hasaacas 0 Kumasi: K. Faisal 1 Adansiman 0
Berekum: Arsenals 1 K'bibirem 0 Dawu: Dawu 0 Okwawu 0
Koforidua: Maxbees 1 Ghapoha 1 Tamale: RTU 1 Kotoko 1
Obuasu: Goldfields 0 Bofoakwa 0 Accra: Liberty V Hearts (Postponed)
Standings at the end 1st Week: 14 April 2001
Club Local/Region P W D L F A Pts GD
B. Arsenal Berekum, Brong Ahafo 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 +1
K. Faisal Kumasi, Ashanti 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 +1
Gt. Olympics Accra, Gt. Accra 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 +1
Bofoakwa Sunyani, Brong Ahafo 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Dawu Dawu, Eastern 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Goldfields Obuasi, Ashanti 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Okwahu Nkawkaw, Eastern 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Maxbees Suhum, Eastern 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Kotoko Kumasi, Ashanti 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
RTU Tamale, North 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Ghapoha Tema, Gt. Accra 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
Adansiman Obuasi, Ashanti 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
Hasaacas Sekondi, Western 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
Kwaebibrem Asuom, Eastern 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
Liberty Accra, Greater Accra - - - - - - - -
Hearts Accra, Greater Accra - - - - - - - -
NB: The match between Liberty Professionals and Accra Hearts of Oak was postponed due to Hearts' Africa Cup assignment against Etoile du Congo.
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Berekum (Brong Ahafo Region) 17 April 2001
New entrants, Berekum Arsenals football club on Saturday, defeated visiting Asuom Kwaebibirem United 1-0 in their opening match of the Star Premier League match played at the newly-constructed Berekum Sports Stadium.
Nana Adarkwa scored the lone goal in the 20th minute.
It was the result of a perfect free kick taken by midfielder Yaw Serbeh, and which Nana Adarkwa headed home beating goalkeeper Theodore Atsu.
Backed by their massive home support, Arsenals proved better in the initial exchanges, but inexperience caused them several goal chances until the 20th minute when Nana Adarkwah headed home the opening goal, which turned out to be the match winner.
Arsenals did everything possible to neutralise the attacking force of the Kwaebibirem boys, made up of captain Ayitey Dormon, Shaba Salisu, and Elvis Opoku and kept the thin score till full time to snatch the maximum points.
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Tamale (Northern Region) 17 April 2001
Visiting Kumasi Asante Kotoko on Saturday held Real Tamale United (RTU) to a one - one draw in the first week of the Star Premier League played at the Tamale Kaladan Park.
Playing before a capacity crowd, RTU scored first through mid-fielder, Hamzah Mohammed in the 25th minute when inside left Joe Adjei dribbled past three Kotoko defenders and fired a shot that deflected off Hamza's back to beat Osei Boateng in goal for Kotoko.
Kotoko took up the challenge with Shilla Alhassan, Godwin Ablodey and smallish, Frank Asoa pressing forward, but the RTU defence held off to the challenge.
Kotoko's attacking options yielded dividends in the 43rd minute when outside right Lawrence Adjei, slotted the ball into the net for the equaliser.
The game's beauty was however marred by supporters violence during the break and also after the final whistle which left some Kotoko players and supporters injured.
In a reaction, players of RTU have tendered in their resignation en-bloc saying their supporters behaviour left much to be desired and put their lives in danger as they travel down south to encounter other clubs.
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Olympics beat Hassacas by lone goal in
season opener
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 April 2001
Beleaguered Accra Great Olympics lived up to their wonder club billing when they beat Sekondi Hassacas by a lone goal in the opening match of this year's Star Premier League at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday.
Olympics playing with a virtually new squad following the desertion of most of the old players, kicked off and straight away, pushed forward to announce their intention of carrying the day.
In the 13th minute Michael Asante was put through but he failed to put the ball into the net with only goalkeeper George Owu to beat.
The only goal of the game came in the 17th minute when Samuel Aryettey shrugged off a tackle from Hassacas Alhassan Haruna in the vital area, to slot the ball beyond onrushing Owu for the match winner.
After the goal, the match became balanced with a lot of mid-field play and intermittent breaks at both ends, but Olympics held onto their lead as David Sharpe stood firm in goal.
