GHANA Premier League leaders, Medeama SC’s resolve to win a second title will be tested tomorrow when they trek to the Tuba Astro Turf to face Dreams FC in a Match day 26 fixture.

Yet to win in their last five games, Medeama SC is under pressure to scale the Dreams FC hurdle, knowing that any result other than a win could see second-place Bibiani Gold Stars overtake them.

For Dreams FC’s Coach, Winfred Dormon, it will be the first of two defeats they aim to hand the visitors, as they face off again in the semi-finals of the MTN FA Cup next month.

But Coach Tanko Ibrahim’s Medeama pursuit of a domestic glory and a historic double this season is so precious, and every member of the team is ready to achieve it.

At the Dun’s Park in Bibiani, defending champions, Gold Stars, would be chasing their 11th win in 13 matches when they lock horns with Vision FC. Breathing heavily on the necks of leaders, Medeama SC, who lead by a point, the ‘Miners’ will look to add the visitors to their growing list of casualties in their push to retain the title they won last season.

Swiss tactician, Fritz Markus Schmid, believes the tie will not be an easy one, as he describes the visitors as a solid side. However, he was quick to add that they will surely see off the Tema-based side to further boost their dreams of retaining the title.

Having scored 18 goals at home with five conceded, Coach Schmid is hoping that in-form striker, Samuel Attah Kumi, the leading goal scorer with 11 goals, will continue his fine form in front.

Having defeated Gold Stars 3-0 in the first-round fixture, Vision FC possesses a surprising venom in big games, making this fixture a slippery one for the hosts.

Fifth-placed Asante Kotoko would hope to return to winning ways when they welcome Nations FC to the Baba Yara Stadium in a cagey encounter.

At the Golden City Park in Berekum, relegation-threatened Berekum Chelsea would be hoping to record their eighth win of the season when they welcome high-flying Karela United.

Title chasers, Aduana FC, will trek to Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem to battle Bechem United FC in a tricky tie. Basake Holy Stars will stay put at the Ampian AAK II Sports Arena in Azulewanu to host Young Apostles, while Swedru All Blacks face Hohoe United at Swedru Stadium.

By Raymond Ackumey

GERMANY holds an impressive and dominant head-to-head record over Ghana in association football. Both countries have clashed on three occasions at the highest level of football—twice at the FIFA World Cup and once, an international friendly.

At the World Cup, the Germans defeated the Black Stars 1-0 at the African World Cup (South Africa 2010) and drew 2-2 at the same platform four years later in Brazil.

The outcome of the April 14, 1993 international friendly was one Ghanaians would not want to be reminded about. With some of the finest performers on the continent of Africa donning the Ghana jersey, the Germans walloped the Black Stars 6-1 to record what was christened the infamous ‘Bochum disaster.’ Despite leading at halftime with a Prince Polley goal assisted by Abedi Pele, Ghana conceded six second-half goals in 27 minutes.

This is a country that prides itself as four-time world champions (1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014) from a total of eight finals, three gold medals in UEFA European Championship (1972, 1980, 1996), one Olympic title (1976) and a FIFA Confederations Cup (2017). A friendly with the Germans is more of a privilege and they have a reason why; but it should be an opportunity Ghana must grab with both hands to attempt to exorcise the Bochum ghost or find a way to grind the German machine.

It is the reason Ghanaians had high expectation for Otto Addo’s squad for the two friendlies against Austria in Vienna on March 27 before travelling to Stuttgart to face Germany on March 30.

As a friendly, one understands the need to try new players with a focus on identifying new and effective talents to strengthen the team for the World Cup proper. But it is clear that injuries to Kudus Mohammed, Francis Abu and Salisu Mohammed coupled with the poor form of quite a number of players could throw a spanner into Otto Addo’s wheels.

He has handed debut call-ups to four players – Derrick Luckassen of Pafos FC in Cyprus, Patrick Pfeiffer from German Bundesliga II side Darmstadt 98, Marvin Senaya of AJ Auxerre, and Daniel Agyei from Turkish club Kocaelispor – for this month’s international friendlies.

The 26-man squad also marked the return of Iñaki Williams, Ibrahim Sulemana, Alexander Djiku and Thomas Partey who has had little playing time with Villarreal and facing a few issues in court.

It doesn’t look like any promising squad capable of producing the results Ghanaian fans would hope to have. The excuse would obviously be that it was just an exercise to fine-tune but even if the Black Stars were to lose to the Germans who are also struggling for form, it should not be worse than the Bochum disaster.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St. Gallen), Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak), Joseph Anang (St. Patrick’s Athletic).

Defenders: Patrick Pfeiffer (SV Darmstadt), Derrick Luckassen (Pafos FC), Derrick Kohn (Union Berlin), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Caleb Yirenkyi (FC Nordsjaelland), Kojo Oppoong Pepprah (OGC Nice), Jonas Adjetey (VFL Wolfsburg), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre).

Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre), Ibrahim Sulemana (Cagliari), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo).

Forwards/Wingers: Brandon Thomas Asante (Coventry City), Jordan Ayew (Leicester City), Prince Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadsiah), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City), Inaki Williams (Atletic Bilbao), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Kamal Deen Sulemana (Atalanta), Daniel Agyei (Kocaelispor).

By Andrew Nortey