Sports
Can Kotoko crack the Aduana nut at Dormaa?
Ghana’s two football powerhouses Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko are gradually renewing their intense title challenge with the two sides locked neck-and-neck on 46 points with eight games remaining in a tight Ghana Premier League (GPL) campaign.
The heated title hunt between the two decorated clubs which used to be a regular feature of the league season lost its place as the two sides giants struggled to find their feet in the early race as they chased the tail of Medeama, Karela United, Aduana SC and Great Olympics.
But as the competition heads into its 27th week, the two sides have rediscovered their form and historic urge to lead the chase for the title with Hearts on top on goal difference.
But Kotoko can resume temporary charge of the summit after they relinquished topspot to their arch-rivals, drawing their last two games. Heading to Dormaa to face Aduana Stars today, that task would be a difficult one as the ‘Ogya boys’ have carved a reputation as a bogey side for the visitors – winning their last two encounters.
Compounding the revenge mission for the ‘Porcupine Warriors’ would be the absence of head coach Mariano Barreto who is away in Portugal to ostensibly renew his UEFA coaching licence and the dreaded mission of playing at the Nana Agyemang Badu Park where the homeside are yet to be defeated in 12 outings.
The trump card for the Porcupines would be the ability of their strike force comprising Fabio Gama, Andy Kumi, and Emmanuel Gyamfi to convert their scoring opportunities, a phenomenon that was missing in their last game against WAFA.
The situation is a sharp contrast in the camp of Hearts of Oak who are flying high under Samuel Boadu. The ‘Phobians’ are on a four-game winning streak and would be hoping to extend that run against an ailing Berekum Chelsea team whose last game against an Accra-based team was a 5-1 drubbing by Inter Allies. More remarkably, the rippling success would be that the Phobians extend their stay at the summit.
In other games, fourth–placed Medeama who lost some fire in their title bid will confront bottom side Inter Allies at the Theatre of Dreamsat Dawu. They must, however, be mindful against the homeside who by recent results have proved their readiness to fight against the relegation drop to the death.
High-flying Dreams’form would be tested by relegation-threatened Liberty Professionals today at Sogakope.
A local derby set to thrill locals at Techiman would be contended between a revived King Faisal and distraught Eleven Wonders. With both sides facing the threat of relegation, the game is primed to be a heated affair that will serve the appetite of the 25 per cent football fans permitted to the venue on Sunday.
Resurgent WAFA, unbeaten in three games, will hope to carry on with their new venture against Ebusua Dwarfs who have a knack for tilting the scales, setting the game up as a blockbuster at the Sogakope Park on Sunday.
Legon Cities headcoach, Bashiru Hayford who has made significant strides in steering his team away from the relegation pit will guide his charges against his former side Ashantigold who fell off a cliff after a good start, while Bechem United would be eager to get back on track against struggling Elmina Sharks.
As of press time yesterday, visiting Olympics were slotting it out with Karela at the dreaded Crosby Awuah Memorial (CAM) Park in Aiyinase.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
Otto Addo is taking a calm and focused approach to the World Cup after being drawn against England, Panama, and Croatia in Group L.
“I look forward to every game as special,” he told ghanafa.org.
“Very important for us that we don’t underrate any team. For sure, England is the favourite in that group,” he acknowledged. “But for me as a coach, to be honest, I’m looking at each and every game equally.”
Addo is particularly focused on getting a strong start against Panama. “I’m hoping that we have a good start against Panama, that will be very, very crucial,” he said. “It will make the other games a little bit more relaxed and easier for the players psychologically. We will use the window of March for test matches, and then see,” he said.
Despite being a young team, Addo is proud of his squad’s progress. “I think we did very well in the qualifiers ” he said. “We didn’t lose a single official game, like the qualifying games, we did very well. We just played one draw and the rest we won, so we had quite a good year in 2025, after a bad year in 2024’’.
“Even though we have a very young team, we really, really did well, had a good harmony in the team, good union,” he added.
Ghana will open their FIFA World Cup campaign against Panama in Toronto on June 17 before facing England and Croatia in the other Group L matches on June 23 and 27 respectively.
The unbeaten away run of Accra Hearts of Oak will be put to the test tomorrow when they visit the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to play as guests of Karela United. Described as one of the top-liners of the weekend games, the match will pitch one of the best home teams against the best away team, with their records on the line.
After playing a pulsating 2-2 draw with Kumasi Asante Kotoko last week, league leaders Medeama SC return to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to welcome Berekum Chelsea FC in a clash of former league winners. Medeama have struggled in recent times to hold their own against the ‘Bibires’, losing their last four games both home and away.
However, according to Head Coach of Medeama, Tanko Ibrahim, that sequence of results will come to an end tomorrow as they look to crawl out of the claws of their opponents with victory. Eleven points separate the sides, with Berekum Chelsea lying a distant 14th position on the log. They have been a pale shadow of themselves this season, and it remains to be seen if Coach Samuel Boadu’s side can keep the bragging rights over the Yellow and Mauves in what has been described as one of their worse starts to a league season.
Today, second-placed Kpando Heart of Lions will trek to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese to play as guests of struggling Nations FC. Having suffered a 1-0 away loss to Basake Holy Stars in their last game, Nations FC would look to pick all three points to better their current 12th position.
In other games, the Hohoe Sports Stadium will come alive as new boys Hohoe United FC welcome Kumasi Asante Kotoko. The Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema will host the Vision FC versus Young Apostles FC game, the Tuba Astro Turf will host the Dreams FC versus Bechem United FC clash, while the Nsenkyire Sports Arena will host the Samartex FC versus Bibiani Gold Stars game. High-riding Aduana FC will sort things out with Basake Holy Stars at the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa.
By Raymond Ackumey
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