PREVIEW: CHELSEA DARES ARSENALS

By Ebenezer Zor

Thirty-four goals have been netted so far in this season and week three of the 2012/2013 Glo Premier League roll out over the weekend starting with the first derby in the season match between Chelsea and Arsenals.

Dethroned league champions, Berekum Chelsea will host Arsenals in a local Brong Ahafo derby  at the Golden City Park in the match-day-three in the first round of the 2012/2013 Glo Premier League season. Chelsea having won one and drew goalless after two matches and lies fourth on the league log will search for their second home win following a 2-0 victory Hearts of Lion in match-day one. Invariably Arsenals started this season on a jerky ground with two successive draws is yet to win a game at hand. Ortis Oppong, Suleman Abudu, E.T Allotey and Daniel Dorbgetor are to handle this match.

At the Baba Yara Sports Stadium defending champions Kumasi Asante Kotoko have an obstacle to clear as they face Victor Ahiakpor boys, Kpando Hearts of Lions in another fierce contest. Currently Kotoko lies ninth with two points whereas Lions seventh with three points. It is a battle between Masud Didi Dramani for Kotoko and Sarfo Castro for Lions.

The officials for this cliffhanger are Sumaila Ibraham, Robert Dodoo, Sylvester Bonuadzi and Awal Mohammed.

Humble Tema Youth have to make a journey to Gyamfi Park at Bekwai to play as visitors to New Edubiase in the match-day-three of the Glo Premier League. New Edubiase have not a point in the last two games and for that matter lies at the bottom of the log whilst Tema Youth with four points lies sixth. This is battle to change position for Edubiase or Tema Youth to augment their points build up. Officials for the game are Alex Akugie, James Monah, Augustine Akugie and Prince Tawiah.

Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs still serving a ban of playing home matches away will welcome second place on the league log, C.K Akunnor’s rejuvenated side Hearts of Oak at the Tema Park on Saturday. Dwarfs lost 1-0 to Medeama SC in the second week at the T & A Park. Can Dwarfs spoil Hearts of Oak’s winning party?

Nuhu Liman Yakubu, T. O Kankam, Mumuni Issaka and Stone Worsey are the center referees for this particular encounter.

Apparently, Liberty professionals having lost 2-0 to newly promoted Amidaus last week will honour week three matche against Osono lads, AshantiGold at the Dansoman Carl Reindorf Park. Liberty will not leave any stone unturned. Can Ashantold eighth on the league standings pull a surprise?

The officials to handle this game are Fred Andoh, Gordon Opoku Boateng, Abu William and Emmanuel Boateng.

Wa All Stars will have a big task to deal with as they square off against league leaders, Medeama SC at the Wa stadium. Wa All Stars lies fifth from the bottom with only a point out of two matches. This is a cagey encounter.

Yaw Ametepe, Sarfo Adade, Emmanuel Baah and Amonga Sarkodie are the center men for the occasion.

Coach Mohammed Gago’s side, RTU will be under pressure to win their first home match for the season as they come against 2009/2010 league champions Aduana Stars at the Tamale stadium. RTU settled 2-2 drawn game with AshantiGold at home and lost 1-2 to Hearts of Lions away. RTU is set to record its first Glo Premier League win for the season.

Officials to handle this activity are John Atikese, Kofi Asare, Issac Boadi and David Kumah.

Then at the Tema artificial turf, Amidaus professionals will have a tough nut to crack against sensational Alhaji Grusah’s side King Faisal for the last match of the week three 2012/2012 season. Amidaus third on league standings will enter the game with a refreshing and confident mentality after beating Liberty 2-0 whiles King Faisal try to make amends in their campaign.

Sylvester Adzorku, Michael Fleitcher, B.A Crentsil and Wonder Dakuzi are to handle the game.

STARS MUST WORK HARDER

By Ebenezer Zor (Ezee)

Black Stars squad

It was vivid that the Black Stars of Ghana will qualify to the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa at the expense of their Malawian counterparts.

Indeed Afriye Acquah’s debut goal under four minutes in the first half at the 25,000 capacity Civo Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday made it 3-0 on aggregate after a 2-0 victory in the first leg played at the Accra Sports Stadium a fortnight ago.

Although is joy for the football circuits I think more work need to be done in the current squad if Ghana want to qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers especially where they battle it out with the likes of reigning African champions, Zambia, Sudan and Lesotho in a Group D affair.

During the match against Malawi in Lilongwe, the team after the quick goal was just chasing their shadows most particular in the second department of the duel.

Knowingly the 4-5-1 information adopted by Coach James Akwasi Appiah some how made it tough for the players to string their passes together and even poach for more goals.

Not only that, the Malawians took over the midfield and won all the battles. Can we imagine what could have happen if the Malawians were to have a more compact side?

