Standings of the Star Premier league
Fans troop in to watch Hearts, Bofoakwa
Ho Voradep ride high against Stay Cool
Ashanti Keep fit Clubs gives to stadium
disaster fund
Standings of the Star Premier league
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 June 2001
Standings of the 16-team Star Premier League after Sunday's matches, tabulated under number of matches played, won, drawn, lost, goals for and goals against.
Home Away
P W D L F A P W D L F A ...Pts GD
Kotoko 3 3 0 0 5 0 2 0 1 1 2 3 10 4
Dawu 3 2 1 0 5 2 2 1 0 1 3 5 10 1
Hearts 2 2 0 0 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 9 3
Maxbees 3 1 2 0 4 3 2 1 0 1 1 2 8 0
Goldfields 3 1 1 1 4 2 2 1 0 1 1 1 7 3
RTU 3 2 1 0 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 7 2
Hasaacas 2 2 0 0 3 0 3 0 1 2 2 4 7 1
Olympics 2 1 0 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 3 3 7 0
Bofoakwa 2 2 0 0 5 3 3 0 1 2 0 4 7 -2
Okwawu 2 1 0 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 3 5 7 -2
King Faisal 2 2 0 0 3 1 3 1 0 2 3 4 6 1
Arsenals 3 2 0 1 4 3 2 0 0 2 1 3 6 -1
Liberty 2 0 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 0 3 1 5 0
Kwaebibirem 2 1 0 1 4 3 3 0 0 3 0 4 3 -3
Ghapoha 2 0 1 1 1 2 3 0 1 2 1 3 2 -3
Adansiman 2 0 1 1 0 1 3 0 1 2 3 6 2 -4
EDS: Four points have been deducted from the accumulated points of King Faisal for fielding an unqualified player. They lost the point they picked in their second week match against Bofoakwa and three from the accumulated points.
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Sunyani (Eastern Region) 11 June 2001
Real Tamale United (RTU) played a determined game to beat Asuom Kwaebibirem F/C 2-0 in their Stars Premier League match played at the Coronation Park, Sunyani on Sunday.
RTU who were using the Sunyani Park as their centre for the encounter on the orders of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) as their punishment for crowd violence in Tamale recently, were not deterred in any way and played a good game.
With the officials and the players wearing red arms bands in memory of the 126 people who died in the May 9 incident at the Accra Sports Stadium, and after a minute's silence, both sides started the match in earnest.
But RTU played a comparatively better game and had their efforts rewarded when they scored their first goal in the ninth minute through inside-right Dzagbo Kumi, whose perfect header sailed into the empty net as the Kwaebibirem goalkeeper moved forward in an attempt to save a high ball.
Oheneba Charles' Kwaebibirem boys had their moments of glory in the first half but squandered all the goal chances that came their way.
Referee E.N. Adjei of Accra also contributed to their woes as he surprisingly ignored a perfect penalty against RTU in the 38th minute.
Both teams resumed the second half with renewed vigour but it was the Tamale boys who once again were on target through left-winger Joe Agyei in the 70th minute.
In another match played at Berekum, visiting Accra Great Olympics thrashed Berekum Arsenals 2-0.
Obuasi Goldfields recorded their first home win in their match when they thrashed Okwawu United 4-0 at the Len Clay Stadium.
It was fast improving goal poacher Isaac Boakye who set the tone for a goal harvest when he shot Goldfields ahead in the 5th minute. Isaac received a pass from Nana Arhin Duah and squeezed a shot through an acute angle for the opener.
Okwawu accepted the challenge and matched the homesters evenly, recording their first corner kick in the 19th minute.
In the 20th minute Okwawu United defender Robert Kingston fouled Isaac Boakye who was meandering his way into the visitors' vital area. Princeton Owusu Ansah drove the resultant free kick to Boakye, who slotted it home for his personal second and raising the tally to two, for Goldfields as well.
The miners brought in Tony Baffoe for Eric Boakye in the 22nd minutes but it was the visitors who kept the fight alive as they gained a corner kick in the 33rd minute. In the 34th minute, Goldfields earned their first corner kick and Aminu Musah's pressure generated a melee in the visitor's goal area and Nana Arhin Duah took advantage to score the third goal for the miners.
