GRi Sports 25-03-99

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 March 

Each player of the national under-20 soccer team, the Black Satellites received a total of eight point one million cedis as bonuses after the just-ended Africa youth soccer championship in Accra.

Mr Frederick Debrah, Welfare Officer of the team, said at a press a briefing in Accra on Wednesday to refute an Accra bi-weekly Sports paper's report that the players have not been paid their bonuses.

Mr Debrah said each player received 1.1 million cedis as per diem, 1.5 million cedis after the preliminary rounds, 2.8 million cedis for beating Zambia in the semi-finals and three million cedis for winning the final match against Nigeria.

He said in addition, Duraplast Limited donation of three million cedis and 10 million cedis from Guinness Ghana Limited were also shared among the players.

The skipper of the team, Hamza Hommmed and reserved goalkeeper Osei Boateng confirmed that the monies have been paid to them.

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 March 

Wonder Club, Accra Great Olympics beat their city rivals Hearts of Oak 1-0 in their fifth week ABC Golden Lager premier football league match played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Wednesday.

Centre forward, Charles Taylor scored the only goal in the 71st minute from substitute Razak Pimpong's pass. Hearts right full back, Justice Ampah failed to make a first time clearance of the ball mid-way inside his own half and Pimpong, who was lurking in the Hearts area, pounced on it and sent a cross for Taylor to score.

The Phobians kicked off and piled pressure on the unsettled Olympics defence in a bid to find an early opener but striker Osmanu Amadu and left winger Robert Sabah failed to utilise a scoring chance each in the first five minutes.

The pace of the game slackened until the 16th minute when Hearts midfielder Osei Kuffour sent a powerful drive at goal but goalkeeper Sam Quaye of Oly pulled off a brilliant save. Olympics repulsed the attack and wasted two scoring chances in the 23rd and 31st minutes through Taylor and inside left Wisdom Abbey respectively.

Taylor shot feebly from close range for Hearts goalkeeper James Nanor to make an easy save while Abbey fired off target when Hearts goalie was off his posts. Homesters Hearts immediately initiated a counter attack and hit Oly's net in the 33rd minute through Amadu with a header but it was disallowed for an off-side goal.

With two minutes to end the first half, midfielder Charles Allotey of Hearts had the easiest task to send his side ahead with only goalkeeper Quaye to beat but he shot over the bar. Both sides brought on fresh limps after the recess. Olympics pulled out left full back Haruna Alhassan for Philip Kutsu and midfielder Billy Suleiman for Razak Pimpong in the 50th minute while Hearts brought on Ishmael Addo and Desmond Amoah for right winger Kenneth Sarpong and Sabah respectively in the 57th minute.

The changes brought some live into the Hearts attacking machinery as they kept their opponents in their own half.

Goalkeeper Quaye denied the Phobians two-quick goals in the 61st and 65th minutes when he stretched full length on both occasions to save left full back Jacob Nettey's shot and a header from Amadu. The Phobians' dominance over Olympics was punctured in the 71st minute when Taylor scored the only goal of the match. Hearts threw everything into the game in the hope of redeeming the goal but erratic shooting and good defensive work by Oly made it impossible for the Phobians to get the equaliser.

Dawu Youngsters beat visiting Tema Ghapoha Readers 5-1 in their match played at the Dawu Sports Stadium.

Dawu took the lead in the 38th minute through a penalty. Centre forward Justice Opoku was brought down in the box for a penalty, which was converted by David Lartey.

Opoku scored again for Dawu in the 43rd minute in a goal-mouth action for the homesters to take a comfortable 2-0 first half lead.

Ghapoha came close to pulling a goal back in the 46th minute when inside right Bernard Bortey received a through pass in Dawu's goal area but with only goalkeeper Isaac Zogah to beat, he shot off target.

Inside left Kwame Chronicle Amadu made it 3-0 for Dawu in the 49th minute. He intercepted a pass in the centre circle and took on the defenders of Ghapoha before blasting the ball past goalkeeper Vossou Kodjo of Ghapoha.

Ghapoha brought on reserve goalkeeper Alfred Mills for Kodjo in the 58th minute and pulled a goal back in the 61st minute through a penalty converted by Daniel Adusei after inside left Adolf Mensah had been brought down in Dawu's box.

Dawu scored the fourth goal in the 71st minute when Opoku tapped Amadu's pass into the net.

Amadu took his turn in the 80th minute when he planted the ball in the far corner of the net after beating his marker in Ghapoha's "18" for Dawu's fifth goal.

Struggling Afienya United drew 1-1 with visiting Swedru All

Blacks in their match played at the Tema Sports Stadium.

Determined to carry the day, Afienya went into a serious attack after the kick off but failed to find the net as inside left Yaw Anane wasted a golden chance in the 12th minute.

Anane, however, atoned for his earlier miss when he scored the opener for Afienya 12 minutes later with a beautiful header.

In the 50th minute, All Blacks bounced into action after replacing left winger Eric Boateng with Sam Afful.

The change brought a bite into the All Blacks attack as they scored the equaliser in the 58th minute through inside left Dennis Odoom.

