League Day 12

Hasaacas 2 - 0 Bofoakwa
Hearts 4 - 0 RTU
King Faisal 1 - 2 Kotoko
B/A United 1 - 0 Mines Stars
Berekum Arsenal 1-1 Power FC
Maxbees 0-0 Obuasi Goldfields
Dawu - Liberty
Okwawu United - Olympics

League page

Asante Kotoko triumph over stubborn Faisal

Asante Kotoko fought gallantly from a goal down in the first half to beat their city rivals King Faisal 2-1 in their match played at the Kumasi sports stadium.

Faisal played an uncompromising game right from the kick-off neutralising the Kotoko defence and making them to chase their own shadows for the greater part of the first half. Faisal came close to scoring in the seventh minute when Abubakari Yahuza's beautiful shot was parried to corner by goalkeeper Osei Boateng but the resultant kick was wasted.

Faisal was still probing for the opener and a shot from skipper Ben Wilson a minute later, was cleared with a difficulty by goalkeeper Osei Boateng. Enjoying some temporary relief, Kotoko came close and schemer Stephen Oduro blasted a terrific shot which went wide.

Kotoko's Joe Sam was shown the yellow card in the 26th minute by referee T.R.K. Attifu from Tarkwa for rough play and five minutes later, the monarchs fetched the opener through Kwabena Opoku with a close range shot which Osei Boateng had no answer to.

Kotoko came in strongly in the second half bringing on Shilla Alhassan for Micheal Osei. This worked into perfection with Kotoko fighting fiercely for the equaliser. And they could not be denied when a Faisal defender under intense pressure handled the ball in the "18" for skipper Godwin Ablordey to convert.

The Porcupines could have made it two three minutes later, but Nana Arhin Duah who was in a position to score was brought down just outside the box. The resultant freekick by Frank Osei missed the post narrowly. Kotoko managed to score the match winner in the 69th minute through Arhin Duah when he headed home a beautiful cross from Shilla Alhassan.

There was a hold-up in the 79th minute when referee Attifu disallowed a goal scored by Kwabena Boateng of Faisal as assistant referee A.S.K. Annor had his flag on indicating an offside. Players of Faisal and their officials rushed on the referee and the assistant referee in protest and it took security men sometime to calm down the situation.

When the game resumed, it was Kotoko who were still on top and nearly increased the tally in the 85th minute but Frank Osei's shot was beautifully saved by goalkeeper Sam Okyere.

Hearts rout RTU 4-0

The Ghana Football Association's 2001 ?Most Valuable Player? and inspirer of Hearts of Oak, Charles Taylor, increased his goal tally to nine in twelve matches after hitting the back of the net twice in his team's 4-0 mauling of Real Tamale United (RTU) in their Premier League encounter at the Accra Sports Stadium.

He scored one in each half, including a perfect 35-metre freekick in the 22nd minute, which zoomed to the top right corner of the net. It was a match that RTU rarely threatened the goal area of Hearts and goalkeeper Sammy Adjei was hardly put to test.

The Phobias kicked off sluggishly and allowed the visitors to string their passes beautifully until the fourth minute when the magic of Taylor switched into top gear. He dribbled past his markers but was severely brought down by veteran Bobby Rahman in the penalty area but this was ignored by Takoradi-based referee Wilson Sey.

Then on, the pressure on the visitors increased, and in the 20th minute, Don Bortey, operating along the left flank sent in a volley, which unmarked Wisdom Abbey, headed with ease into the net for the opener. Two minutes after the goal, Taylor brought the stadium to its feet with what has become synonymous with his name - a 35-metre freekick, which beat goalkeeper Emmanuel Sekyere.

Cheered on by their fans, the Phobians made it three before the break with Bortey's curler. He latched unto a freekick, quickly taken by Taylor and delivered a deceptive volley.

The technical handlers of RTU, sensing danger substituted goalkeeper Sekyere for Nayawu Issah at the start of the second half. He managed to concede only a goal after Hearts attackers wasted so many chances, which included Charles Allotey's in the 65th minute and substitute Awuley Quaye's 77th minute shot which took a ricochet off the upright.

Taylor crowned his performance with a masterpiece in the 71st minute. He intercepted a through ball, rounded the goalkeeper, gave a first time shot but it hit the upright. Taylor was however on hand to reconnect the rebound for Hearts' fourth and his personal second for the day.

Dawu in another home draw

Dawu (Eastern Region) 10 June 2002 - Dawu Youngsters, looking desperately for a win to lift themselves from the bottom rungs of the league table were far from the winning ways as they could only manage a draw with Liberty Professionals in the 12th week clash at Dawu on Sunday.

But the Akuapem mountaineers have themselves to blame as they threw everything away including a 62nd penalty that could have won the day for them. Soon after the penalty loss Liberty were reduced to 10 men when Lawrence Awuley Quaye was sent off for a second bookable offence. With Dawu enjoying the numerical the put in every effort to snatch the three points but the good work from Liberty?s bench enabled them guard resolutely till the final whistle

Hasaacas win away from home

Sekondi Hasaacas, playing their home match away from home, brought the smiles back on the faces of their supporters when they whipped Tano Bofoakwa 2-0 in their match played at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.

