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Sports News of Sunday, 23 April 2000

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League Results

Olympics 2 RTU 1
King Faisal 0 Hasaacas 1
BA United 0 Bofoakwa 0
Kwaebirim 1 Okwahu 1
Dwarfs 1 Dawu 0
G'fields 2 Ghapoha 0
Liberty 1 Kotoko 1 (played 24.04.2000)
Power FC Hearts(26.04.2000)


Kotoko send fans on picnic
By Rosalind Amoh & Eric Enchill

THE road to recovery may be slow for troubled Asante Kotoko but yesterday at the Accra Stadium, they made sure of yet another victory when they beat dethroned league leaders, Liberty Professionals 1-0 in their eighth week ABC Golden Lager Premier League encounter.

After series of mixed results for the Porcupine Warriors, they came to Accra to break the unbeaten home record of Liberty and though it was not the best performance and scoreline for the visitors, they couldn?t have been more satisfied with the three points won.

Right from the start of the game, Kotoko exhibited their determination, harrassing the Liberty goal area and also keeping a closely-knit defence built around Togolese import Frank Atsou, to give their fans a ray of hope.

However, that hope began to fade as they continuously wasted good chances such as a 17th minute opportunity, when all Shilla Alhassan had to do was to tap the ball into an empty net.

Surprisingly, the former top striker for RTU shot wide in front of the yawning net.

Prince Adu-Poku, who is yet to find his rhythm this season, also had a glorious chance in the 22nd minute when his powerful header beat goalkeeper Louis Quainoo, but the ball bounced on the line before being headed out by a Liberty defender.

The agonising time for watching their darling team miss chance after chance was rewarded with a celebration in the 35th minute when Felix Yeboah connected with a header a perfect freekick taken by Adu-Poku just about 10 yards from the Liberty penalty box.

After the goal, Kotoko maintained their dominance on the game while Liberty also tried hard to go through the tight Kotoko defence. So tight was their marking that, an experienced striker like Kofi Deblah was completely overshadowed by his markers.

The second half saw Liberty lifting up their game, coming close to equalising the goal, but the alertness of goalkeeper Sam Quansah as well as the quick recovery of Atsou kept any trouble at bay.

For Liberty, the diligence of young Michael Essien, experienced Bernard Aryee and Foster Bastious, kept any further trouble at bay but unfortunately, their tireless effort could not give them the needed goal.

Liberty almost had the last laugh in the 82nd minute when Ablade Morgan penetrated the defence of Kotoko when he ran his way through three markers on the trot and lobbed the ball over the last marksman but he watched his shot fly over the goal post.

That left the scoreline unchanged and the Kotoko fans who had held their breadth then, took a deep sigh and went home in a joyous mood to end their Easter picnic celebration.

G?fields up, Oly score first win From Collins Agyekum Gyasi, Obuasi
TIED at 13 points apiece but leading by superior goals aggregate, visiting Ghapoha FC played compactly in a bid to maintain their position on the league table but Obuasi Goldfields ditched them out with a 2-0 win in their league match at the Len Clay Stadium last Saturday.
Before the kick-off, a minute silence was observed in memory of the late Mr Awuku Larbi, AGC senior staff whose sudden death occurred in Tanzania. He was a director of Goldfields.
As early as the 13th minute, Goldfields registered the first goal from their stocky striker, Momo Wandel's header which beat goalkeeper Joseph Mensah who was later stretchered off due to injury during an aerial tussle in the 25th minute.
Ghapoha displayed courage to match the homesters equally but their 36th minute powerful strike from the foot of George Siaw, cannoned into the crossbar for clearance. This near-miss silenced the packed crowd. However, Goldfields scored their second goal in the 40th minute from a spot kick awarded them by FIFA referee, Alex Quartey, which was converted by James Boateng.
? In Accra, bottom club Great Olympics scored their first win when they beat RTU 2-1. Olympics came from a fourth minute goal scored by RTU?s Ibrahim Musah to beat their opponents through goals by newly signed Desmond Amoah in the 73rd and 85th minute (penalty).