LG Top Four Tournament Takes-Off

THIS weekend, football fans can look forward to the beautiful side of the sport as the nation’s top clubs plunge into a month-long soccer fiesta.
Beginning today, the Accra and Kumasi Stadia will stage some tough encounters between champion club Accra Hearts of Oak, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Liberty Professionals and Accra Great Olympics in a battle for the LG trophy and cash.
The LG Top Four tournament involving the premiership’s top four sides should provide a soothing balm on the wound caused by the GFA’s messy recruitment of the Black Stars coach.
Today’s clashes in the two cities pit Hearts against Liberty in Accra, and Kotoko against Olympics in Kumasi. These matches have the single characteristic of revenge carried over from last season.
Hearts’ all-conquering aura last season was dented by two straight defeats suffered at the hands of Liberty, at no other place than the Accra Stadium, the Phobians’ stronghold.
Olympics hunt for honours is strongly laced with vengeance, having been beaten twice by Kotoko last season. Now, the Wonder Club probably views the recent development in the camp of the Porcupine Warriors as the opportune time for a payback.
Perhaps none of the four coaches feels the heat more than Herbert Addo who carries the burden of preventing a hat-trick of defeats at the hands of his predecessor Cecil Jones Attuquayefio.
Liberty have proved lately that they possess the clout to defeat any club and they draw strength from a deep reservoire of young, talented players being driven by sheer enthusiasm and messianic guidance by coaches Attuquayefio and Sellas Tetteh.
The Phobians are also fired up to put Liberty in their proper position. Having been in camp at Keta for over a month, Hearts have rediscovered their competitive form after a series of pre-season friendlies.
The team comprising new signing Masawudu Mumuni, Emmanuel Osei and old faithfuls, Wisdom Abbey and Bernard Dong-Bortey are considered favourites for the LG Cup. But they must first settle old scores with Emmanuel Pappoe, Ablade Morgan and team-mates who are ready to wrest power from the traditional force.
The Kotoko-Olympics duel is also very fascinating as it offers new coach Abdul Razak an opportunity to prove a point with the Porcupine Warriors. He may not be under so much pressure now, but the LG Cup offers the success-starved Kotoko fans an opportunity to open a new chapter in the post-Herbert Mensah era.
Olympics who have not been in the spotlight and they have not made a big splash in the transfer market, but coach David Duncan’s side by tradition are more dangerous when the odds staked against them. They could spring a surprise in Kumasi and change the dynamics of the competition.
Meanwhile, rates for the Accra match are: wings – ?30,000; upper terrace – 20,000; Osu and May 9 – 15,000 and popular stand – 10,000 while the Kumasi game will attract VIP – 80,000; wings – 40,000; extend wing – 20,000; centre line – 10,000 and popular stand – 8,000.