ABC Premier League starts on 12th March
Accra (Greater Accra) 4 March 2000
The event sponsored annually by Guinness Ghana Limited is used showcase new players signed on by the various clubs.
On paper Kumasi Asante Kotoko boasts of having roped in the nation’s current best talents although the other clubs boast of equally good players.
New entrants Asuom Kwaebibirim United and Brong Ahafo United receive their initiation into premiership when they cross each other’s path at exactly 14.00 GMT in the first match of the competition.
Seven more matches will be honoured on the first day to push the tournament into the quarterfinals, slated for the next day alongside the semi-finals and finals.
The pairings are as follows:
Preliminaries
1. B.A. United v Kwaebibirem 2. Liberty v RTU
3. Ghapoha v Hasaacas 4. Power v Kotoko
5. K. Faisal v Dwarfs 6. Okwawu v Olympics
7. Dawu v Hearts 8. Bofoakwa v Goldfields
Quarterfinals
9. Winner (1) v Winner (2) 10. Winner (3) v Winner (4)
11. Winner (5) v Winner (6) 12 Winner (7) v Winner (8)
Semi-finals
Accra (Greater Accra) 4 March 2000
The 2000 ABC Premier League Kick off at all league centres on Sunday 12th March 2000. The year however begins with the Guinness Gala Competition at the Accra Sports Stadium on 4th and 5th March.
According to the league’s fixtures released by the Ghana Football Association first round matches should end on 14th May after which it will take a two-week break before the resumption of the second round.
A characteristic feature about this year’s calendar is the playing of mid-week matches, almost every week, to enable the nation meet its crowded soccer calendar which will include qualifying matches for the World Cup 2004, and the African Cup of Nations 2004
Sixteen clubs are taking part in the nation’s elite soccer class with B.A. United and Kwabibirem United, qualifiers in last season’s Division One Middle League, as the new entrants.
As usual defending champions, Accra Hearts of Oak and rejuvenated Kumasi Asante Kotoko start as favourites to maintain the tradition of either team coming up tops when the dust has finally settled.
Competing also are Real Tamale United, Okwawu United, Dawu Youngsters, Accra Great Olympics, Tema Ghapoha and Liberty Professionals.
The rest are King Faisal F/C, Obuasi Goldfields, Liberty Professionals, Power F/C, Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs and Sekondi Hasaacas.
GRi
The 2000 league fixtures at a glance:
Week 1 - Sun. 12th Mar. 2000 Week 2 - Wed. 15th Mar. 2000
Venue Home v Away Venue Home v Away
Nkawkaw Okwawu v B.A. United Sunyani B.A. United v Liberty
Accra Liberty v K. Faisal Sekondi Hasaacas v Bofoakwa
Accra Olympics v Goldfields Tema Ghapoha v K’bibirem
Dawu Dawu v Power Accra Hearts v Kotoko
Tamale RTU v Hearts Koforidua Power v RTU
Kumasi Kotoko v Ghapoha Obuasi Goldfields v Dawu
Asuom K’bibirem v Hasaacas Kumasi K. Faisal v Olympics
Sunyani Bofoakwa v Dwarfs C. Coast Dwarfs v Okwawu
Week 3 - Sun. 19th Mar. 2000 Week 4 - Wed. 22nd Mar. 2000
Venue Home v Away Venue Home v Away
Accra Liberty v Okwawu Sunyani B.A. United v Dawu
Accra Olympics v B.A. United Nkawkaw Okwawu v Olympics
Dawu Dawu v K. Faisal Tema Ghapoha v Hasaacas
Tamale RTU v Goldfields Accra Hearts v Bofoakwa
Kumasi Kotoko v Power Koforidua Power v K’bibirem
Asuom K’bibirem v Hearts Obuasi Goldfields v Kotoko
Sunyani Bofoakwa v Ghapoha Kumasi K. Faisal v RTU
Sekondi Hasaacas v Dwarfs C. Coast Dwarfs v Liberty
Week 5 - Sat. 25th Mar. 2000 Week 6 - Wed. 29th Mar. 2000
Venue Home v Away Venue Home v Away
Accra Olympics v Liberty Sunyani B.A. United v Kotoko
Dawu Dawu v Okwawu Nkawkaw Okwawu v RTU
