Sports
Gold Stars, Hearts to battle for 2nd spot … As race for top 4 intensifies
With just a point off the relegation zone, All Blacks Head Coach Kassim Ocansey Mingle and his charges are well aware of what it will mean should they lose this game.
Together with management, the team is leaving no stone unturned as they look to pick all three points from the game to further boost their survival.
Coach Mingle believes his boys would rise to the occasion and inflict the third defeat of the season on Medeama come tomorrow.
For Medeama coach Tanko Ibrahim, the stakes will be high in the game, and his side is not underestimating the opposition, adding that they will treat the game like a cup final.
Coach Samuel Boadu of Berekum Chelsea will look to build on the performance that saw his side pick up a point away at Hearts of Oak when they welcome Young Apostles FC to the Golden City Park in a game that they dare not falter; because that could see Apostles leapfrog the host, who would drop into the relegation zone.
Two-time league champions Aduana FC will continue their push for the title when they play as guests of Dreams FC at the Tuba Astro Turf.
After defeat in their last game away to Vision FC, Bechem United FC will return to the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in search of their ninth victory of the season when they face Karela United.
In other games, Basake Holy Stars FC will look to build upon their accumulated 29 points when they welcome Heart of Lions to the AAK II Sports Stadium in Azulewanu, Nzema, while debutant Hohoe United will return to the Hohoe Stadium to host former league winners Samartex FC.
A second spot on the Ghana Premier League (GPL) table will be up for grabs when defending champions Bibiani Gold Stars host Accra Hearts of Oak in the matchday 24 fixture at the Dun’s Park tomorrow.
Separated by two points on the log, Gold Stars, who are on 42 points, will be hoping to play catch-up with leaders Medeama SC, whom they trail by three points, with a victory in this game while stretching the lead over Hearts to five points.
Swiss tactician Fritz Markus Schmid hopes to end the seeming stalemate in this fixture in recent times, and backed by the league’s leading marksman Samuel Attah Kumi, Gold Stars is plotting to see the back of the Phobians, who are the leading away travellers in the league with six wins.
With three wins in three matches for Bibiani Gold Stars, and six goals scored in the process, the likelihood of scoring in this game is high; however, it remains to be seen if they can do so against Black Stars shot-stopper Benjamin Asare, who has nine clean sheets to his name and is likely to man the post, that is, if he is not given a rest for his capable lieutenant Solomon Agbasi.
At the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, Asante Kotoko, in search of a second successive win after beating Young Apostles on the road, will engage Vision FC in a tricky tie.
Having played out a goalless draw in the first-round fixture, the encounter carries added weight, especially coming on the back of Vision FC’s recent form.
The Tema New Town side, fresh from the 3-2 win over Bechem United last week which saw them climb into the top half of the table, will be looking to build on that success to further push up the ladder with a result other than a defeat, while Kotoko looks to break into the top three with a victory.
By Raymond Ackumey
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Accra Hearts of Oak will aim to assume the top spot of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) when they travel to Tema to face Vision FC at the Nii Adjei Kraku Sports Complex today.
Perched at the second spot and trailing leaders Medeama with three points, the Phobians would need to snatch the maximum points and a superior goal aggregate to have a taste of the top spot, at least for a day.
It will be a game full of fireworks considering Hearts’ impressive performance on the road against Vision’s strength at home.
The Matchday 6 games would also witness a Saturday clash between Heart of Lions and Berekum Chelsea FC at the Kpando Stadium.
Asante Kotoko’s home clash against Young Apostles will headline tomorrow’s games as they aim to bounce back after the previous week’s defeat in Swedru.
At the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, FC Samartex will test Medeama SC’s character when they clash in what could affect their respective positions on the table after the round seven matches.
After the giant-killing feat over Asante Kotoko, Swedru All Blacks will lock horns with Karela United at the Swedru Stadium just as Basake Holy Stars engage Bechem United at the AAK II Sports Arena,
Fireworks is anticipated at the Debibi Presby Park in the Bono region where Debibi United FC look poised to face Gold Stars.
At the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park, Aduana FC will welcome FC Ashantigold in a clash that will see fans applaud afternoon.
By Andrew Nortey
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Over two decades ago, I made a statement that if I was given the sole responsibility to come out with the league fixtures for the season, I could give some advantage to some clubs and make winning the league difficult for other clubs. People laughed it off.
To them, it didn’t make sense because in a league in which all clubs play each other twice, things will ‘balance out,’ and the best club will win. I disagree, and I will explain.
In recent times, it seems Kumasi Asante Kotoko has more difficult first five games in the league than arch rivals Accra Hearts of Oak. Debatable?
This is exactly one of the ways to make it difficult for a club to win the league (if a club is marginally better than the others). How can making the first matches in the league difficult for a club lead to a disadvantage for the club?
A. The club starts on a poor note and may struggle to catch up
Imagine a club playing its first five matches against its most difficult opponents. If the club draws all five matches, it will end up with five points. A rival club that plays its easiest matches in the first five games could end up with 15 points.
It will not be easy for the club with five points to catch up with the club with 15 points because other factors will come in.
B. Psychological ‘boost’ for the winning club and possible stress/’depression’ for the seemingly struggling club
The team that is winning gets a boost. They appear to be better. Their players get confident. Their strikers may be leading on the Goal King chart. Their goalkeeper(s) will be having more clean sheets – finishing matches without conceding goals.
This will be opposite for the team that played more difficult matches. The supporters may be demanding more from the players, putting them under more pressure.
Some of the players may ‘crack’ under the pressure. New players are especially more difficult to settle down. They may end up on the bench for subsequent matches and may struggle to recover and come back into the first team.
C. The coach may be sacked or may resign/leave under pressure
The coach of the club that plays more difficult matches will come under pressure. The coach is likely going to be judged by the points accrued and the position of the club on the league table, not by the quality of opposition faced.
The pressure will come from the bosses and the supporters. The coach may end up being sacked or resigning/leaving under pressure.
D. Players more likely to get injured in tough matches
The club that plays more difficult matches is likely to record more injuries of its players early in the season. Some players may miss the whole season through injuries.
On the other hand, the club that plays easier matches earlier in the season will have the luxury to substitute and rest players when they are comfortably leading in matches.
Players may not have to exert themselves so much, reducing the risk of injuries.
E. Supporters abandon the team that is not winning and may not go to the stadium to give home support
If a club is not winning, its supporters may not pay money to go to the stadium to watch matches. In fact, they may not even go to the stadium if they are asked to go and watch matches for free.
This will not only have financial consequences for the club, an almost empty stadium takes away the home advantage from the ‘intimidation’ of supporters.
The above are all reasons why the first games in the league can give an advantage or a disadvantage to clubs.
Once this it accepted, it means there must be fairness in coming up with the league fixtures if we want the best club(s) to emerge as winners who can represent the country and not disgrace the country internationally.
A transparent way of coming up with the league fixtures is needed (like how balloting is done for knockout competitions).
This way, clubs and individuals cannot complain that someone or some people decided to favour some clubs through the league fixtures.
By Dr. (Med) Kofi Effah
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