Star/FA Cup: 1/16th Results

 Bofoakwa Tano   0-1 B.A. United (I)
 Hearts of Oak   1-0 Feyenoord Salgado(I)
 Asante Kotoko   3-1 Queens Park Rangers(I)
 Kwaebibirem     4-2 Maxbees  (penalties) 
 Goldfields      2-0 Amansie United 
 Home Stars (I)  1-4 Ghapoha FC 
 Brekum Arsenals  -  Savanna Stars(I) *
 Dawu Youngsters  -  AC Olympiakos (I) *
 Okwawu Utd       -  Khalid Stars *
 Great Olympics  3-1 Rainbow Stars (I)   
 Power FC (I)     -  Liberty
 Hasaacas         -  Prestea Mine (I)
 RTU              -  Mighty Rocks (I)
 U.W. Heroes(I)   -  Bronkyempem (I)
 Eleven Wise (I)  -  Ebusua Dwarfs (I)
 Adansiman        -  King Faisal (on Thursday)
 * Berekum Arsenals, Dawu Youngsters and Okwawu United have 
all qualified by walkover after their opponents Savana Stars,
 Olympiakos and Khalid Stars respectively, failed to turn up. 
 

Hard win for Hearts

Champion club, Accra Hearts of Oak, on Wednesday 24 October 2001, beat Feyenood Salgalo by a lone goal in their FA cup one-sixteenth round match at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The game, which many Hearts of Oak fans thought would be an easy pay day for their club turned out to be a very difficult one for the Phobians, and their fans were disappointed as countless chances that came their way were wasted by Wisdom Abbey and Charles Benson.

The match, which began under the instructions of referee R.M Kwaning from Takoradi, saw Hearts dictating the pace and in the 5th minute, Wisdom Abbey nearly opened the score line but goalkeeper Dauda Jawula of Feyernood made mince meat of his shot.

Other chances that came the way of Wisdom Abbey in the 19th, 21st, 26th and 37th minute were all wasted. In the 43rd minute Owusu Stephen came in for Wisdom Abbey but that did not change the trend till the end of the first half.

In the second half, Hearts pushed more players forward and in the 51st minute, Stephen Owusu's shot, which crossed the face of the visitors' goalkeeper, had no one to connect it.

Ishmael Addo and Emmanuel Osei Kuffour came in for Charles Benson and Don Bortey respectively in the 54th and 57th minutes. The changes brought more life into the game as Hearts pilled pressure on their opponents.

In the 67th minute a goalmouth melee saw Emmanuel Osei Kuffour sending a powerful shot into the net, as goalkeeper Dauda looked on helpless.

Feyernood brought Opoku Jordan and Quartey Eric on in the 75th and 76th minutes respectively but could still not cause any harm to the defence of Accra Hearts of Oak.

The visitors nearly equalised in the 76th minute but a shot from the foot of Quartey Eric missed the post by inches. Goalkeeper James Nanor saved another attempt at goal in the 77th minute by Quartey.

Feyenood made several attempts at goal and in the 84th minute inter-positional play between Tiero William and Danladi Sheriff nearly gave them the leveller but the final delivery by Danladi missed target narrowly ending the match 1-0 in favour of Hearts of Oak.

Kotoko lick QPR

Kumasi Asante Kotoko yesterday knocked out visiting Queen’s Park Rangers (QPR) from Bibiani with a 3-1 victory in their FA Cup match played at the Kumasi Stadium.

The first half ended 1-1 with Queen’s Park Rangers opening the scores through Joe Adjoda in the fourth minute.

Kotoko levelled up scoring through Abedi Sarfo in the 30th minute.

QPR shot into the lead by capitalising on a defensive mix-up on the part of Kotoko. A long toss from the midfield disorganised the Kotoko defence and Joe Adjoda, who was hovering around, took advantage to head home the volley for the opener.

The goal fired Kotoko into action and in the 30th minute, Abedi Sarfo, who is fast becoming a redeemer for Kotoko, pounced on a throw-in from a colleague to deliver a powerful shot to which keeper Fuseini in post for QPR had no answer.

After recess, Kotoko added two more goals in the 54th and 65th minutes to show QPR the exit.

