Afienya United on Sunday beat Akwatia Diamond Stars 2-1 in their pan-ultimate match of this year's novelty Division One League at the Accra Sports Stadium.
In a match characterised by lots of stray passes ands crunching tackles, Afienya took the lead in the 15th minute through George Armah who blasted home a loose ball that broke to him from a goalmouth melee.
Afienya who had the better of the exchanges relaxed after taking the lead and allowed Diamond Stars more into the game. Diamond Stars duly equalised in the 30th minute through George Asumaning who finished off a well centred cross from Awudu Amadu.
In the second half, Diamond Stars lifted their game and dominated the early exchanges but were stunned in the 56th minute when against the run of play Afienya scored their second goal through Isaac Tetteh.
The game after Afienya second goal degenerated into rough play and was not helped by some bizarre decisions by referee Mishiaguie Felix from Cape Coast.
Both teams ended the match with 10 men each when Afienya's Ablade Odonkor and Diamond Stars Christian Gabriel were sent off in the 78th and 88th minutes respectively for rough play.
Sportive pip King Solomon
Ho (Volta Region) - Tema Real Sportive Football Club on Sunday beat Accra-based King Solomon FC by a lone goal (1-0) in a Division One League match played at the Ho Sports Stadium.
Kamil Yunus scored the only goal of the match barely two minutes into the second half when he capitalised on a defensive blunder by the rear men of King Solomon to deliver a 20-metre shot that deflected off the upright, beating goalie Raymond Fenny.
King Solomon's Patrick Tackie had the chance to equalise for his side in the 52nd minute but his 25-metre goal bound shot was pushed to safety by goalkeeper Emmanuel Adjetey. The resultant corner kick was wasted.
Real Sportive could have increased the tally but their strikers were clumsy and delivered feeble shots in front of goal. Sportive's Razak Jabiru 68th and 78th minutes and Shadrack Commey in the 77th and 84th minutes threw away begging chances. King Solomon's Dennis Amoako, Joseph Banor and Emmanuel Ampong in the 12th, 23rd, and 36th minutes in that order also failed to take their chances at goal.
Khalid lose to Stay Cool
Tema (Greater Accra) - Khalid F/C could not stand the might of Stay Cool when they were beaten 2-0 in their division one league match played that the Tema Sport Stadium on Saturday.
Stay Cool took the lead in the 8th minute through Asamosh Mensah when he received a pass from midfield and run past two defenders before slotting the ball into the net.
Khalid defence who could not stand the attacking machinery of Stay Cool led by Mensah who tormented them throughout the match. In the 30th minute George Yamoah received a pass from the right flank, dribbled past a defender and before placing the ball at the blind side of keeper Mustapha Angba in post for Khalid for the second goal.
Bafana Bafana spank All Blacks
Cape Coast (Central Region) - Bafana Bafana beat Swedru All Blacks 4-1 in their division one-league match played at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
After a first half that ended one all, Bafana Bafana resumed strongly and increased the tally to 2-1 through outside right David Kudah in the 55th minute. Inspired by this lead Bafana Bafana score two more goals through Atta Yawson and Francis Kobbina in the 82nd and 85th minutes respectively.
Hearts of Lions ride on
Accra (Greater Accra) - An 88th-minute goal by Togolese import, Lawson N'bueke was all that Kpando Hearts of Lions needed to secure the maximum three points from Great Mariners of Teshie in their crunched First Division match at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday.
The match as heading for draw when Lawson who had a fine afternoon popped up to slice the ball from close range into the net. It was a beautiful move initiated by team mate Ibrahim Iddrisu who took a daring run through a host of legs but in his bid to slot in the ball, collided with goalkeeper Wilson Dei and Lawson who was lurking around the goal area, chipped the loose ball into the net.
Both sides came close to scoring from kick off but lacked ideas upfront while the goalies were hardly tested. But the pattern of the game changed completely after the recess and for over 15 minutes, Mariners kept the Hearts of Lions goal area boiling; however, the ironclad defence pivoted around Jacob Nettey of Accra Hearts of Oak fame, kept them at bay.
Mid-way through the second half, the Lions begun to roar over the Mariners with most of their moves being orchestrated by another Togolese import, Komlan Amevour, unfortunately they had to wait until the 88th minute for Lawson's incisive kick to fetch the winner.
Ten minutes earlier, substitute Isaac Bekoe grazed the upright for Mariners, two minutes after coming on for skipper Paul Gben while Atikpe Yaovi Eric who also came on for Samuel Yeboah of Hearts of Lions, wasted a golden opportunity when instead of shooting from a lose range, decided to give a pass which was wasted.
