Premier league results/reports

 Power FC   0-1  Hearts 
 Hasaacas   1-2  Kotoko 
 Faisal     1-2  Mine Stars 
 Goldfields 2-2  Lions 
 Liberty    0-0  Bofoakwa 
 RTU        0-3  Arsenals 
 Stay Cool  0-2  Olympics 
 Okwawu     1-0  B/A United (Saturday)

Kotoko Win

Kumasi Asante Kotoko fought a hard 2-1 win over Sekondi Hasaacas to maintain their lead on the Kinapharma premier league at the end of the first round in Kumasi.

Hasaacas goalkeeper O. Mensah failed to grab a powerful shot as early as the third minute but Shilla Alhassan failed to connect the loose ball as he shot wide.

Goalkeeper Mensah who obviously got injured in a tangle with Nana Arhin Duah in front of goal was carried off the field and was replaced by Ekow Ampiah Hardly had the substitute goalkeeper settled down than Kotoko shot ahead in the eighth minute through Edmund Owusu Ansah who connected home Aziz Ansah's free kick outside the penalty box.

After missing the opportunity in the third minute, Shilla atoned for his mistake as he scored Kotoko's second goal in the 10th minute from another Aziz Ansah's pull-out.

Kotoko pulled out Nana Arhin Duah who also looked injured in the tangle with goalkeeper Mensah and sent on Michael Osei in the 17th minute.

After these early goals Hasaacas tightened their defence to prevent the marauding Kotoko attackers particularly Charles Taylor, from scoring.

Kotoko on resumption, pulled out Michael Asante for Stephen Oduro and in the 49th minute Shilla Alhassan missed from Taylor's intelligent pass.

In the 66th minute goalkeeper Ampiah blocked Michael Osei's shot from another Charles Tayloy's pass and Kotoko replaced Shilla Alhassan in the 73rd minute with Joe Louis while Hassacas also sent in R. Afriyie for E. Ewusi.

These changes strengthened Hasaacas who now carried the game to Kotoko, resorting to some very manly tackles and succeeded in pulling a goal back in the 79th minute through S. Sekyere who coolly tapped the ball home after Kotoko's goalkeeper Louis Quainoo failed to grab a first time shot.

Towards the closing stages of the game, Charles Taylor was unlucky not to have scored in the 88th and 89th minutes as his gentle tap hit the side post for goalkeeper Ampiah to save and again saved another intelligent chip a minute later.

Lions share honours with Goldfields

Kpando, Aug. 17, GNA -Visiting Obuasi Goldfields forced Kpando Heart of Lions to a 2-2 drawn game in the first round final match of the Kinapharma Premier League at Kpando on Sunday.

First half scores were one all.

Goldfields scored first through a corner kick taken by Shaibu Yakubu and connected home by James Boateng in 13th minute. Hearts of Lion equalised in the 29th minute through a penalty taken by Abraham Kudemor.

Lions went up in the 54th minute through Osei Boateng in a goalmouth scramble.

Goldfield's Shaibu Yakubu was on target in the 71st minute to bring the visitors to level terms with the homesters.

Emmanuel Nanyi of Heart of Lions and Goldfields' Alfred Arthur were sent off in the 50th minute for fighting.

In Accra, Wonder club, Great Olympics stormed to a 2-0 win over Banana Inn-based Stay Cool Professionals in their match at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Two second half goals by Paa Joe Kumah and David Pomeyie moved the Dade boys to 20 points while Cool remain rooted on eight points at the bottom of the 16-club table.

Oly dominated the boring first half but it was the Professionals' David Amoako who nearly fetched the opener in 17th minute. His perfect free kick just outside the penalty box almost found the net but agile goalkeeper John Adjetey parried the ball from the far right corner of the post and also prevented lurking Yaw Anane from connecting the rebound.

Unfortunately, that was the closest the new entrants could get to the Oly's goal area in the first half as they recoiled to defend a barrage of assaults by the Dade boys.

Paa Joe Kumah's 26th minute pile driver was pushed to corner by goalkeeper Alex Agyepong while defender Fabrumi Tope collected a dangerous ball on the foot of Pomayie as he corked to shoot in the "18". On the stroke of half time, Kumah's beautiful left footer after a quick turn in the penalty box hit the upright to the chagrin of the sparse fans. However, three minutes after recess, Kumah registered his name on the scoring sheet from a spot kick.

Pomeyie sealed the doom for Stay Cool when he finished off a three-man move initiated by skipper Amui Quaye in the 61st minute.

At Sunyani, the against factor by supporters of Brong Ahafo United helped Liberty Professionals as they clinched a lone goal victory over Tano Bofoakwa in their match played at the Coronation Park.

Aspiring goal king Asamoah Gyan scored the goal in the 53rd minute after beating an off-side trap to fire in the ball past goalkeeper Ransford Cudjoe, in goal for Bofoakwa.

The first half of the game was a ding-dong affair as both sides missed clear scoring chances.

Lawrence Kainyah of Bofoakwa nearly scored after only six minutes into the match, but his poor kick was easily cleared by goalkeeper Yaw Berkoe.

The Liberty boys had their turn in the eighth minute but Tetteh Nii Aryee also wasted the chance to be followed by Matthew Akwasi of Bofoakwa who also squandered a similar oportunity in the 12th minute.

Enterprising Asamoah Gyan led Liberty's attacking force of William Tiero, Jonathan Quartey, Alex Aryeh and Nii Aryee but placing the ball in the net was their problem until the 53rd minute when Gyan struck. Bofoakwa dominated the game on resumption but they lacked bite up-front and are unable to find the net till the final whistle.

At Berekum, homesters Arsenals whipped visiting Real Tamale United 3-0.

Okwawu in a hard fought victory over B.A United

An impressive first half performance by Okwawu United earned them the maximum points when they defeated B.A United by a lone goal in their first round final match of the Kinapharma Premier League at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday.

Okwawu, the home team, started on a very fast note and dominated the early exchanges with their short passing game and nearly went ahead in the third minute but Mohammed Polo who broke through the iron-clad defence, could not maintain his composure to score.

Against the run of play, B.A United's Kwasi Boateng nearly opened the scoring in the sixth minute when his volley from the edge of the box missed the upright narrowly.

The soccer mountaineers dominate side continued to pounce the visitors goal area at will but goalkeeper Samuel Quansah who had a good day remained resolute with some saves.
As the game wore on, it became clear that Polo's pivotal role will influence the success of Mountaineers as he constantly harassed the B.A defence, coming close in the eighth and 17th minutes but his efforts were saved by Quansah.

Playmaker Elvis Opoku finally broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, when he placed Polo's rebound short at the blind side of goalkeeper Quansah.

The goal proved to be the needed fillip as Okwawu pushed forward for more goals restricting their opponents to their side of the field but the anticipated goal harvest failed to materialize due to erratic shooting upfront.

In the second half, B.A United made the substitution that brought life into their ailing midfield. Angelo Dedon came in for Osumanu Sakora, but the visitors' dominance could not yield any profit as their weak attack failed to deliver.
Okwawu who were restricted to playing on the break nearly doubled their lead in the 60th minute but unmarked Osei Bonsu could not keep his composure to connect a lob.
B.A United did all they could but were not able to find the needed equalizer till the final whistle.