Sports
Hearts, Aduana set to boot opening game
The first round of matches in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) ended on Monday evening at the Accra Sports Stadium where Inter Allies and Dreams FC battled to a frenetic stalemate.
After eight games, seven draws were recorded with one win going in favour of the West African Soccer Academy (WAFA) where they snatched a 4-3 win over King Faisal at home.
Hearts of Oak were scheduled to play away to Aduana Stars in Dormaa last Saturday, but the tie was called off due to some of their players testing positive for COVID-19.
However, the excitement continues as the second round of games resumed yesterday. But the game to keep an eye on will be the Hearts v AshGold tie on Tuesday at the Accra Sports Stadium and the Berekum Chelsea-Kotoko thriller.
Two games were expected to kick off yesterday with another today and the remaining five on Sunday.
The Phobians will seek to begin their campaign on a good note against the Miners this weekend. In their first game, AshGold surrendered a 2-1 lead only for Karela to draw level in the dying embers of the afternoon.
Eleven Wonders will kick-start the second round of matches with late kick off on Friday (yesterday) in Techiman where they host Ebusua Dwarfs in a very cagey affair.
The Wonders snatched a well deserved point against Kotoko last Sunday and will be looking forward to amass three points against a very tricky Ebusua Dwarfs who drew 2-2 with rivals Elmina Sharks in the Fante-derby.
Olympics will climax the last game on Friday with a late kick off at the Accra Sports Stadium where they take on Legon Cities in the regional derby. The Dade boys pulled the surprise on match day one after they snatched a deserved point against title contenders Medeama SC in Tarkwa. A very disappointing result for coach Samuel Boadu and his charges.
The train will then land in Bechem today where Bechem United invite WAFA to the Bechem Park at 15:00 GMT.
The Bechem boys will have a hard nut to crack against WAFA as the latter seek to make it six points in two games after defeating King Faisal 4-3 last weekend, while United also look to pick up their first win of the campaign.
Very comfortable at the Crosby Awuah Stadium in Anyinase, Karela will face off with Inter Alllies on Sunday afternoon. Both sides have snatched a point each in their first games and will be looking forward to their first three points in a cracking affair.
Liberty Professionals will travel to Elmina where they square off with the Sharks at the Papa Kwesi Nduom Stadium. Sharks were forced to share the spoils with Dwarfs in a late goal from goalkeeper Issa Razak in a 2-2 draw and will be looking forward to make amends on match day two.
Liberty also saw a late goal from Bechem United in Dansoman where points were split in a 1-1 draw.
The Theatre of Dreams in Dawu will be centre of attraction when Dreams play against Medeama SC on Sunday afternoon. Medeama were stunned when they shared spoils with Olympics in their opener, while Dreams who looked favorites last Monday against Inter Allies were held to a goalless draw. The ‘Still Believe’ lads could surprise the Tarkwa-based side.
Chelsea travel back to the Golden City Park on Sunday with a point after they were held to a 1-1 draw with Legon Cities. With the shocker of a result against Eleven Wonders last Sunday, Kotoko will come gun blazing against Chelsea.
Coach Maxwell Konadu will miss the services of midfielder Latif Anabilla which could be a big blow to him.
The Porcupine Warriors will have to give their all to grab a win against a Chelsea side without the services of reliable centre-backs Zakaria Fuseini, Ahmed Adams and Jonah Attuquaye but looked poised for the kill with the likes of Stephen Amankona, Kofi Owusu and arrival of ‘experienced’ centre-back Edward Kpodo.
King Faisal will climax the second round of games in their crucial game with Aduana Stars who are yet to kick a ball in the Ghana Premier League.
Despite a series of poor results last season, King Faisal began their 2020/21 scoring three goals but conceded four against Sogakope-based WAFA last Sunday.
Having already warmed themselves into the league, the ‘Insha Allah’ boys will look forward to startling the Dormaa-based side who were tipped to win the ultimate before the league was truncated and the backline will have to deal with bulky and tough forward Yahaya Mohammed who bagged 11 goals in 15 games for Aduana Stars last season.
BY LINUS SIAW NARTEY
Officials from the Ghana mission in the United Arab Emirates have paid a morale-boosting visit to the camp of the Black Queens.
The delegation, made up of Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto, Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai and Head of Transport Anas Shaibu, visited the team to assure them of the government’s support and commitment to their safety and welfare.
During the visit, the officials interacted with the team and offered words of encouragement, urging the team to remain focused on the tournament despite concerns surrounding unrest in parts of the UAE.
Consular Officer Percy Okudzeto emphasised that the Ghanaian government, through its diplomatic mission, is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to ensuring the team’s safety throughout their stay.
“We want the team to stay calm and focus on the competition. The government and the embassy are doing everything possible to ensure your safety and well-being.” he said.
Consul and Head of Chancery Abdul-Jalil Sigli Yakubu Abdulai also reiterated the mission’s readiness to provide any assistance required by the team during the tournament.
Leadership of the team expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and motivating.
With the backing of Ghana’s diplomatic officials in the UAE, the Black Queens remain determined to represent the country proudly and deliver strong performances in the Pink Ladies Cup.
The Black Queens have arrived in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the upcoming Pink Ladies Cup in Dubai. The team touched down at the Dubai International Airport via Emirates Air on Wednesday morning and were warmly received by the competition’s organising officials.
The squad will be based at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, where they will begin their final preparations for the tournament. Organised as part of the international women’s football calendar, the Pink Ladies Cup is expected to feature four national sides using the competition to assess their squads and fine-tune strategies for upcoming tournaments.
Ghana will open their campaign today with a clash against Hong Kong, while Russia and Tanzania face off in the other opening match.
The Black Queens are then scheduled to return to action on March 3, when they take on Russia in a match expected to test them against a physically strong opponent.
The final round of games will be played on March 6, with Ghana closing their campaign against Tanzania at 9:00 pm.
With three matches in eight days, the tournament promises to be a crucial phase in Ghana’s preparation, as the Black Queens aim to return to continental action sharper, stronger, and more competitive.
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