Okwahu United draws with Hasaacas
Hearts struggle to beat Faisal
Ten foreign-based players coming for Lesotho
match
Stadium complex to be built at Nzema
ABC Premier League 25th week results
Okwahu United draws with Hasaacas
Sekondi (Western Region) 25 August 2000
Sekondi Hasaacas and Okwahu United drew 1-1 in their ABC premier league match at the Sekondi Gyandu Park on Wednesday.
Hasaacas took the lead through a penalty converted powerfully by inside left Frank Turkson in the 57th minute when an Okwahu United defender handled the ball in the vital area.
Okwahu United had earlier objected the award of the penalty but referee E.N.Adjei stood his grounds.
Okwahu United gained control of the encounter after the goal and deservedly found the equaliser in the 74th minute through Ernest Boateng in the 74th minute.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo Region) 25 August 2000
At Sunyani, Tano Bofoakwa beat visiting Liberty Professionals 2-1 in their encounter at the Sunyani Coronation Park. Half time score was 1-0 for Bofoakwa.
Notwithstanding their defeat, the Liberty boys played their hearts out but poor officiating in the latter stages of the match robbed them of the equaliser.
Bofoakwa had their first goal scoring-chance when the game was 10 minutes old but right-winger Kwame Antwi's weak header was dealt with easily by goalkeeper Anthony Kudjoe of Liberty Professionals.
A moment after this, Liberty boys also had a chance to score but left-winger Kumah's powerful 35-yarder was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Damba of Bofoakwa.
Goalkeeper Damba who appeared jittery in the initial stages of the match showed signs of recovery later during the exchanges and it was little wonder when in the 29th minute he made a great save of right-winger Ibrahim Attipoe's close-range shot.
Play became ding-dong from then until just a minute to go for the end of the first half when centre forward Kwasi Kyere of Bofoakwa connected with a header to put his side into the lead.
Back from recess Bofoakwa increased their lead to 2-0 through Kyeremeh in the 65th minute, but substitute Batsa grabbed Liberty's only goal in the 84th minute.
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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 25 August 2000
Visiting Ashanti Goldfields drew 1-1 with the Koforidua based Power F/C in their match played at the Koforidua sports stadium.
Power opened the scores in the 11th minutes in a goalmouth melee through outside left, Justice Appiah. Obuasi Goldfields had the equaliser through their centre half back Yaw Owusu who headed the ball into the net from a beautiful cross by right full back Sammy Adjei in the 22nd minute.
Power F/C had several chances in the second half but were all wasted.
Goldfields goalkeeper, Constant Mantey came out as the man of the match as he saved several goal-bound shots from the Power boys.
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Tamale (Northern Region) 25 08 - 2000
Real Tamale United (RTU), played a composed game to beat a determined Ebusua Dwarfs 2-1 in their incident-free match played at the Kaladan Park.
Dwarfs kicked of strongly but soon lost the ball to the homesters who gave early indications of carrying the day.
RTU atoned for their earlier mistakes when right half back, Nuredeen Wamah sent in a long drive, which was expertly headed into the net by mid-field Hamza Mohammed in 13th minute.
Dwarfs nearly got the equaliser in 35th minute but unmarked centre forward, Michael Cofie with only the goalkeeper to beat shot off target.
In the 68th minute, RTU's substitution, Alpha Potobawi took the ball from the mid-field and dribbled his way into the vital area of Dwarfs before crossing centre forward, Abass Idrissu to slot it home.
Dwarfs made a last minute effort and managed to redeem a goal in the 80th minute through Ebo Mends following a defensive blunder by RTU.
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Hearts struggle to beat Faisal
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 August 2000
Accra Hearts of Oak kept their unbeaten home record they secured a hard fought 2-1 victory over King Faisal in their ABC Premier league mid-week match at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Phobians went into battle right from kick-off and were rewarded in the third minute when inside right Adjah Tetteh scored the first goal with a glancing header.
The early pressure generated a misunderstanding among King Faisal defenders, forcing them to concede a corner kick from the left flank.
Kenneth Sarpong floated an in-swinger into the penalty area of Faisal and Adjah made no mistake about it.
The early goal seemed to have unsettled the visitors, who were dominated momentarily by the swift playing Hearts team.
