Sports
Oly, AshGold to set Accra ablaze … as ‘famished’ fans return
The thrilling Ghana Premier League (GPL) resumes with week-eight fixtures at the various centres, and splashed with good news for the famished fans.
On Tuesday, the government announced the lifting of a ban imposed on football fans since March last year to attend games, due to COVID-19 concerns.
Though the various venues will admit only 25 per cent of fans, the move by the government to allow fans back into the stadium will still be much treasured by the clubs as they continue to incur huge costs as a result of games being played behind closed doors.
The pick of the week incontestably will be the cagey game between impressive Great Olympics who lie sixth on the ladder on 11 points and fourth-placed AshantiGold slated for the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow, with about 9,000 fans expected to attend. The Miners are only a point better than the Dade boys.
As usual, the Oly boys will rely heavily on skipper Gladson Awako to inspire them to victory in a game expected to produce pure fireworks and should put fans of the two teams on nerves.
Yet another huge fixture will be contested between Elmina Sharks and in-form Hearts of Oak at the Ndoum Sports Stadium in Elmina. The Phobians last weekend put up a sparkling performance to inflict a crushing 6-1 win over a hitherto unbeaten Bechem United at the Accra Sports Stadium. That inspiring victory could galvanise the away team to another great result, though it looks a very tall order for them.
In other potentially stirring games, wounded joint leaders – Bechem United, will welcome King Faisal to Bechem tomorrow, hoping to restore the smiles on the faces of their fans.
Eleven Wonders will sit at the comfort of home on Sunday to welcome stubborn Karela United in a tie that could go either way though a stalemate looks more likely.
Berekum Chelsea look the favourites to scoop all maximum points as they welcome Inter Allies to the Golden City Park tomorrow; but Aduana Stars should this afternoon pose some tough challenge to hosts Medeama SC whose attack will be bolstered by the signing of former Asante Kotoko Burkinabe forward Ahmed Toure on a two-year deal.
Sadly, Toure can only start his Medeama career next month when the second transfer window is opened.
At the Theatre of Dreams in Dawu tomorrow, Dreams FC are tipped to go past traveling Ebusua Dwarfs, but that result would not come home easy at all.
The tie between Asante Kotoko and Liberty Professionals at the Accra Sports Stadium will take place on Monday at 3.pm.
As of press time yesterday, struggling Legon Cities were slotting it out with WAFA, hoping to snatch their first win of the eight-week campaign.
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
