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Soccer News of Wednesday, 1 August 2001

Source: GNA

Disgruntled Olympics can still surprise Hearts

Crestfallen Accra Great Olympics are in crisis and in such a situation, the last team a club would like to play around such times would be their local-rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak who are yet lose a match this season.

The wonder boys are in un-chartered territory as they have lost six matches on the trot and are bottom of the sixteen-team Star Premier League having only amassed seven points out of a possible 33 after 11 games.

Playing against a resurgent Hearts of Oak, who are gradually recovering their form that brought them honours on the local and continental scene last year, would be the headache of the new management board headed by Mr Richard Oblitei Solomon, who are under a lot of pressure from fans to deliver.

No matter how gloomy the situation might be, one should remember that under every dark cloud there is a silver lining as a good performance against Hearts would provide the much-needed tonic to catapult them from the position that they are in now.

The question on the lips of all those who will trek to the stadium tomorrow is ... can the Dade boys perform this task, against a Phobian side whom they beat last year in a last minute drive to ensure their survival the Premiership.

Even though some claimed that Hearts played it soft for Olympics in that vital match, Olympics' faithfuls would argue that the last time they beat Hearts in a more competitive setting, they had Coach J E A Sappong at the helm of affairs and the same man is back in the saddle.

Another question again would be -- who are the men Olympics would use for action, because Hearts have almost all their players with the inclusion of equally good recruitment to select from. But the same cannot be said of Olympics who have had to build a new squad from the scratch with a lot inexperienced players after the out-going administration decided to sell all their experienced player before leaving office.

Watching Olympics play, one would straight away realise that the spirit behind the team has dampened because they play all the good football but at the end proceedings concede defeat with goal scoring their main bane. So if this problem is resolved, then expect another miracle from Olympics.

Runaway league leaders Kumasi Asanti Kotoko would trek to Brekum to play Arsenals in a tricky duel that the Fabulous boys would have to win to maintain their five points lead on the table.

At the Kumasi Sports Stadium, King Faisal would play host to Ghapoha while Dawu Youngsters welcomes in-form Obuasi Goldfields at the Dawu Park.

Adansiman, having climbed from the bottom of the table would come face to face with Okwawu United at the Obuasi Len Clay stadium with Suhum Maxbees sorting things out against RTU at Koforidua.

At Sekondi, Hasaacas look certain to grab all the three points as they host struggling Kwaebibirem whiles Liberty trek to Sunyani to play as guest of Bofoakwa.