Soccer News of Monday, 18 October 2010

Source: GNA

Difficult times for home based clubs

Accra, Oct. 18, GNA - The seventh week matches of the Glo Premiership ended last Sunday, with home based clubs having difficult times, as most of them are ruing missed opportunities to enhance their standings on the League log.

Chelsea, Wa All Stars and Kumasi Asante Kotoko are the three clubs out of the eight teams that played at home to record victories whilst there was one home defeat with the rest ending in a draw. Berekum Chelsea, the side that boast of the finest quality on the local scene, handed defending champions Aduana Stars a lone goal defeat at the Golden City Park, Berekum to pick up the third position with 13 points, whilst Asante Kotoko's late goal from Daniel Nii Adjei was enough to grant them a hard fought 2-1 victory over struggling Real Tamale United (RTU) for climb to the second position.

Even though League leaders Kessben FC failed to win their away game against Ashgold at the Len Clay Stadium, they remained on top of the summit with 14 points, just a point away from Chelsea and Kotoko, with the 'Fabulous' lads having a match in hand, pending a decision of the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in their abandoned match.

However but for the abrupt end of the game between B.A. Stars and New Edubiase at the Coronation Park, Edubiase could have ran away with the three maximum points, making the match second case which will be heading to the Disciplinary Committee of the (GFA) in the seven week old Premier League.

The seventh week home matches recorded the highest number of goals, totaling seven with only three away goals.

The trend of the League so far gives possible indications of another shock in the 2010/11 league so far as the so-called smaller clubs in the Glo Premiership are concerned.

Apart from Kotoko, the likes of Obuasi Ashgold and Accra Hearts of Oak are yet to find their rhythm in the competition as they share the mid table position with Wa All Stars, New Edubiase, Heart of Lions and B.A. Stars shuttling in the middle of the table. Tudu Mighty Jets, Kumasi King Faisal and Real Tamale United (RTU) seem to have assumed the role of key figures at the down end of the table.

On the other side, controversy is gradually becoming a permanent feature of the ongoing Glo Premiership following the abrupt end of the game between B.A. Stars and New Edubiase at the Sunyani Coronation Park. The invasion of the pitch by aggrieved supporters of B.A. Stars compelled referee Charles Dowuona to call off the match with five minutes to end the game.

It will be the second case before the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in the seven week old game, after the sixth week match between Berekum Arsenals and Kotoko was called off following claims of clash of jerseys. From all indications, each week of the competition is likely to have some form of controversy if the necessary regulations and security measures are not put in place to forestall such incidents. With dominance from the so called smaller Clubs in the league so far, it is unclear whether the trend could be sustained in the coming weeks as the league enters the eighth week. 18 Oct. 10