The resilience of Faisal defenders, Seth Opoku, Idrissu Yahaya and veteran Emmanuel Ampiah denied Hearts more goals.
In the 10th and 16th minutes, goalkeeper, Nicholas Opoku Ware made two great saves from Ishmael Addo and Kenneth Sarpong respectively, to leave King Faisal trailing by only a goal.
By the 20th minute Faisal boys began to warm themselves into the game with a neat, tip-tap passing formation, with centre forward Frank Osei, Ben Wilson and Joe Agyemang becoming prominent.
Goalkeeper Eben Dida had to struggle to save a left footed blinder from Joe Agyemang in the 25th minute when he was, set up with a through pass from Samuel Thompson.
In the 36th minute the referee awarded a penalty kick to Hearts when Ishmail Addo flicked the ball to the hand of Idrissu Mahama but goalkeeper Opoku Ware made mince meat of Ishmael's kick with a brilliant diving save.
Four minutes later, King Faisal conceded another penalty kick when Emmanuel Osei Kuffour was brought down, in the box by, Seth Opoku. Ishmael elected himself again for the kick and this time, his shot grazed the cross bar and went over it.
Hearts resumed the second half with James Nanor replacing Eben Dida and Charles Allotey coming in for Agyemang Duah.
The early minutes of this half were, dominated by Hearts but Faisal soon accepted the challenge and matched the Phobians boot for boot.
In the 73rd minute, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour scored the second goal for Hearts, when he tapped in the rebound after a fierce shot from Kenneth Sarpong had been blocked.
King Faisal pressed hard to redeem the deficit and were rewarded in the 86th minute when Frank Osei scored a great goal after taking a pass from a team-mate.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 25 August 2000
Kumasi Asante Kotoko hammered Dawu Youngsters 5-0 in their ABC/Premier league match played in Kumasi on Wednesday.
Kotoko shot ahead in the eight minute through defender Kwadwo Owusu with a header from Augustine Amponsah's inswinger from the left.
This early goal, however, did not unsettle Dawu as they took command of the game and put Kotoko under pressure earning a free-kick just outside Kotoko's penalty box in the 24th minute, but the resultant kick hit the cross bar and rebounded into play and was cleared by the defence. Dawu missed again in the 26th and 28th minutes with shots from Eric Mbroh who gave the Kotoko defence a lot of anxious moments.
Let off the hook, Kotoko went into action and a long ball found Stephen Oduro in the middle. He rounded off a Dawu defender and unleashed a 30-metre shot to raise Kotoko's tally to 2-0.
Dawu replaced goalkeeper Dan Lardi with Solomon Crentsil on resumption and also replaced Kojo Amponsah in the 54th minute with Samuel Tetteh. But it was Kotoko who raised their tally to 3-0 in the 61st minute through Lawrence Adjei.
Then Kotoko struck again in the 64th minute but Takoradi-based referee M. Alhassan disallowed what was a perfect goal. However, a minute later, Lawrence Adjei scored the fourth goal after which he got injured and was replaced by Joe Agyemang.
Joe Agyemang justified his inclusion when he exploited a defensive blunder to slot in Kotoko's fifth goal in the 80th minute.
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Ten foreign-based players coming for Lesotho match
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 August 2000
Ten Ghanaian foreign-based professionals including Alex Nyarko and Stephen Appiah are expected in the country from Monday as the Black Stars step up their training to battle the "Crocodiles" of Lesotho in their 2002 Africa Nations Cup qualifier under stand-in-coach Fred Osam-Duodu.
The foreign players are to beef up the current local squad camping at the Winneba Sports College for the final brush up before enplaning for Maseru for the match slated for Sunday, September three.
Coach Osam-Duodu told the GNA in interview in Accra on that even though the number of the foreign players expected is high, "these ten have confirmed their coming".
Others expected to make the trip are Emmanuel Duah, Charles Amoah, Richard Kingston, Charles Simpson, Bashiru Gambo, Kofi Amposah, Edwin Bediako and ace striker Kwame Ayew.
The coach who was in Maseru to watch Lesotho crumble before Zimbabwe 0-3 after they had earlier on beaten Zambia and Angola said the local players are not likely to be released to feature their teams for Sunday's ABC/FA knockout matches.
Osam-Duodo called on the Professional league board to cancel Sunday's matches in order not to disrupt the programme of the Blacks Stars adding that, "the interest of the nation should supersede all others".
