Sports
Clubs chase top spot in GPL
The battle for the top spot on this season’s Ghana Premier League continues unabated as very cagey Week Nine fixtures this weekend is expected to witness some massive shake-up at the summit.
Though Ashantigold has so far displayed some consistency and currently on top of the table, just leapfrogging Bechem United on goal difference, other teams including Karela, WAFA, Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko are chasing the pack and steadily climbing their way to the top.
The development, presents a very interesting weekend ahead with some mouthwatering fixtures; top on the list – Hearts taking on Eleven Wonders tomorrow at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Fifth-placed Hearts would be hoping to bounce back to winning ways after drawing one all with Elmina Sharks in their last encounter at home.
A win against arguably the team of the season so far, Eleven Wonders, will place Hearts on 15 points, same as the current league leaders which would be hugely fancied by the Phobian fraternity.
Wonders, however, have been a huge mountain to climb this season, mesmerising opponents with some good football and pulling some surprises which Hearts should be wary of.
They would fancy all three points which could also catapult them to top six position and possibly top four, going into the next round of games.
Another cracker on Sunday would be at Sogakope where fourth-placed WAFA face off with sixth-placed Kotoko with just a point separating the two sides.
Known for their great individual talents and dominance at home, WAFA would go all out in an attempt to maintain their top four position after being tipped as one of the favourites to win this season’s league.
WAFA, also known as giant killers, would be hoping to stop their visitors who are gradually gaining confidence which saw them defeat Liberty Professionals 2-0 in their last game.
The Porcupine Warriors have also been presented a good opportunity to enter top four as they would secure 15 points with a win away from home against WAFA.
With their new Brazilian inspiration – Fabio Gama fast becoming fans’ favourite just after a majestic first game which saw him provide two assists, Kotoko would be beaming with confidence ahead of the encounter.
Fans are already eager to see their new darling boy in action and another impressive performance would definitely give Kotoko something to smile about at Sogakope.
The weekend’s actions would, however, begin today with Liberty Professionals taking on Ebusua Dwarfs at the Carl Reindorf Park with the home side desperate for a win.
Liberty have been blowing hot and cold this season but a win today would be a huge boost to the team and desperate fans in Dansoman as they look forward to a win after their embarrassing defeat to Kotoko in their previous game.
On Sunday also, second-placed Bechem United would square off with Dreams FC at Bechem in another interesting fixture with the home side hoping to maintain their position.
Dreams, however, would need to upset their host to push themselves away from their 14th position and avoid slipping into the relegation zone.
Legon Cities would also be looking to another win after securing their first win of the season in their last encounter against WAFA as they travel to face Aduana Stars.
Though they would have wished to have an ‘easier’ opponent to clinch another win, Legon Cities must, nevertheless, put up an extraordinary performance to torment Aduana at home.
Aduana, on the other hand, would not easily give away three points especially at their own backyard and the quest to get above their current ninth position hanging around their necks.
Elsewhere, league leaders Ashantigold would take on Medeama at the Len Clay Sports Stadium as the home side face a challenge that could make them slip at the summit.
Medeama, after a slow start of the season, are beginning to find their form and managed to beat Aduana Stars 2-1 in the last game. A win against Ashantigold would be a huge step in their ongoing revival.
In other games, bottom-placed King Faisal would be looking forward to changing their fortunes for the better as they face Elmina Sharks while third-placed Karela would also clash with struggling Berekum Chelsea in another mouthwatering fixture.
It promises to be an action-packed weekend of football as teams continue to battle for glory in this year’s league season.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
Sports
Beyond the FIFA badges
Twenty-two FIFA badges were presented to Ghanaian referees and assistants based on their performance from the previous year.
Historically, FIFA gives these Referees’ badges for the calendar year to the top ranked referees from the previous year who excel in both local and international matches.
And, owing to the importance of referees not only in sports but other spheres of life, it is important to congratulate them instead of attempting to denigrate the feat.
It is a major feat in every sense of the word. Selecting 22 from a field of hundreds of match officials across the country should tell us that these group of officials have done something good.
The recipients comprised 10 Centre Referees, 10 Assistant Referees, a Futsal Referee, Beach Soccer Referee, and Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Officiating has been one of the most challenging areas in sports in Ghana, especially football and it is a global phenomenon.
In fact, the recent rift between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Boxing Association (IBA) leading to the latter’s split is as a result of ills committed by referees.
Football has not been spared of the controversies associated with officiating with announcement of referees’ sanctions flying around most of the time.
In the Ghana Premier League (GPL), it is a major worry for clubs, especially when they are faced with away matches where some of their calls beats one’s imagination.
A lot of the incidents that have clouded the game’s integrity in controversy have come from referee’s decisions with the unfortunate May 9 Accra Sports Stadium incident.
At the presentation ceremony, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, and General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, congratulated the officials and made statement I found very profound.
“This is not to say that there have not been challenges. Refereeing is an art that has to grow continuously. On that journey of growth, there will be mistakes. On that journey of growth, there will be challenges.
“But when you are very motivated and your eyes are fixed on excellence, you continue to invest in yourself and to challenge yourself towards being much better at every given opportunity. That’s why I’m so happy about the performances you guys have put up on the African continent, especially. We will continue to push and to ask for more opportunities for you. And I hope that when such opportunities come, you will not disappoint us.”
The duo were right in their statements but what they failed to add were the roles expected of them to play in order to ensure that the performances of these referees are improved and make those investment in themselves.
Referees themselves have complained about treatment meted out to them on several platforms. They go for months without being paid their allowances.
In a funny and jovial manner, some shared how they take loans from their wives/partners to enable them travel to match destinations and return on that same money source.
If such a debt hangs around the neck of the referee, how can he get the concentration to interpret the laws of the game on the field of play?
The only way out for such a referee would be to officiate to the gallery of the home team who as host would make every pleasantry available to the referee – accommodation, feeding, money and others.
This is the reason why the FA must put in place the needed measures to ensure that the referees gets the needed support to improve their standards.
In cases when they are found culpable of some of the incidents that mars a game, they must be quickly sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others.
By Andrew Nortey
Sports
Legon Cities can worsen plight of Dreams FC
The 2024-25 Ghana Premier League enters the second-round phase this weekend with leaders Bibiani Gold Stars trekking to the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon to play as guests of Legon Cities.
Cities are chasing their fifth win of the season and coming on the heels of the 3-0 thrashing of Dreams FC a week ago, the stakes would be high.
Coach Yaw Acheampong believes his boys are on the road to move out of the relegation zone, and home games such as this presents them with the chance to do so.
For visiting coach Stephen Frimpong Manso, his side’s performance on the road has not been anything to write home about; however, their last visit to the venue marked a turnaround as they picked all three points against Accra Hearts of Oak.
On the heels of the league leaders is Nations FC, who will be at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem to battle sixth-placed Bechem United in an entertaining contest.
Accra Hearts of Oak will make a trip to the Crosby Awuah Memorial Park in Nzema Anyinase to play as guests of Basake Holy Stars
In-form Kumasi Asante Kotoko will look to secure a second consecutive victory when they host Karela United at the Baba Yara Stadium.
In other games, Young Apostles host Nsoatreman FC in the Bono derby at the Wenchi Stadium, Berekum Chelsea play Vision FC at the Golden City Park, Heart of Lions lock horns with Aduana Stars while defending champions Samartex 1996 slug it out with struggling Dreams FC at the Nsenkyire Arena.
By Raymond Ackumey
