Soccer: Hearts retain title by beating Kotoko

Hearts 2-0 Kotoko
Dwarfs 1-0 Goldfields
RTU 4-1 All Blacks
Faisal 1-0 Olympics
Ghapoha 1-0 Bofoakwa
Hasaacas 1-3 Power FC
Okwawu 3-1 Afienya


Summary of last league matches

Hearts dismiss Kotoko 2-0 in final league match

Accra Hearts of Oak crowned their championship title with an emphatic 2-0 victory over a 10-man Asante Kotoko in their final 1999 ABC Golden Lager Premier soccer league match, played at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Emmanuel Kuffour and Ishmael Addo scored for the Phobians in the 74th and 85th minutes to shatter Kotoko's hopes of placing second for qualification to represent Ghana in the CAF Cup next year. Kotoko, who looked very determined right from the onset, came close in the fourth minute but Prince Adu-Poku failed to nod home Godwin Ablordey's beautiful cross. Hearts repulsed the attack immediately and nearly found the opener through Joe Fameyeh but his scissors' kick from Emmanuel Yartey's pass missed the target. From then on, the tension-packed match degenerated into rough play and Kotoko's Gabriel Opoku-Ware was the first to be booked by FIFA referee Alex Quartey for fouling Hearts' Addo in the eleventh minute. Two minutes later, the "Kum Apem" boys were reduced to 10 men after Kalilu Dramani received the marching orders when he kicked Hearts' Charles Allotey in the face after the referee had whistled for an infringement in Kotoko's favor.
The Phobians capitalized on their numerical advantage and started raiding the visitors goal area from all angles but the Kotoko defence pivoted around Frank Atsou, Samuel Bakai and Opoku-Ware managed to hold them in check. In the 32nd minute, Kotoko's Baba Armando had all the opportunity under the sun to score the opener when he received a through pass from Ablordey but he wasted too much time and allowed the Hearts defence to recover and clear the ball from the danger zone, ending the first half scoreless. Hearts came back from the break and wasted a 53rd minute chance when a free-kick taken by Fameyeh missed the target narrowly. Undaunted Phobians maintained the pressure but Kotoko's Atsou was always around to keep them at bay. In the 67th minute, Kotoko pulled out Kofi Owusu for Awudu Adama and Hearts brought on Osmanu Amadu for Fameyeh in the 71st minute.
Hearts shot into the lead three minutes later through a header by Kuffour after goalkeeper Michael Abu of Kotoko had punched Addo's shot into his path. Abu, however, rose to the occasion in the 77th minute when he pulled off a brilliant save from Yartey's powerful shot. A minute later, the Porcupine Warriors had no option but to replace their dependable defender, Atsou with Amadu Tanko because of injury. Kotoko bounced back strongly into the game and came close on two occasions but Hearts' Amankwah Mireku cleared Nicholas Addo's header off the line in the 80th minute while goalkeeper James Nanor saved Ablordey's shot in the 84th minute. But with four minutes left to go, the Kotoko defence were caught napping as Yartey sneaked through to pass the ball to Addo who sent a curling shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Abu to seal the doom of Kotoko.

Olympics lose fifth game
A 19th minute penalty goal by Joe Agyemang gave King Faisal a 1-0 win over visiting Accra Great Olympics in their match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. Faisal, who had the game under control, wasted countless scoring chances as their attackers shot over the bar from close rang. They kicked-off but it was Olympics who nearly scored the leader in the eleventh minute when Yaw Hammond shot off target from a crowded goal-area. Faisal, from then on, wrested the attack and earned a spot-kick in the 19th minute when a hard-pressed Oly defender handled the ball in the "18".
Inside right Joe Agyemang who took the kick beat goalkeeper Nyarko Bismarck with a low shot. Wisdom Abbey failed to level up for Olympics in the 39th minute when the ball dropped from the hands of goalkeeper Sampson Ampiah of Faisal but the keeper was quick to block a shot by Abbey and the rebound was cleared. Faisal still dictated the pace of the game after the break as Olympics played on the defensive but the front-runners of Faisal kept on wasting scoring chances. Overlapping full back Nii Nanka Bruce shot off target in the 86th minute from close range and two minutes later Ronaldo Mohamed, in good position to score, fumbled as Olympics reeled under stabbing raids.

Dwarfs Pip Goldfields to qualify for Africa

A brilliant goal scored by Matthew Attiogbe in the 43rd minute was all "Ebusua" Dwarfs to notch a 1-0 victory over Obuasi Goldfields in their match played at Cape Coast and to finish second in the league. Attiogbe received a pass from defender, Matthew Kwame and in a dribbling run, beat advancing goalkeeper Mike Robertson and planted the ball in the far corner of the net. Goldfields, who wasted scoring chances in the 16th and 20th minutes, were reduced to 10 men in the 67th minute when Yaw Owusu was shown the red card for a second bookable offence. There was jubilation all over by Dwarfs supporters when they heard that Kumasi Asante Kotoko had been beaten 2-0 by Accra Hearts of Oak

Afeinya United kicked out league

Afienya United consolidated their position at the bottom of the league table when they lost 1-3 to Okwawu United in the match played at the Nkawkaw Park. Okwawu, pressure on the visitors from the initial stages of the game and wasted corner kicks in the eleventh and 12th minutes. Okwawu's Kwasi Asante got two golden chances in the 18th and 20th minute but with only Afienya's goalkeeper David Sharpe to beat, he shot off target on both occasions. The attackers of Okwawu atoned for their earlier misses and got the first goal in the 40th minute through Victor Aghoghoviwa when his point blank shot beat goalkeeper Sharpe.
They scored again four minutes later when Asante dribbled past two Afienya defenders and displaced the goalie to put the ball in the net. Okwawu maintained the pressure after the break but poor shooting at goal robbed them of goals in the 48th 52nd and 57th minutes. Okwawu netted the third goal in the 77th minute through Aghoghoviwa when his terrific shot from Abdul Mijima's pass beat goalkeeper Sharpe. Afienya re-organised themselves into a forceful side and managed to get a consolation goal in the 84th minute through substitute Mike Bortei-Doku in a goal-mouth action.

Dawu beat Liberty pros

Dawu Youngsters came from behind to beat Liberty Professionals 3-1 in their match played at Dawu. Liberty took the lead in the 15th minute through Papa Arko. But Dawu cancelled Liberty's lead and took a 2-1 lead through two penalties converted by Nii Darko Ankrah in the 17th and 27th minutes. Dawu scored the third goal in the 35th minute when Tahiru Abdulai received a pass from the midfield, raced through the Liberty defence and fired past goalkeeper Cudjoe Addo into the net. The homesters had two goal scoring chances in the 79th and 81st minutes but substitute Prince Owusu-Ansah wasted both chances.
At Tamale, Real Tamale United beat Swedru All Blacks 4-1, Power F/C scored an away 3-1 victory over Sekondi Hasaacas at the Gyandu park and Tema, local Ghapoha F/C managed a 1-0 win over visiting Bofoakwa Tano. With Bofoakwa?s position at the bottom, they would have to play the third placed team in the soon to be organized middle league to determine which division one teams will join the elite premiership.