Sports
Hearts target another win …as Kotoko eager to bounce back
Hearts of Oak will be chasing a second straight victory when they host Accra Lions in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) match-day 9 fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow.
The Phobians scaled pass Elmina Sharks 1-0 on match day 8 with Gladson Awako guaranteeing the much-needed result with a thunderbolt to hand the Rainbow lads their first triumph after a disappointing three draws and a defeat in their four games played.
Notwithstanding their abysmal output in the continental campaign, Hearts will be poised to continue on a high note to bring back smiles to their teaming fans who most even called for the head of the coach and some under-performing players.
The return of Awako could bring back the missing spark in the heart of midfield as they aim to grind more results.
However, action in the GPL continues on Sunday when Asante Kotoko make a trip to the capital to face Legon Cities at the El-Wak Sports Stadium.
The Porcupine Warriors were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Real Tamale United (RTU) in mid-week at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Cameroonian forward Mfegue George’s early strike was cancelled by RTU’s David Abagna Sandan late effort to deny Kotoko their fifth victory.
With pressure gradually looming on Coach Prosper Ogum, Legon Cities will be aiming to take the bull by the horn to deepen the woes of Kotoko who are without a win in their last two outings.
At the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa tomorrow, imposing Aduana Stars take on Berekum Chelsea, in a dicey clash. With another win in their bag against Ashgold SC in Obuasi, the ‘Ogya boys’ would have one more chance to avert their home frustration to appease their fans, having lost 2-0 to King Faisal in their season’s opener.
Struggling Eleven Wonders will square off with Bibiani Gold Stars at the Ohene Ameyaw Park in Techiman tomorrow.
Sitting a place above West African Soccer Academy (WAFA) in relegation zone, Wonders could use this test to grab their second win in nine games while Gold Stars will be eager to bounce back from their 2-0 away loss to Great Olympics.
At the Crosby Awuah Memorial Park in Aiyinase, Karela United will lock horns with fifth-placed Bechem United tomorrow. The home team picked up a disappointing 3-1 away defeat to Dreams, while the visitors managed a narrow 1-0 win over Eleven Wonders.
Karela United will host Bechem United at Crosby Awuah Memorial Park in Aiyinase.
The hosts will be keen to bounce back from their 3-1 away defeat to Dreams in mid-week, while the visitors will aim for another victory.
At the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium on Sunday, RTU will welcome Elmina Sharks. Bottom-placed WAFA will host impressive Medeama SC at the Sogakope Red Bull Arena.
With a single win in the ongoing campaign, WAFA will have to go all out for a victory and make amends after their 2-0 defeat to Berekum Chelsea.
Action continues on Monday when Ashantigold SC take on Great Olympics in a tricky clash at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium. Olympics could add more misery on Ashgold after the Miners’ painful 1-0 defeat at home to Aduana Stars.
All eyes will he embossed on King Faisal’s Zubeiru Ibrahim when the ‘Insha Allah’ lads take on Fatawu Issahaku’s Dreams FC on Tuesday at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. It is a great opportunity for the two mega-kids to showcase their class and pedigree on the local scene.
BY LINUS SIAW NARTEY
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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