Sports
Kotoko target Hearts scalps in redemption mission
● Gladson Awako – Hearts
The two giants of Ghana football – Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak will lighten up this season’s betPawa Ghana Premier League with ‘the clash of the titans’ at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium tomorrow.
The Super Clash will serve as a huge defining moment for the hosts who would be desperate for a win to appease their fans for their fallout at the CAF Champions League campaign.
Kotoko were eliminated from the preliminary stages of the CAF Champions League after losing 3-1 on penalties to RC Kadiogo from Burkina Faso. The sad defeat aroused tension among supporters with many questioning the commitment of players as well as calling for the head of the management including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nana Yaw Amponsah.
However, a win against arch rivals Hearts could calm tempers and perhaps provide some great deal of serenity within the Kotoko fraternity.
Kotoko’s fate lies in their own hands as they go into the game with huge pressure on their shoulders as they attempt to give their supporters something to cheer about.
Meanwhile, Hearts would be determined to deepen the woes of their rivals and also get their campaign on the right path.
Hearts are yet to secure a win after two opening matches with a defeat and a draw and getting a win at the expense of their arch rivals would be a huge boost.
Despite the absence of their talisman, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, who is on international assignment with the Black Stars, Hearts could boost of the likes of Gladson Awako, Mohammed Alhassan and Kojo Junior Obeng to torment their arch rivals.
In other week three fixtures tomorrow, Karela will face off with Dreams FC at the Crosby Awuah Memorial Park, while the Cape Coast Sport Stadium would see newly-promoted Kotoku Royals and Nsoatreman FC battling it out.
At Dormaa, Aduana Stars will battle it out with Samartex in a very cagey encounter, while Babiani Gold Stars square off with Bechem United at the Bibiani Park.
At the Tamale Stadium, Real Tamale United (RTU) would engage Legon Cities with the last fixture for the week between Berekum Chelsea and Medeama scheduled for Monday at Dormaa – following the rejection of the Golden City Park by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Accra Great Olympics and King Faisal will begin weekend lineup of exciting fixtures with a mouthwatering clash at the Accra Sports Stadium today.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
Already relegated Eleven Wonders FC return to action on Friday with a determined quest to salvage pride as they host Bechem United FC at the Swedru Sports Stadium in the Premier League.
Despite their confirmed drop, Eleven Wonders remain committed to finishing the season on a competitive note. However, their campaign has been a difficult one, reflected in their poor run of form.
They are winless in their last five league matches, managing just a single draw against FC Samartex 1996 while suffering four defeats.
The numbers further highlight their struggles this season. With only 10 points from 28 matches, Eleven Wonders sit at the bottom of the table, having scored the fewest goals (17) and conceded the most (53) in the league.
Their home performances have offered little relief, with just one win, one draw, and three consecutive defeats in their last five matches on home soil—making them the weakest home side in the competition.
In contrast, Bechem United travel to Swedru with renewed confidence.
The Hunters have shown encouraging improvement, picking up points in four of their last five matches, including back-to-back 2-1 victories, two draws, and just one defeat. They currently sit 13th on the table with 37 points from 28 games, albeit with a game in hand over some of their rivals.
Having scored 25 goals and conceded 31 this season, Bechem United remain locked in a tense battle to avoid relegation, sitting just two points above the drop zone. While their recent form is promising, their away record remains a concern.
They have managed just one win, two draws, and ten defeats in 13 away matches this season.
That solitary away victory came in a crucial 2-1 triumph over FC Samartex 1996 at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena on matchday 27—a result they will look to build upon as they aim to secure valuable points on the road.
The Black Queens will on Wednesday, April 29, learn their opponents for the African qualifying phase of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament.
The draw, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will take place at CAF headquarters in Cairo and will be streamed live on CAF TV from 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
Ghana is among 35 national teams participating in the qualification campaign, which will determine the two African representatives for the women’s football tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, scheduled for July 11 to 29, 2028.
The qualification series will be played over five rounds, with each nation aiming to secure one of the two available slots for Africa at the global event in Los Angeles.
Having recently climbed to 59th in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings and currently ranked third in Africa, the draw marks the beginning of another major international mission, the quest to seek a return to Olympic football.
GFA COMMUNICATIONS