The Olympics goalie was spectacular in the 22nd minute when he punched a well centred cross from the penalty area, with the attackers of Hassacas lurking around.
Again in the 25th minute Hassacas were nearly gifted the equaliser when Sharpe mistimed his run forward and allowed himself to be beaten by Lukman Olaya, whose weak shot was scooped off the line by central defender, Numo Mohammed who had a great game.
Referee Ebenezer Adega from Keta, who attracted the displeasure of the sparse crowd on several occasions for some strange decisions, showed the first yellow card to Aryettey for rough play in the 31st minute.
On resumption Hassacas moved their game a notch higher when they brought on veteran Kofi Abbrey for Mensah Robert in the 50th minute as the veteran winger wiped in his characteristic crosses that created a lot of problems for the Olympics defence.
Hassacas took control of the game from the hour mark as Olympics players appeared tired and nearly equalised in the 65th minute when Osei Kuffour connected a Kofi Abbrey cross that rebounded off the cross bar.
Olympics resorted to playing on the break as Hassacas pushed more men forward, looking for the equaliser. The Sekondi lads were threatened with counters in the 84th and 86th minutes but skipper Jonathan Abiku and Aryettey wasted the chances to extend Olympics' lead.
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Goldfields, Bofoakwa fight to a standstill
Obuasi (Ashanti Region) 17 April 2001
Brilliant goal keeping by Muhammed Alhassan helped Tano Bofoakwa to draw goalless with Obuasi Goldfields in their match played at the Len Clay Stadium on Saturday.
Playing with numerical disadvantage for well over 50 minutes following the red-carding of Yaw Kyeremeh in the 37th minute, goalkeeper Alhassan's alertness in post saved his side from conceding an avalanche of goals.
Alhassan's prowess was demonstrated in the 40th, 45th, 58th, 61st, 79th and 82nd minutes as he dived, jumped and stretched to save very sticky situations.
Goldfields, playing at home with most of their last season's players, piled up intense pressure on the visitors throughout the game, but wasted as many as 10 corner-kicks that came their way.
The game, which was characterised by rough plays from both sides saw Goldfields's Kamara Dini rushed to the hospital in the 28th minute when he clashed with an opponent during an aerial tussle in the vital area of the visitors.
In the 37th minute, a cynical tackle on Goldfields's Aminu Musa earned Yaw Kyeremeh a red card, but the homers failed to capitalise on their numerical strength to win the game.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 17 April 2001
King Faisal beat new entrants Obuasi Adansiman 1-0 in their match played at the Kumasi sports stadium.
Central defender Chibsah Yusif scored the lone goal in the 60th minute. He took advantage of a goalmouth melee and shot the ball straight into the net.
Before the goal, both teams made some changes. Faisal brought on Ben Wilson and
Eric Gawu while Adansiman also substituted Richard Aka and Hope Leveh for Mohammed Dauda and Kwadwo Owusu-Ansah but it was Faisal who benefited from the
substitutions.
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Golf-Otumfuo opens 69th
championship
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 17 April 2001
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, on Saturday, opened the 69th Ghana Amateur Open Golf Championship at the Kumasi Golf Course.
Silver Star Auto Limited and sister company Oman Fofor Trading Company Limited is sponsoring the four-day competition being played over 54 holes.
G.N. Aryeetey of Takoradi the defending champion will meet a stiff competition from a field of 127 golfers in the main scratch event.
Thirty-eight ladies are competing in the main scratch for honours while 13 youth will compete for honours in the new event introduced into the championship last year.
In the professional event, V. Brave-Mensah of Tema will be battling it out with 19 other professional golfers over 72 holes.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Mike Ezan, President of the Ghana Golf Association commended Kumasi Golf Club for hosting the competition and also congratulated the club for their untiring efforts in completing the surroundings of their clubhouse in good time for the championship.
He expressed gratitude to Silver Star Auto Company Limited for single-handedly sponsoring the championship continuously for the past five years and commended Oman Fofor, the Sister Company for joining in the sponsorship.
Welcoming the competitors, Mr H.Y. Atiase, President of the Kumasi Golf Club, expressed the club's appreciation to the Asantehene, a patron of the club for accepting to open the championship and wished the competitors a happy stay.
Mr Nouhard Kalmoni of Silver Star Auto Limited on behalf of the two companies expressed their delight at sponsoring the competition and hoped it will help push Ghana golf forward.
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