You are here: HomeSportsSoccerLeague2007 12 13Article 135918

League Report of Thursday, 13 December 2007

Source: GNA

Premier League: Zaytuna United 3-2 All Blacks

Newly Promoted Zaytuna United displayed a spirited performance to beat Gamba All Blacks 3-2 in third week Onetouch Premier League clash at the Dansoman Carl Reindorf Park in Accra on Wednesday.

The result gave Zaytuna their first victory in the three-week old premiership and lifts them from the bottom ranks of the table. The homesters exhibited their quest for victory moments after Aflao-based referee Frank Fuzi signalled the two teams into action with several attacks into the visitors half.

Sixty seconds into the game, striker Felix Baffoe was gifted with a fine opportunity to put Zaytuna on top, but surprisingly he shot into the waiting hands of All Blacks goalie Ransford Cudjoe after being put through by enterprising midfielder Eric Amoako Agyemang. Two minutes later Baffoe again shot wide from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Cudjoe was adjudged to have fouled Nicholas Coffie around the penalty area.

Zaytuna's dominance yielded fruits after 29 minutes, when Coffie scored the first goal who made the best out of an Agyemang pass before rounding goalkeeper Cudjoe to slot home for the opener.

Ten minutes later, Agyemang made it two from a goal mouth action to end the first half in favour of Zaytuna.

Zaytuna resumed the second half strongly and increased the tally just a minute into the half through Coffie. It was Baffoe who rounded off All Blacks rasta-haired central defender, Amadu Boudong before finding Coffie whose feeble shot surprisingly kissed the net. Down by three goals, All Blacks introduced Ishmael Antwi for Hamid Alhassan and that seemed to work to their work plan and to perfection. Lone striker Obed Owusu pulled one back from a goal mouth scramble in the 65th minute, sounding a note of caution to Zaytuna. All Blacks attacker, Bismark Asiedu was given the marching off orders in the 73rd after a second bookable offence for deliberately handling the ball but it was still the "Black Magicians" who remained on top in search of goals.

Two minutes later, substitute Antwi converted a spot kick to reduce the tally after Owusu was fouled in the goal area. All attempts by All Blacks to grab the equalizer proved futile till referee Fuzi brought proceedings to an end.