LG Top 4 Enters Second Week

Six goals were produced last Sunday in the opener of the much publicised Somotex Ghana Limited sponsored LG Top Four Tournament at the Accra and Kumasi Sports Stadiums.

Defending Champions, Accra Hearts of Oak struck twice against Liberty, Kotoko netting three times while Olympics managing to pull just one back in the other match at Kumasi Sports Stadium.

It was a thriller and sweet revenge for Hearts at the Accra Sports Stadium who had suffered some humiliating crushing against the Dansoman-based side in their last two encounters while at Kumasi, it was crunchy but Kotoko scaled through emphatically.

Both stadiums were packed to capacity even beyond the expectations of the organisers, the Ghana League Club Association (GHALCA). It was an overwhelming scene at the Accra Stadium, such that ticketless fans were compelled to scale over the wall while policemen stood aloof.

The situation could even be worse this weekend as the tournament gathers momentum. Kotoko are billed to come up against the scientific lads, Liberty Professionals, on Saturday at the Accra Sports Stadium while on Sunday, at the same venue, Hearts lock horns with city rivals Great Olympics.

The new IMC of Kotoko has silenced its critics and would want to whet the appetite of their fans of what the team has in stock for them in this year's league with at least, another sweet victory in Accra on Saturday.

But both players and officials know that it would not be an easy task against the backdrop that Kotoko had to struggle to draw 2-2 with the same side last season at a time that the Porcupine Warriors' were gearing up for an African campaign.

Both teams have virtually the same squad but Liberty will feel the absence of utility player John Pentsil who now plies his trade in Israel while Kotoko would be missing the services of Joe Sam and Hamza Mohammed for the crunch match.

At the end though, it would be the team with the sharpest attack and perhaps the one which would be able to withstand the intimidating crowd expected to throng the stadium that would carry the day.

It would even be keener on Sunday when Hearts would be faced with yet another mountain to climb. Don't be deceived by the Kumasi scoreline, for matches involving Hearts-Olympics are never determined by form nor by quality of players - for there is always something inexplicable that determines the winner.

And it is that "something" perhaps, a natural phenomenon, that would determine who wins the Sunday's match.

On paper though, Hearts look the favourites, but if fans could cast their minds back to some three seasons ago when Hearts with their stars including Joe Fameye struggled to cancel Ali Kwame's earlier two goals - then the picture could be clear of what is likely to happen on Sunday.

The tournament is far from over and no team can be written off. One has gone, five more to go for each of the clubs and it could be anybody's tournament.

A total of 546 million cedis was realised from the opening matches of the tournament.

Mr. Kudjo Fianoo Administrative Manger of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), organisers of the tourney disclosed this to GNA Sports on Monday.

He said the match involving Accra Hearts of Oak and Liberty Professionals yielded 296 million cedis while that of Kotoko and Accra Great Olympics was 250 million cedis.

Mr. Fiannoo said out of this total amount, the cost for printing of tickets, officiating fees, security, VAT and para-medicals would be deducted before the rest would be shared among the clubs and the organisers.

The Administrative Manager said each club would be entitled to 30% of the proceeds, while GHALCA also takes 30% with 10% going to the National Sports Council (NSC).

He explained that the amount realised at Kumasi would have been more but the rates were lower than those of Accra and added that much more would also have been realised in Accra if the gates had not been broken for many spectators to enter without paying.

He said efforts would be made to repair the broken gates to ensure that adequate security is provided for subsequent matches.

Mr. Fianoo denied reports that there was a shortage of tickets at the stands explaining that only the upper terrace and wings were in short supply of tickets since there were enough tickets at the May Nine and Osu Stands.