Okwawu replaced Ernest Boateng with Eklu Johnson on resumption of the second half but it was the homesters who kept their power functioning when they scored the 4th goal in the 55th minute. Skipper Owusu Ansah powered a header past keeper Joseph Aryeetey on duty for Okwawa when he was, set up by Aminu with a free kick.
Both teams made a number of changes which could not affect the score-line.
Gold fields were reduced to 10 men when Isaac Boakye was sent off in the 77th minute by referee Jonathan Larye of Accra for upending Robert Kingston.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko beat Ghapoha 1-0 in their encounter played at the Kumasi sports stadium.
Playing before their home crowd, Kotoko took the lead in the 20th minute when Nana Frimpong connected home a cross from Shilla Alhassan in a goalmouth melee.
The homesters kicked off under the instructions of referee Joseph Macarthy from Cape Coast and lost control to Ghpoha who moved into the Kotoko "18" but Tahiru Braima shot wide.
Nana Frimpong was fouled in the second minute by, Ibrahim on the edge of the box but the resultant free kick taken by Fuseini Adams was deflected across the goal line for a corner, which was wasted.
In the fifth minute Dennis Morgan of Ghapoha shot wide in a goal mouth aaction and in the seventh minute, Kotoko's midfielder Daniel Acquah was injured and replaced by Felix Yeboah.
Joseph Osei of Ghapoha was shown the yellow card in the 15th minute for rough play.
Kotoko forced a corner kick in the 18th minute and wasted it and after that, skipper Godwin Ablordey initiated a move from which Shilla Alhassan squared a pass to Nana Frimpong to score the only goal.
Kotoko nearly made it two in the 21st minute but Nana Frimpong shot wide. Four minutes later, Joe Louis was also on course but he fumbled in the box.
Ghapoha who could not find their rhythm came into the picture in the 30th minute and mounted series of attacks but squandered all the chances they created.
In the 44th minute, Ghapoha's Dennis Morgan was on target as he bulldozed his way through the defence of Kotoko and lobbed the ball over on-rushing goalkeeper Osei Boateng of Kotoko into the net but the referee disallowed it.
Ghapoha who were not deterred came close to scoring at the latter stages of the first half but were warded off by the strong defence of Kotoko.
On resumption, Kotoko brought in Stephen Oduro for Abedi Sarfo to strengthen the attack but Ghapoha kept the heat on Kotoko for almost 10 minutes, missing glaring chances in the 50th, 51st and 53rd minutes.
Joe Sam of Kotoko was shown the yellow card in the 54th minute for dissent. It was in the 57th minute that Kotoko rediscovered themselves and milled a threatening move which was wasted by Joe Louis.
The match from then on became balanced until the referee whistled to end hostilities.
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Fans troop in to watch Hearts, Bofoakwa
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 June 2001
Attendance at the Accra Sports Stadium for the league match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Bofoakwa Tano on Sunday was very impressive contrary to fears expressed by GHALCA that the May 9 disaster would adversely affect patronage.
Apart from the North End Stand, popularly called the Ade Coker Stand, which was not opened to spectators, all the other stands recorded over 68 per cent attendance.
Of significance was the comportment of fans, who cheered the two clubs when they played well and did not challenge the ruling of the referee during the entire duration of the match.
Even though the disaster is still fresh in the minds of many Ghanaians, players, match officials and some fans who talked to the GNA Sports were of the view that life must go on.
Victor Angola Dada, a player of Tano Bofoakwa said he was not too impressed by the way Hearts played and thinks it was perhaps due to the incident.
He said he was disappointed at the way Hearts played and believed that their psyche must have been battered by the incident since they were eyewitnesses.
Victor said he was not happy with the way the referee handled the match because he was biased towards them adding that they did not protest openly because they did not want to be seen to be starting a fresh trouble.
Amankwaa Mireku of Hearts said, he and his colleagues were affected by the incident.
He said events of May 9 are still hanging on their minds and before they even started the match they talked about it and that in a way, took away their concentration.
Mireku said the one-month break has also affected them but said once they have played the first match, they would get their acts together soon and play well again.
Coach Offei Ansah of Hearts admitted that his boys were affected by the tragedy but said they are being worked on psychologically to help them get over it.
Most Hearts fans said they were happy to be back even though they have not got over the incident yet.
