GRi Sports 10-05-99

Referee George Manu from Kumasi had to be escorted by security personnel at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday to prevent officials of Bofoakwa Tano from manhandling him after the premier league match between Accra Great Olympics and Bofoakwa.

The officials were not happy with the decision of the referee in awarding a penalty to Olympics in the 89th minute, which enabled them to beat the visitors 2-1

The officials, led by Mr J. Y. Appiah, chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), who is also a director and Accra representative of Bofoakwa, had to be restrained by the Police as referee Manu was escorted to the dressing room.

Bofoakwa earlier scored the opening goal through Osei Kwame in the 21st minute before Olympics pulled level in the 54th minute, courtesy Wisdom Abbey.

Olympics took the kick-off and nearly found the net in the 13th minute through Laryea Kingston of Satellites fame, but the midfielder's curling shot at goal was dramatically saved by goalkeeper Eric Amponsah of Bofoakwa.

The visitors came strongly into the game and mounted pressure on the rather fragile Olympics defence.

This paid off in the 21st minute when some poor marking at the edge of the penalty area left a loose ball for Osei Kwame to tap into the net.

The goal boosted the confidence of the visitors as they drew rings around their opponents, and Olympics had to resort to rough play, which earned Tahiru Briamah the yellow card for fouling Osei Kwame in the 39th minute.

In the 43rd minute Charles Taylor of Olympics deliberately stamped on a Bofoakwa player, who was lying on the field, but, strangely, the referee, who was close to the scene, allowed him to go unpunished despite protests from Bofoakwa players.

Olympics made two quick changes after the recess. Nana Eshun and Billy Sulley were pulled out for Ben Adjei and Jonathan Abeiku in the 47th and 50th minute.

The substitutions brought some improvement into Olympics' game as they nearly equalised in the 51st minute, but Laryea's shot from Taylor's corner kick went off target.

Three minutes later Olympics came on level terms when Wisdom Abbey connected into the net, a corner kick from the right flank.

After the goal Olympics kept up the pressure, created a lot of goal-scoring chances but squandered them all, with Taylor being the worst culprit.

In the 83rd and 88th minute, for instance, he had only goalkeeper Amponsah to beat, but his first attempt missed the target while he delayed for the ball to be cleared from off his foot in the second attempt.

A minute later Olympics earned the penalty, when Samuel Monnie fell down inside the box, after Nana Gyamfi of Bofoakwa had scooped the ball from his foot.

The referee whistled for a penalty, which caused play to be held up for a few minutes, as the Bofoakwa boys protested and threatened to discontinue with the match.

When play resumed, Nii Noi Dowouna's kick was parried back into play by goalkeeper Amponsah, but his defenders stood ball watching for the ex-Hearts defender to tap in the rebound.

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Afienya hold Ghapoha

Tema: Ghapoha Readers and fast-improving Afienya United drew 0-0 in their local derby played at the Tema Sports Stadium.

The game, which was started on a fast note, saw Afienya making incursions into their opponents' vital area, but their attackers, who were jittery up front, failed to utilise the chances they created.

Ghapoha repulsed the attack and nearly went ahead in the 30th minute through, inside left Adolf Mensah but his beautiful header, was saved by goalkeeper David Sharpe.

Referee Jacob Quarshie of Tema became the centre of controversy in the second half, when he showed Afienya's inside left Richard Okyere the red card for rough play in the 70th minute and again awarded a penalty against them three minutes to full time.

Afienya protested against the decisions and attacked the referee. This held up play for about five minutes on each occasion but peace officers managed to bring the situation under control. When sanity prevailed, central defender Richard Nii Noi wasted the penalty when his shot went off target.

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King Faisal draw at home

Kumasi: King Faisal and Power F/C played a goalless drawn game in their premier league match at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

Faisal led in attack by diminutive right-winger Joe Louis, played an all attacking game but failed to out-score their opponents because of poor marksmanship.

Power kicked-off first but it was fleet-footed Faisal who went onto the offensive, confusing their opponents with quick-runs and fast dashes but goalkeeper Emmanuel Doe of Power brought off brilliant saves.

Defensive-minded Power F/C conceded three corner-kicks in 32nd, 35th and 36th minutes as Faisal attacked from all angles but could not break the deadlock.

The visitors repulsed the menacing moves of Faisal as their attacking trio of Moses Sogah, Obeng Twumasi and Charles Asamoah threated through the defence but failed to score.

Centre-forward Kwadwo Anane of Faisal twisted the defence in the 44th minute and laid on a pass for speedster Louis whose shot bounced off a defender for a corner-kick which was not utilised.

Faisal still dictated the pace of the game after recess but could still not score when Frank Osei shot off target after the Power defence wilted under pressure in the 70th minute.

The visitors in a swift-counter attack caught the Faisal defence napping in the 71st minute but Asamoah shot wide.

Faisal staged a last minute rally but could still not break the deadlock.

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Goldfields shock Hasmal at home

Sekondi: Obuasi Goldfields today played a highly determined game to beat Sekondi Hasaacas by a lone goal in their match played at the Gyandu park

Both teams started the game full of fight but none could find the net. Inside left John Ainoo found the net for Hasaacas in the 32nd minute but was ruled offside by referee Joe Wellington of Accra.

Left of the hook, Goldfields piled pressure on Hasaacas for greater part of the game. Barely five minutes after the disallowed goal, Ainoo again sent a powerful drive which was beautifully saved by goalkeeper Mike Robertson in Goldfields posts.

The game remained balanced with Goldfields slightly on top till half time.