He said a series of trial matches have been lined up for the Stars starting this Friday, August 25, with Swedru All Blacks at the Winneba Sports College.
Coach Osam-Duodu said the team would play host to Mamobi Youth and Stay Cool Professionals probably on Saturday and Sunday before the arrival of their foreign colleagues for a final trial with a team yet to be named.
The coach said he would use the trial matches to access Dominique Nkansah, a 25-year old Ghanaian professional who plies his trade with a German third division who joined the locals in camp on his own.
He said he is also considering inviting some players in the future who are currently playing well in the U.S. and other parts of Europe including Joe Addo and Odartey Lamptey.
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Stadium complex to be built
at Nzema
Axim (Western Region) 25 August 2000
A multi-purpose stadium complex estimated at 38 million dollars is to be constructed by the Nzema East District Assembly (NEDA) at Axim.
The 25,000 sitting capacity complex when completed will host local and foreign football, tennis, hockey, basketball, volleyball and table tennis competitions. It will also serve as training a centre for tennis and football players and boxers.
The stadium will have a modern dressing room, snack bar, ticketing area, press gallery and VIP seat.
Mr. James R. D. Kobinah, Nzema East District Chief Executive announced this at the launch of the project at Axim on Tuesday.
He said there will also be a 3,000 -seater sports hall and a swimming pool among other facilities.
The DCE said the first phase of the complex, estimated at 12 million dollars to be completed within two years will comprise the grassing of the playing field, construction of a hostel as well as basketball and tennis courts.
Mr. Magnus Rex Danquah, Managing Director of RICS Consult Limited, the main consultant of the project said several investors have expressed interest in the project.
Mr. Danquah said bonds would soon be floated in consultation with the Ghana Stock Exchange.
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ABC Premier League 25th week results
Tema : Ghapoha 1 B.A. United 0 Sekondi: Hasaacas 1 Okwawu 1
Sunyani : Bofoakwa 2 Liberty 1 Accra : Hearts 2 K. Faisal 1
Koforidua : Power 1 Goldfields 1 Kumasi : Kotoko 5 Dawu 0
Tamale : RTU 2 Dwarfs 1 Asuom : K'bibirem 2 Olympics 1
Standings of the teams at the end of the 25th
week – 025: 25th August 2000
Team Local/Region P W D L F A Pts GD
Hearts Accra, Gt. Accra 23 18 4 1 50 15 58 +35
Goldfields Obuasi, Ashanti 24 11 6 7 23 15 39 +8
Ghapoha Tema, Gt. Accra 25 11 6 9 29 29 39 0
King
Faisal Kumasi, Ashanti 25 11 5 8 31
23 38 +8
Okwawu Nkawkaw, Eastern 25 10 7 7 29
24 37 +5
Liberty Accra, Gt. Accra 25 11 3 11 37 28 36 +9
Kotoko Kumasi, Ashanti 25 9
7 9 32 28 34 0
RTU Tamale, Northern 25 10 4 11 22 21 34 -5
Bofoakwa Sunyani, Brong Ahafo
25 9 5 13 23 30 32 -7
Kwaebibirim Asuom, Eastern 25
8 5 12 26 39 29 -13
Olympics Accra, Gt. Accra
25 8 8 9 24 28 29 -4
Hasaacas Sekondi, Western 25 7 6 12 27 31 27 -4
Dwarfs Cape Coast, Central 23 6 7 10 22 29 26 -7
Power
F/C Koforidua, Eastern 25 5 10 9 18 22 25 -4
Dawu Dawu, Eastern 25 5 11 9 26 36 26 -9
B.A.
United Sunyani, Brong Ahafo 25
5 8 12 16 29 23 -13
(NB: Kumasi Asante Kotoko have been declared losers in their 22nd week clash with Okwwu United that ended abruptly in the 88th minute. The GFA disciplinary committee found Kotoko guilty for refusing to continue with play after an incident in which their coach, Ernst Middendorp, was assaulted by coach Sarpong of Okwawu. Sarpong has been slapped with a 12-month ban but Kotoko are being punished for their refusal to play even though conditions stabilised for the continuation of the match. A number of matches have been declared outstanding due to Hearts and Dwarfs Africa cup Campaigns. The GFA is yet to schedule them.)
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