Afienya brought on Richard Okyere for Anane in the 59th minute but that did not change the score-line. Instead disaster struck the homesters as their dependable right full back Sam Okyere was shown the red card by referee J.B.K. Akposu of Hohoe for rough play.

Okwawu United beat Real Tamale United (RTU) 3-0 in their match played at the Nkawkaw Park.

Okwawu got the first goal in the 12th minute through midfielder Douglas Addy when his 20-metre shot beat goalkeeper John Baker of RTU.

RTU came into the picture from then on and had two corner kicks in the 32rd and 35th minutes but failed to utilise them.

The Okwawu attackers formerly of Hearts of Oak, striker Mugu Ibrahim, outside right Nii Aryee Tetteh, inside right William Afoakwa and inside left Kwesi Asante combined effectively, but poor shooting up front prevented them from increasing their lead.

In the 50th minute, injured RTU goalkeeper Baker was replaced by Mohammed Surazu while Okwawu sent in Abdul Mijima for outside left Alfred Darko.

The changes benefited Okwawu when substitute Mijima took on three RTU defenders to lay on a pass for Mugu to slot in the second goal in the 65th minute.

The game nearly came to an abrupt end in the 87th minute when Kumasi-based FIFA referee Osei Nsiah awarded a penalty to Okwawu after keeper Zurazu fouled Afoakwa in an attempt to save a tricky situation.

But supporters of RTU, led by team manager Mumuni Ghamel, rushed on the referee, bringing the game to a temporary halt for three minute.

When play resumed, central defender and skipper George Tutu of Okwawu, converted the kick for the homesters third goal.

Angry and disappointed fans of Obuasi Goldfileds, unhappy about the dismal performance of the club, accused the clubs's chief executive, Mr Kojo Nunoo of inefficiency after Goldfields were beaten 3-2 by Liberty Professionals in their match played at the Len Clay Stadium.

The fans, before the final whistle, had converged at the presidential stand of the stadium showering abuses on Mr Nunoo, forcing the security personnel to escort him to his office.

Goldfields scored first in the 35th minute through a spot kick by defender Mike Ofori but they allowed Liberty to cancel the lead on the stroke of half time also through a penalty converted by defender Mike Essien.

Inside left Derrick Boateng finished off Emmanuel Asante's cross to put Liberty ahead 2-1 in the 63rd minute.

Urged on by the fans, Goldfields managed to equalise in the 65th minute through Abdul Sylla but Liberty did not allow them to rejoice over the goal and hit the net again for the match winner.

Sekondi Hasaacas drew 1-1 with King Faisal in their match played at the Sekondi Gyandu Park.

Inside left Kwadwo Antwe shot King Faisal ahead in the 12th minute and Hasaacas had to wait till the 89th minute before getting the equaliser through outside left Seth Twumasi.At Agona Swedru, "Ebusua" Drawfs beat Tano Bofoakwa 1-0while the match between Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Power F/C of Koforidua at the Kumasi Sports Stadium was postponed.

Accra: Hearts...Nil (0) Olympics...One (1)

Obuasi: Goldfields...Two (2) Liberty...Three (3)

Swedru: Dwarfs...One (1) Bofoakwa...Nil (0)

Sekondi: Hasaacas...One (1) Faisal...One (1)

Nkawkaw: Okwawu...Three (3) RTU...Nil (0)

Dawu: Dawu...Five (5) Ghapoha...One (1)

Tema: Afienya...One (1) All Blacks...One (1)

Kumasi: Kotoko versus Power (Postponed)

Soccer-- Dwarfs increase lead to five points.

Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs lead the 16-club ABC Golden Lager Premier football league table after the fifth week matches on Wednesday.

Accra (Greater Accra), 25th March 

Invited guests today failed to turn up for a function at which 'Glorious Hearts' a magazine aimed to be the mouthpiece of premier club, Accra Hearts of Oak was launched as the handful of people who turned out had to wait for about four hours before the function got underway.

Organisers blamed the poor spectacle on the defeat of the club in yesterday's premier league mid-week clash against city rivals, Accra Great Olympics. Hearts lost by a lone goal a defeat some claim is their first at home in four years.  

When club Chairman, Harry Zakkour, finally appeared in the company of Mr. Ernest Bediako, a former Chairman of the club at about 1:00pm, the patience of the small gathering had run out and the two tried vainly to assuage hurt feelings by joking about the club's ill luck on Wednesday.

 In his address, the Managing Editor, Mr. Bob Aryee, said the magazine is being introduced to strengthen Hearts' campaign in this year's Africa clubs cup competition.

 He said as a result, the magazine will focus on the Africa Clubs Champions competition, adding that a substantial share of profits from sales will go the club.

 Mr. Harry Zakkour commendable effort of Mr Aryee which he described as 'innovative' and said Hearts as a 'big club' needs some such outlet to publicise its objectives and achievements.

 Mr. Ernest Bediako said the publication is in the best interest of the club and called for steadfastness from the supporter in hard times. 

The first two magazines were bought for 100,000 cedis each by Mr Bediako and Mr Zakkour.