Bomba of Nima Chapter Three said everybody would die so it would not stop them from following Hearts.
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Cape Coast (Central Region) 11 June 2001
Supporters of Cape Coast Ebuasua Dwarfs returned home disappointed when their club was crushed 0-2 by Takoradi Bafana Bafana in their first division league match played at Cape Coast Sport Stadium on Sunday.
Dwarf created a wrong impression that they were going to carry day but were forced to recoil into their shelves.
The visitors outclassed Dwarfs in all department of the game after that early scare and it came as no surprise when left half back, Francis Cobbinah exploited a defensive blunder to score the opener in the 17th minute.
Dwarfs resumed with greater determination. They made two changes, brought pressure on their opponents but their hopes of drawing level were shattered when substitute Enoch Adjei increased the tally to two to seal the doom of Dwarfs.
GRi…/
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Ho Voradep ride high against Stay Cool
Ho (Volta Region) 11 June 2001
Ho Voradep on Sunday beat Accra (Dansoman) Stay Cool Professionals by two goals to nothing (2-0) during the Zone 3B, Division One league match played at the Ho sports stadium.
Both teams started the match cautiously and concentrated play in the mid- field with occasional breakthroughs and ended the first half goalless.
After recess, Voradep established superiority over the visitors with a different pattern of play and succeeded in getting two quick goals in the 62th and 65th minutes.
It was Vora's Benjamin Dziwornu, playing at the outside left position who pounced on a lose ball, raced deep into the visitor's vital area and laid a cross for Felix Gbadegbe to connect home for the first goal.
Stay Cool nearly cancelled the deficit barely two minutes afterwards but Eric Ansah's attempt at goal missed narrowly from a free kick taken outside Vora's vital area.
In the 65th minute Dziwornu increased the tally to two when he beat an offside trap and lobbed the ball over advancing goalkeeper Alex Agyepong in goal for Stay Cool.
Henry Quarcoo of Stay Cool and Vora's Abu Razak received the matching- off orders from Koforidua based, Class One Referee Samuel Kwarteng for dissent in the 69th and 75 minutes respectively.
All efforts by the visitors to grab a consolation goal proved futile as they found the defenders of Vora unyielding.
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Ashanti Keep fit Clubs gives to stadium
disaster fund
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 June 2001
Members of the Ashanti regional Keep fit Clubs Association today presented a cheque for 10 million cedis to the Accra sports stadium disaster fund.
Presenting the cheque to Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive at the Kumasi sports stadium after a marathon walk by members, Major Kyei Bosomtwe (rtd), president of the association said it was members' widow's mite to support bereaved families of the victims.
He indicated that the walk was organised to raise money to the fund and also create awareness about the existence of the association to know each other and encourage other clubs to identify themselves with the association.
Major Bosomtwe praised the various chairmen and members for turning up for the programme and hoped that the spirit of commitment would continue to uplift the image of the association.
He announced that the regional gala competition of the association, which has not been organised for the past two years, would be revived this year.
Mr Sammy Ashie, Ashanti Regional Sports Development Officer said the role of keep fit exercise of the body cannot be overlooked since it prepares the body both spiritually and physically.
Mr Jumah appealed to other clubs, organisations and societies to emulate the gesture stressing that what happened at the Accra stadium on May 9 could have occurred to anybody who happened to be there.
He said only God knows why the incident took place and it must serve as a lesson to all Ghanaians to be wary of acts that could lead to confusion and disasters in the country.
Mr Jumah expressed concern about mansions being constructed in disaster-prone areas especially along the railway lines and warned those involved to stop or otherwise face the consequences.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 11 June 2001
Results of the Stars Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Accra: Hearts.....One (1) Bofoakwa.....Nil (0)
Tema: Liberty.....Nil (0) Hasaacas......Nil (0)
Kumasi: Kotoko....One (1) Ghapoha......Nil (0)
Tamale: RTU.....Two (2) Kwaebibirem.....Nil (0)
Koforidua: Maxbees....Two (2) Adansiman.....Two (2)
Dawu: Dawu.....Two (2) King Faisal.....Nil (0)
Berekum: Arsenals....Nil (0) Olympics.....Two (2)
Obuasi: Goldfields.....Four (4) Okwawu.....Nil (0)
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