Tamale RTU v B.A. United Accra Liberty v Dawu
Kumasi Kotoko v K. Faisal Accra Hearts v Ghapoha
Asuom K’bibirem v Goldfields Koforidua Power v Hasaacas
Sunyani Bofoakwa v Power Obuasi Goldfields v Bofoakwa
Sekondi Hasaacas v Hearts Kumasi K. Faisal v K’bibirem
Tema Ghapoha v Dwarfs C. Coast Dwarfs v Olympics
Week 7 - Sun. 2nd April 2000 Week 8 - Wed. 5th April 2000
Venue Home v Away Venue Home v Away
Dawu Dawu v Olympics Sunyani B.A. United v Bofoakwa
Tamale RTU v Liberty Nkawkaw Okwawu v K. Faisal
Kumasi Kotoko v Okwawu Accra Liberty v Kotoko
Asuom K’bibirem v B.A. United Accra Olympics v RTU
Sunyani Bofoakwa v K. Faisal Koforidua Power v Hearts
Sekondi Hasaacas v Goldfields Obuasi Goldfields v Ghapoha
Tema Ghapoha v Power Kumasi K. Faisal v Hasaacas
Accra Hearts v Dwarfs C. Coast Dwarfs v Dawu
Week 9 - Sun. 9th April 2000 Week 10 - Sun. 16th April 2000
Venue Home v Away Venue Home v Away
Tamale RTU v Dawu Sunyani B.A. United v Ghapoha
Kumasi Kotoko v Olympics Nkawkaw Okwawu v Hasaacas
Asuom K’bibirem v Liberty Accra Liberty v Bofoakwa
Sunyani Bofoakwa v Okwawu Accra Olympics v K’bibirem
Sekondi Hasaacas v B.A. United Dawu Dawu v Kotoko
Tema Ghapoha v K. Faisal Obuasi Goldfields v Power
Accra Hearts v Goldfields Kumasi K. Faisal v K. Faisal
Koforidua Power v Dwarfs C. Coast Dwarfs v RTU
Week 11 - Wed. 19th April 2000 Week 12 - Sun. 30th April 2000
Venue Home v Away Venue Home v Away
Kumasi Kotoko v RTU Sunyani B.A. United v Power
Asuom K’bibirem v Dawu Nkawkaw Okwawu v Hearts
Sunyani Bofoakwa v Olympics Accra Liberty v Ghapoha
Sekondi Hasaacas v Liberty Accra OLympics v Hasaacas
Tema Ghapoha v Okwawu Dawu Dawu v Bofoakwa
Accra Hearts v B.A. United Tamale RTU v K’bibirem
Koforidua Power v K. Faisal Kumasi K. Faisal v Goldfields
Obuasi Goldfields v Dwarfs C. Coast Dwarfs v Kotoko
Week 13 - Wed. 3rd May 2000 Week 14 - Sun. 7th May 2000
Venue Home v Away Venue Home v Away
Asuom K’bibirem v Kotoko Sunyani B. A. United v K. Faisal
Sunyani Bofoakwa v RTU Nkawkaw Okwawu v Goldfields
Sekondi Hasaacas v Dawu Accra Liberty v Power
Tema Ghapoha v Olympics Accra Olympics v Hearts
Accra Hearts v Liberty Dawu Dawu v Ghapoha
Koforidua Power v Okwawu Tamale RTU v Hasaacas
Obuasi Goldfields v B. A. United Kumasi Kotoko v Bofoakwa
Kumasi K. Faisal v Dwarfs C. Coast Dwarfs v K’bibirem
Week 15 - Sun. 14th May 2000
Venue Home v Away
Sunyani Bofoakwa v K’bibirem
Sekondi Hasaacas v Kotoko
Tema Ghapoha v RTU
Accra Hearts v Dawu
Koforidua Power v Olympics
Obuasi Goldfields v Liberty
Kumasi K. Faisal v Okwawu
C. Coast Dwarfs v B.A. United
GRi
Accra (Greater Accra), 4 March 2000
A 15-page bi-weekly "Ghana International Sports Magazine" which focuses on both local and international sporting disciplines was on Thursday night launched by Colonel (rtd) John Kabore, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Ghana in Accra.
The magazine is to provide sports readers with accurate and reliable information, including interviews with local and foreign sports personalities on current issues confronting the sports world.
It is to create a platform for the public to express their views on matters affecting sports, the VAG Chairman told guests at the launching.
Mr D. E. Carr, Managing Director of Ecoprints Limited, publishers of the magazine, called on the government to be more committed to the growth and development of sports in the country.
He noted that in order for the nation to reap the full benefits associated with sports, there is the need to focus on development of youth endowed with talents, by providing the requisite facilities.
Col. Kabore urged sports writers to let "precision" be their watchword when reporting events.
GRi