If am to give credit, the defense men on the day were up to task.

Since there is more room for improvement and destiny lying in their own hands, the Black Stars should work hard as they have another hurdle to jump for the 2014 world cup qualifiers especially when Zambia has been given three points and goals to atop Group D with six points plus four goals.

ASHGOLD SALVAGE A POINT

By Ebenezer Zor (Ezee)

Kore with others celebrating the goal

Mohammed Yakubu’s brace for AshGold secured a point in the match-day-two against Kumasi Asante Kotoko in the first round fixtures of the 2012/2013 Glo Premier League.

AshGold’s quest to win their first home match of the season was truncated as they again drew a pulsating 2-2 game against defending champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko at Obuasi Len Clay Stadium on Sunday.

Both teams entered the game with the intention of winning after being held to a drawn game in their first matches of the season by RTU and Amidaus Professionals.

A corner kick pass from Michael Helegbe to Yaw Frimpong cross, connected striker Kofi Nti Boakye who was totally unmarked by AshGold defence men got better of goalkeeper Isaac Ackong in the 15 minute to register the opener for the porcupine warriors, Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

AshGold, the miners were called to duty as they pushed more men forward to equalize but a 27 and 29  minutes  strikes from Micheal Ofosu Appiah and Ben Akuffo were denied by the cross bars ending the first half 1-0 in favour of the visitors Kumasi Asante Kotoko.

In the second department of the Ashanti duel both lifted their game but a defensive error in the 60 minute by Kotoko’s lateral defender Henry Ohene Brenya gifted away a chance for AshGold goal machine Yakubu Mohammed to pull a classical trigger pass goalkeeper Issac Amoako in poles for Kotoko for the equqlizer.

Kotoko within a minute fetched their second through Seidu Bansi  who connected a beautiful header from Ben Adama’s cross into the yawning net of AshGold in the 64 minute.

The match became keener contested as the two Ashanti teams inched to get the second goal for their respective sides. Micheal Akuffo could have increased the tally for the defending champions but kicked the ball straight into the waiting arms of Isaac Ackong.

As if it was over for the visitors. Surprisingly a sweet build by AshGold caught Kokoko’s defense in sixes and sevens for Yakubu Mohammed to hit his brace in the 80  minute for the Osono boys as they drew 2-2 for the second game running.

 SCORE AT GLANCE

VENUE                                    HOME TEAM      RESULTS        AWAY

 Accra -                                     Hearts of Oak    5    -----  2       Edubiase
 Tema -                                     Amidaus             2    -----  0      Liberty
Len Clay -                                Ashantigold        2    -----  2     Asante Kotoko
Kpando -                                  Lions                   2   -----   1    R. T. U    
Agyeman Badu                       Aduana               0   -----   0     Chelsea
Golden City Park -                 Arsenals              1   ------  1    All Stars
T & A Park -                  Medeama            1   ------  0    Dwarfs
Baba Yara -                            King Faisal          0  -------  1     Tema Youth

 GLO PREMIER LEAGUE STANDINGS AFTER MATCH-DAY-TWO

Pos                                   P      W      D       L        GF      GA       GD       PTS  

1 Medeama SC                2       2        0        0        2          0          2           6

2 Hearts of Oak               2       1        1        0        6          3          3            4

3 Amidaus Profs.              2       1        1        0        2          0          2           4

4 Berekum Chelsea          2       1        1        0        2          0           2           4

5 Aduana Stars                2       1        1        0        2          1           1           4

6 Tema Youth                  2        1        1        0        2         1           1           4

7 Heart of Lions              2        1        0        1        2         3          -1           3

8 AshGold                      2        0        2        0         4         4           0           2

9 Kotoko                       2        0        2        0         2         2            0           2

10 Arsenals                    2        0        2        0        2          2            0           2      

11 RTU                          2        0        1        1        3          4           -1          1

12 Wa All Stars              2        0        1       1        2           3          -1           1

13 Dwarfs                      2        0        1        2        1          2           -1          1

14 Faisal                        2        0        1        1        1          2           -1          1

15 Liberty                      2        0        1        1        1          3           -2          1

16 Edubiase FC             2        0        0        2        2          7           -5          0

GHANA A BEACON OF HOPE (POEM)

Ghana Flag

 By Ebenezer Zor

Ghana is a peaceful country of deeds

It is not a neglected farm full of weeds

Anytime the weeds grow

It is like an atmosphere of snow 

When the snow begins to fall 

Is like the bird on the wall

When the birds fly

 Is like the other birds in the sky

 And as the sky roars

Is just as an angel at the door

 When the door racks

 Is just like the stick across your back

And when the stick begins to back
Is just like a beacon of hope.