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
Title chasers Medeama SC will host Asante Kotoko in a top Ghana Premier League Matchday 29 fixture tomorrow at the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa.
A win will keep their title dreams alive while a draw or defeat will play into the hands of current leaders Bibiani Gold Stars.
But Medeama are determined to leverage their home advantage to secure all three points against the Kotoko side that is crestfallen after losing 2–1 to Samartex in their rescheduled fixture on Tuesday at home.
Both sides have engaged in cagey and high-stakes contests in recent times, with Kotoko holding a slight edge over the Mauve and Yellow. However, the current form of Medeama may prove to be a tall order for the visitors.
Today at the Nil Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema New Town, Hearts of Oak will hope to secure a second consecutive win when they face Vision FC.
Hearts are aiming to reignite their title charge after picking up all three points against Young Apostles last week, while Vision FC suffered a 2–0 defeat to Heart of Lions in Kpando.
Samartex FC will return to their fortress, the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, to welcome Berekum Chelsea.
At the Tuba Astro Turf, Dreams FC will hope to return to winning ways when they take on Eleven Wonders.
Elsewhere, Basake Holy Stars will travel to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex to face 13th-placed Nations FC.
Sixth-placed Karela United will welcome Heart of Lions to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale, with Bechem United FC set to have a rest day with their three points and three goals assured following the withdrawal of Hohoe United.
The year 2025 was one boxing stakeholders would look at with lots of regrets. Events in the sport within that period, to a large extent, eroded the gains chalked in recent times.
First, the death of a Nigerian boxer in a Ghanaian ring opened a canker of worms in the administration of the sport as officials in the corridors of power openly traded verbal tirades over competence and style of management. That left the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) broken and divided, leading to the resignation of its president, Mr Abraham Neequaye.
In his absence, a vice president, Roger Barnor, stepped into the saddle. With renewed energy and vigour, he managed to unite the rank and file of the sport as other stakeholders praised that effort.
But just when the GBA appeared to have seen some stability, it was hit by another thunderstorm – the death of another boxer, Ernest ‘Baubali’ Akushey. His death came 11 days after a fight. That marked the premature end to Barnor’s term as Vice President acting as the President.
In the view of the powers that be, the formation of an Interim Management Committee to govern the sport and lead reforms was the way to go. With the latest of about two extensions of their mandates, they are expected to complete their work in June, including an election of a new executive to run the sport.
Within this period, boxing ground to a halt. All pending events were put on hold, with a few promoters heavily affected due to investment made before the unexpected takeover.
But since the return of the sport, syndicates like Legacy Rise, Box Office Sports (BOS), Bishop Promotions, RBS and others have staged shows to keep the scene alive.
Two boxers have been at the forefront of this revival. Jonathan ‘Worldwide’ Tetteh and Seth ‘Freezy MacBones’ Gyimah led the revival with a historic clash that filled the University of Ghana Stadium.
Without doubt, they have filled the void created by Baubali’s departure. Though ‘Freezy MacBones,’ the overwhelming favourite, lost on the scorecards, the nature of the fight and ruling left doors open for a rematch to be staged at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Last week, the two boxers again featured on a BOS, RBS promotion at the Laboma Beach, facing different opponents, and they all emerged victorious.
These two boxers are gradually becoming the new face of boxing in Ghana and that will bode well for the sport. In their last two appearances, they showed an ability to sell their fights and that was evident in the numbers in the stands on fight night. This is something that is lacking from other boxers and their management teams.
Globally, the sport has thrived with boxers of such charisma always featured on big bills. Others like Theophilus Allotey, aka Theo Lopez, Joseph ‘Jaguar’ Commey, Samuel Takyi and John Laryea are other boxers to hold the flag high for Ghana.
Boxing’s return has been stupendous, and the drivers of that success must be commended, not leaving out ‘Worldwide’ and Freezy MacBones for keeping the flames of the sport alive.
By Andrew Nortey
