All set for Middle League

THE stage is now set for the teams which qualified from the Division One League (DOL) to wage a fierce battle for a place in the premiership, come next season.

This followed the completion of the zone two sub-middle league last Sunday, which saw Mpohor Iron Fighters and Prestea Mine Stars booking their tickets on the final day.

Come Saturday, January 5, next year, the much-anticipated annual ritual of the final leg national middle league will feature at four centres to determine which three teams will finally make a berth among the elites.

So far the Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast and Sekondi stadia have been earmarked for the competition, which is expected to span two weeks.

Other teams which have qualified alongside Fighters and Mine Stars are B.A. United, Yeji Stars and Power FC.

However, the thorny issue as to whether Olympiakos could replace Mighty Jets, who pulled out last week would be addressed by the DOL Board today.

Last Sunday, Mine Stars caused a stir in their crucial duel against highly favoured Eleven Wise when they rode on the back of history to defeat their rivals 3-2 at the Accra Stadium.

Even though Mine Stars got the opener in the fifth minute, Wise came back strongly to take a 2-1 lead at half-time, courtesy Nana Eshia's strikes.

But that was all the Western Showboys could offer as they faded out completely after the interval and their opponents assumed full control of the game and pinned them down in their own half mostly.

It was just a matter of course when marksman Amidu Abdul Samad completed a hat-trick in the 65th and 74th minutes to send Wise players and their vocal supporters wailing. Wise needed a draw to qualify.

At Dawu, Iron Fighters lived up to expectation when they added to the woes of whipping boys, Amansie United with a 1-0 victory to finish tops.