On resumption, Goldfields redoubled their efforts and centre-forward Nana Ahendua found the only goal of the match for Goldfields in the 53rd minute when he lobbed the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper Fenny.

Goldfields nearly increased the score lined but an obvious goal chance was wasted by Lawrence Adjei in the 75th minute.

Hasaacas sensing danger put in more efforts but could not get the much needed equalised till full time.

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RTU discipline Liberty Pros

Tamale: Real Tamale United (RTU) today beat Liberty Professionals 2-0 in their match at the Tamale Kaladan park.

RTU shot into the lead in the 15th minute through out-side left Fatawu Arola during a goal-mouth action but Liberty Professional quickly reorganized themselves and threw everything into the game in an effort to redeem the goal.

RTU changed their strategy in second half by resorting to the setting of off-side traps which frustrated the attackers of Liberty Professionals and succeeded in warding them off.

This gave some respite the mid-field of RTU as they urged their forwards into more attacks. In one of such moves, Arola combined effectively with left full back, Hamza Okala to lay the ball in the path of centre-forward Abass Iddrisu who lobbed it pass goalkeeper Yaw Berko for RTU's second goal in the 64 minute.

The visitors brought on Charles Asamoah for outside right David Boateng and Dzifa for Eugene Commodore who invigorated their play but could not break through the defence of RTU centred around libro Thomas Quaye who played a great game.

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Kotoko, Dawu draw as superstition takes centre stage

Dawu: Superstition nearly marred the ABC premier league match between Dawu Youngsters and visiting Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Dawu Sports Stadium. The match ended 1-1.

Before the inspection of the two teams by class one referee E. M. A. Laryea, players of Kotoko had refused to enter their dressing room, citing blood stains at the entrance

This development led to the inspection of cards of the players on the field after a 45-minute delay.

In the course of the match, supporters of Kotoko deflated two balls, saying they were not those officially provided but rather "juju balls".

When Dawu chairman, Mr Seth Yeboah, realised that the Kotoko fans were about to deflate the balls, he rushed to the technical bench of Kotoko in an attempt to retrieve the balls, and this nearly led to an open fight between him and Mr Herbert Mensah, Board Chairman of Kotoko.

After the confusion, Kotoko scored in the ninth minute through right full back Joseph Hendricks.

Dawu equalised in the 25th minute through left winger Joshua Kennedy.

Earlier in the 20th minute Chronicle Kwame Amadu of Dawu scored but it was disallowed because the referee found Amadu to have intentionally handled the ball before shooting.

In the dying minutes of the match, Hendricks headed the ball home. The referee, however, disallowed the goal, citing Hendricks' clashing with goalkeeper Joseph Danladi.

Four soccer fans got injured after the match, from stones hurled from outside the stadium onto the pitch.

Security men had to rescue the referee, who was attacked by Dawu fans for disallowing Dawu's 20th minute goal.

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Late goal gives Okwuhu victory over Dwarfs

An 89th minute goal by Kwasi Asante, alias Baba Yara, of Okwawu United, ensured his side a 2-1 victory over Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs in their premier league match played at Nkawkaw.

Asante was carried shoulder-high by Okwawu fans after the match for scoring the last minute goal, which gave them the maximum three points at stake.

Dwarfs took the kick-off but lost control to Okwawu, who earned a corner kick in the fourth minute.

William Afoakwa, however, headed the kick, effected by Johnson Eklu, off target.

Okwawu earned a penalty in the eighth minute, when Kwame Aseidu of Dwarfs brought down Nii Aryee Tetteh in the box but centre forward, Thomas Otinkorang, who took the kick, hit the post and the ball was cleared.

A minute later, Otinkorang atoned for the miss when his shot from outside the '18' beat Emmanuel Andrews of Dwarfs for the first goal.

Okwawu kept probing for more goals as Eklu of Satellites fame combined effectively with Otinkorang, Tetteh and Asante, but the Dwarfs defenders foiled all their attempts at goal.

Dwarfs changed their pattern of play in the second half and equalised in the 53rd minute through Rashid Iddi, when his low header beat Okwawu goalie, Joseph Aryeetey.

Dwarfs brought on Abedi Tugah for Nelson Mensah in the 59th minute but were reduced to 10 men a minute later, when substitute Stanley Afadzi was sent off by referee Mike Amevor for striking William Afoakwa of Okwawu.

Okwawu made two changes in the 62nd minute, bringing on Ibrahim Mugu and Louis Coffie Affor for Tetteh and Afoakwa.

The changes, however, did not have any impact as Dwarfs continued to dictate the pace of the game until Asante's 89th minute goal from a goal mouth action.

GRi…/

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The league table : Oly stretch lead at the top

Accra (Greater Accra), 10^th May ’99 -- Accra Great Olympics still maintain the top spot in the 16-club ABC Golden Lager Premier soccer league table after matches played on Sunday.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Olympics	12	7	3	2	14	9	24
Hearts	11	6	3	2	22	10	21
Goldfields	12	7	0	5	17	10	21
Hasaacas	12	5	5	2	12	6	20
Dwarfs	12	5	3	4	16	15	18
Power	12	6	3	4	12	9	18
Kotoko	11	6	2	3	13	10	17
Okwawu	11	5	2	4	11	11	17
All Blacks	12	4	4	4	15	5	16
Liberty	12	5	1	6	11	12	16
RTU	12	4	3	5	16	16	15
Dawu	12	4	3	5	15	16	15
King Faisal	12	3	3	6	13	15	12
Bofoakwa	12	3	1	8	8	17	10
GHAPOHA	11	1	6	4	7	15	9
Afienya	12	1	3	7	5	23	6

(Hearts and Kotoko have one outstanding match each)

GRi…/

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