The goals came from the feet of Osmanu Mohammed and Shilla Alhassan. Shilla Alhassan sent an inswinger which Fuseini failed to grab first time, giving Mohammed the chance to slot home the rebound.

In the 65th minute, Shilla received a pass from Isaac Owusu (Ninja) and fired a power-laden shot which beat Fuseini to raise Kotoko’s lead.

Referee Christian Mensah Atsatsa awarded a penalty to QPR when Godfred Yeboah of Kotoko charged unfairly on Alhassan Ishawu of QPR in the box but skipper Kuranchie Matts failed to utilise it.

BA Utd shock Bofoakwa 1-0

B/A United lived up to tradition, outplaying Bofoakwa Tano in an FA Cup derby at the Sunyani Coronation Park before sending them crashing out of the competition via a lone goal victory.

Watched by a capacity crowd, Bofoakwa paraded their full squad and took charge of the game right from kick off but could not beat the resolute United defence featuring experienced players like Godfred Ansah, Mohammed Yaps and Alhaji Abass.

Bofoakwa’s Burkinabe import, Clovis Kambou, was booked in the 13th minute when he propelled the ball with his hand before slotting it into the net.

United charged forward and their efforts paid off as they struck the only goal of the match in the 18th minute.

Justice Opoku, living up to his nickname, “Akroma” (Hawk) plucked a pass outside the box and with lightening speed, charged into the box to brilliantly displace keeper Mohammed Alhassan only for the keeper to bring him down.
The referee awarded a penalty to United which Bawa Mohammed converted brilliantly.
• At Asuom, Kwaebibirem United beat Suhum Maxbees 4-2 on penalties after an exciting goalless game in stipulated time.
Goldfields qualifies for next stage of premiership
Obuasi (Ashanti Region) 25 October 2001 - Obuasi Goldfields moved into the one-eighth stage of this year's FA Cup competition when they forced a 2-0 win over stubborn Amansie United in their match played at the Len Clay Stadium.
It was a 45th minute controversial penalty scored by Isaac Boakye that gave Goldfields the breather after they had unsuccessfully tried to overcome the strong opposition from the division one side.
After wasting two corner kicks in the 62nd and 65th minutes, Goldfields' Moses Mensah sent a left-footed bullet which beat goalkeeper Fusani Abdullah for the second goal in the 67th minute.
In Sunyani, Brong Ahafo Region, a 15th minute penalty goal scored by Seidu Ali of BA United gave his side a lone goal victory over their arch rivals, Tano Bofoakwa in their match played at the Sunyani Coronation Park.
Referee Osei Nsiah from Kumasi, whistled for a penalty when Mohammed Alhassan brought down Justice Opoku, who had dribbled past three Bofoakwa defenders and was heading towards goal. The match was nearly marred by rain showers, which made ball-control difficult.
Berekum also in the Brong Ahafo Region, the match between Arsenals and Savannah Stars could not come off as the Tamale team failed to report.

Olympics advances to next stage of premiership

Accra Great Olympics advanced to the one-eight stage of the F. A. Cup competition with a 3-1 win over division one side, Rainbow Stars at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday 25 October 2001.

After a rather scrappy start with some misses at goal, Olympics opened the scoring in the 15th minute through their new ‘kid on the block’ Francis Mantey, with a beautiful dividing header from rasta-haired Michael Asante’s cross to end the half.

Dennis Odoom got the second goal for Olympics after receiving a pass from Fatawu Barnes in the 52nd minute before Abega redeemed a goal for Rainbow in the 54th minute. His curling free kick in front of the eighteen-yard box saw goalkeeper Sam Quaye rooted to the spot.

However, Oly’s penalty expert, David Larkotey Lartey, failed to connect a spot-kick in the 66th minute when the lone ranger upfront, Fatawu Barnes, was brought down in the vital area.

Substitute winger, Isaac Amponsah nodded home the third goal in the 81st minute with a perfect finish in a two-man move with Barnes who emerged as the brightest spot in the Olympics squad.

Combative midfielder, Kobina Dodzie, did not last in the game as a result of injury and was substituted by Coach J. E. Sarpong; perhaps resting him for the top league clash with Obuasi Goldfields at the Len Clay Stadium on Sunday 28 October 2001.