Hasaacas last Thursday were robbed of their favourite Sekondi Gyandu Part when a heavy downpour caused the collapse of one part of Gyandu, forcing the Hasmal boys to adopt Cape Coast Siwdo Park.

Hasaacas who were beaten 2-0 by Kumasi Asante Kotoko last week started strongly and registered their first goal through Charles Asamoah in the 31st minute. The potent striker took a pass from Anthony Annan, dribbled past a defender and teased goalkeeper Ahmed Alhassan out of post before tapping the ball into the net.

Bofoakwa resumed the second half with more determination and came close to scoring in the 55th minute but left half back Charles Bensah headed the ball into his open hands of goalkeeper Seth Tabiri of Hasaacas. In the 65th minute Bofoakwa brought in Kofi Asiedu for Pasco Amponsah while Hasaacas also replaced Abdul Muntari with John Ainoo.

It was Hasaacas who benefited from the changes as they dictated the pace of the game and earned a corner kick in the 86th minute. Centre half Saloo Muntari elected himself for the kick gave a perfect aerial pass to substitute Gariba Haruna to nod home the second goal.

Olympics defeat Okwawu

Accra Great Olympics continued their steady rise up the Premier League ladder when they registered their third successive victory with a lone goal victory over Okwawu United at the Accra Sports Stadium on

Saturday.

Ironically it was Okwawu who dominated the early exchanges and created some decent chances, but as it had been in most of their matches they blew all of them away through poor shooting. Olympics escaped narrowly in the 17th minute, when Okwawu's Osei Bonsu in a threatening position score was apparently impeded in the penalty box but referee G.K. Manu from Kumasi rather whistled against the player for diving.

The match then degenerated into physical and dangerous tackles, as the referee seemed to have lost control. Olympics came into the game in the closing stages of the first half and sliced open the Okwawu defence in the 39th and 40th minutes, but Alex Odamtey and Andrew Pomayie shot wide.

Amui Quaye had the best chance to put Olympics in the lead on the stroke of half time mark after he had glided past his marker, but volleyed the ball over the goal post. On resumption, Olympics continued as they finished the first half and scored the only goal of the match in the 56th minute through central defender Sumaila Iddrisu, who drilled in a freekick from the edge of the box into the roof of the net.

The goal lifted Okwawu's game in a bid to equalise and were unlucky when in the 68th minute Osei Bonsu's shot beat David Sharpe in goal for Olympics, but watched agonisingly as it hit the woodwork. Olympics were then forced to live dangerously from relentless Okwawu pressure, which confined them to their own half of the pitch. Olympics goal hero Sumaila stretched to clear a dangerous ball to touch, as an Okwawu striker was lurking dangerously behind him and in the process sustained an injury and had to be replaced.

With only five minute remaining, Sharpe made a daring save to deny Okwawu the equaliser when he stretched to tip a goal bound lob from Bonsu over the crossbar.

B.A. United pip Mine Stars by a lone goal

Bottom-of-the-league, Prestea Mine Stars, put up a splendid performance but painfully lost 0-1 to home team, B.A. United in their match at the Sunyani Coronation Park. United scored the goal in the seventh minute of the first half through Addae Owusu.

Mine Stars' Samad Abdul Okotcha, teaming up with Biara George and Augustine Amponsah in attack gave United a lot of anxious moments but the homesters' offside trap strategy yielded good dividends as Okotcha and Biara were consistently caught in the web.

Such was the intensity of the pressure on United that before the end of the match they made three substitutions as against Mines Stars' two. Oheneba Sakyi came in for Jalilu Abubakar in the first half, while Awudu Moro and Daniel Bornfah also replaced Emmanuel Nkrumah and Kwasi Boateng respectively.

Mine Stars substitutions came in the second half with Saabu Seidu replacing Prince Yeboah and Patrick Mensah taking over from Amankwah Wood. Just under a minute, Mine Stars managed to put plant the ball in the net alright but it was judged to be offside.

As if infuriated by that threat, United quickly came into the picture and in the seventh minute Addae Owusu after beating three defenders managed to place the ball beyond the reach of goalkeeper Eric Asare for the only goal of the match. The game became tough after recess leading to the booking of Mine Stars? Isaac Owusu and B.A?s Jalilu Abubakar but there was no change to the score till full time.

Meanwhile, the result of the Berekum Arsenals versus Power F/C match fixed for Berekum is uncertain as media men last week declared news blackout from the Berekum Stadium following poor treatment meted out to them in an earlier match between Arsenals and Kumasi Asante Kotoko at Berekum.

Maxbees draw at home with Goldfields

Koforidua (Eastern Region) 10 June 2002 - Visiting Ashanti Goldfields held Koforidua based Maxbees to a goalless drawn game in their Premier league 11th week match played at the Koforidua Sports Stadium.

The Maxbees demonstrated their determination to win the day earlier in the match but failed to take advantage of the many chances that came their way. In the 29th minute, Goldfield's defender fouled Maxbees' striker in the "18" and the referee awarded a penalty to Maxbees but their right winger, Emmanuel Osei who elected himself to take the kick shot wide.

In the 85th minute, Goldfields nearly got a goal when in a counter attack their striker, Frank Awuah, managed to beat everybody on site but his well directed kick was scooped from the goal line by a Maxbee defender leaving the score goalless.