Sports
Kotoko, Nations FC to intensify GPL title chase
Ghana Premier League (GPL) leaders, Nations FC, will attempt to keep their hold of the top spot when they trek to the University of Ghana Stadium on Monday to play as guests of Legon Cities in their match day 31 game.
With three games to end the season, Nations FC lead the competition after match day 30. That puts them in reckoning for the title.
Coach Kasim Ocansey Mingle believes the race will go down to the wire, especially now that they have gone from title chasers to contenders.
Touting his team’s readiness to win the title and play in the CAF Champions League, he believes victory in this game will move that dream closer.
Legon Cities, who sacked head coach, Joachim Yaw Acheampong, at the beginning of the month due to poor results, would need a miracle to avoid relegation as they lie 17th in the 18-team league with 25 points.
It remains to be seen how Cities in post-coach Acheampong era, would fare against a resurgent Nations FC, who have the league title in sight.
Tomorrow at the Accra Sports Stadium, Accra Lions will continue with their attempt to escape relegation when they host Dormaa Aduana FC in a nail-biting affair.
Fourth-placed, Asante Kotoko, who trail the leaders by three points, will hope to close the gap with victory over resurgent Dreams FC as stand-in coach, Abdul Karim Zito, comes face-to-face with his former club at the Baba Yara Stadium.
The Golden City Park in Berekum will come alive with a clash between home side, Berekum Chelsea, and Accra Hearts of Oak.
Karela United will stay put at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium to welcome former league winners, Medeama SC, with their sight firmly fixed on plucking the three points to boost their relegation survival bid.
In other games tomorrow, Basake Holy Stars will welcome Heart of Lions to the Ampain AAk II Sports Arena, debutant, Vision FC, will host Young Apostles at the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema, and Samartex FC will face Bechem United at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena.
By Raymond Ackumey
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
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
