Premier League: Round 1 Results

Results of the first week matches of the Star Premier League played on Saturday.

 Accra:     Olympics.... One (1)     Hasaacas...... Nil (0) 
 Kumasi:    K. Faisal... One (1)     Adansiman....  Nil (0)
 Berekum:   Arsenals..   One (1)     Kwaebibirem..  Nil (0)
 Dawu:      Dawu...      Nil (0)     Okwawu...      Nil (0)
 Koforidua: M'bees       One (1)     Ghapoha...     One (1)
 Tamale:    RTU....       One (1)    Kotoko....     One (1)
 Obuasu:    Goldfields... Nil (0)    Bofoakwa...    Nil (0)
 

Newly promoted Berekum Arsenals had a rare feat as it topped Ghana's premier football league table when the 2001 soccer season kicked off at the weekend.


Arsenals, who beat Kwaebibrem United 1-0, share the top spot with King Faisal and Olympics who also won their matches by a similar margin.


No team scored more than one goal and there were only three victories with four draws.


Olympics, who have been troubled by a debilitating managerial problem, beat Sekondi Hasaacas 1-0 in Accra.


Olympics, fielding a virtually unknown side, following the desertion of most of the old players, scored the match winner in the 17th minute through striker Samuel Aryettey.


Former Africa champions Kumasi Asante Kotoko settled for a 1-1 draw away to Real Tamale United, after falling behind in the 25th minute when a shot by Joe Adjei deflected off the body of his captain Hamza Mohammed into the net.


Kotoko's Lawrence Adjei, however, cancelled the lead in the 43rd minute.

Hearts-Liberty match has been declared out-standing in view of Hearts continental assignment against Etoile du Congo The following is the league table after the opening matches:

 Team           P Pts GD 
 Arsenals       1  3  1 
 King Faisal    1  3  1 
 Olympics       1  3  1 
 Bofoakwa       1  1  0 
 Maxbees        1  1  0 
 Kotoko         1  1  0 
 RTU            1  1  0 
 Dawu           1  1  0 
 Ghapoha        1  1  0 
 Goldfields     1  1  0 
 Okwawu         1  1  0 
 Adansiman      1  0   -1 
 Hasaacas       1  0  -1 
 Kwaebibirem    1  0  -1 
 Hearts         - - - 
 Liberty        - -- 
 

Arsenals win first match

New entrants, Berekum Arsenals football club on Saturday, defeated visiting Asuom Kwaebibirem United 1-0 in their opening match of the Star Premier League match played at the newly-constructed Berekum Sports Stadium.


Nana Adarkwa scored the lone goal in the 20th minute.


It was the result of a perfect free kick taken by midfielder Yaw Serbeh, and which Nana Adarkwa headed home beating goalkeeper Theodore Atsu.


Backed by their massive home support, Arsenals proved better in the initial exchanges, but inexperience caused them several goal chances until the 20th minute when Nana Adarkwah headed home the opening goal, which turned out to be the match winner.


Arsenals did everything possible to neutralise the attacking force of the Kwaebibirem boys, made up of captain Ayitey Dormon, Shaba Salisu, and Elvis Opoku and kept the thin score till full time to snatch the maximum points.

RTU - Kotoko draw 1-1

Visiting Kumasi Asante Kotoko on Saturday held Real Tamale United (RTU) to a one - one draw in the first week of the Star Premier League played at the Tamale Kaladan Park.


Playing before a capacity crowd, RTU scored first through mid-fielder, Hamzah Mohammed in the 25th minute when inside left Joe Adjei dribbled past three Kotoko defenders and fired a shot that deflected off Hamza's back to beat Osei Boateng in goal for Kotoko.


Kotoko took up the challenge with Shilla Alhassan, Godwin Ablodey and smallish, Frank Asoa pressing forward, but the RTU defence held off to the challenge.

Kotoko's attacking options yielded dividends in the 43rd minute when outside right Lawrence Adjei, slotted the ball into the net for the equaliser.


The game's beauty was however marred by supporters violence during the break and also after the final whistle which left some Kotoko players and supporters injured.


In a reaction, players of RTU have tendered in their resignation en-bloc saying their supporters behaviour left much to be desired and put their lives in danger as they travel down south to encounter other clubs.

Olympics beat Hassacas by lone goal in season opener

Beleaguered Accra Great Olympics lived up to their wonder club billing when they beat Sekondi Hassacas by a lone goal in the opening match of this year's Star Premier League at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday.


Olympics playing with a virtually new squad following the desertion of most of the old players, kicked off and straight away, pushed forward to announce their intention of carrying the day.


In the 13th minute Michael Asante was put through but he failed to put the ball into the net with only goalkeeper George Owu to beat.


The only goal of the game came in the 17th minute when Samuel Aryettey shrugged off a tackle from Hassacas Alhassan Haruna in the vital area, to slot the ball beyond onrushing Owu for the match winner.


After the goal, the match became balanced with a lot of mid-field play and intermittent breaks at both ends, but Olympics held onto their lead as David Sharpe stood firm in goal.

The Olympics goalie was spectacular in the 22nd minute when he punched a well centred cross from the penalty area, with the attackers of Hassacas lurking around.


Again in the 25th minute Hassacas were nearly gifted the equaliser when Sharpe mistimed his run forward and allowed himself to be beaten by Lukman Olaya, whose weak shot was scooped off the line by central defender, Numo Mohammed who had a great game.


Referee Ebenezer Adega from Keta, who attracted the displeasure of the sparse crowd on several occasions for some strange decisions, showed the first yellow card to Aryettey for rough play in the 31st minute.


On resumption Hassacas moved their game a notch higher when they brought on veteran Kofi Abbrey for Mensah Robert in the 50th minute as the veteran winger wiped in his characteristic crosses that created a lot of problems for the Olympics defence.


Hassacas took control of the game from the hour mark as Olympics players appeared tired and nearly equalised in the 65th minute when Osei Kuffour connected a Kofi Abbrey cross that rebounded off the cross bar.


Olympics resorted to playing on the break as Hassacas pushed more men forward, looking for the equaliser. The Sekondi lads were threatened with counters in the 84th and 86th minutes but skipper Jonathan Abiku and Aryettey wasted the chances to extend Olympics' lead.

Goldfields, Bofoakwa fight to a standstill

Brilliant goal keeping by Muhammed Alhassan helped Tano Bofoakwa to draw goalless with Obuasi Goldfields in their match played at the Len Clay Stadium on Saturday.


Playing with numerical disadvantage for well over 50 minutes following the red-carding of Yaw Kyeremeh in the 37th minute, goalkeeper Alhassan's alertness in post saved his side from conceding an avalanche of goals.

Alhassan's prowess was demonstrated in the 40th, 45th, 58th, 61st, 79th and 82nd minutes as he dived, jumped and stretched to save very sticky situations.


Goldfields, playing at home with most of their last season's players, piled up intense pressure on the visitors throughout the game, but wasted as many as 10 corner-kicks that came their way.


The game, which was characterised by rough plays from both sides saw Goldfields's Kamara Dini rushed to the hospital in the 28th minute when he clashed with an opponent during an aerial tussle in the vital area of the visitors.


In the 37th minute, a cynical tackle on Goldfields's Aminu Musa earned Yaw Kyeremeh a red card, but the homers failed to capitalise on their numerical strength to win the game.

Faisal pip Adansiman

King Faisal beat new entrants Obuasi Adansiman 1-0 in their match played at the Kumasi sports stadium.


Central defender Chibsah Yusif scored the lone goal in the 60th minute. He took advantage of a goalmouth melee and shot the ball straight into the net.


Before the goal, both teams made some changes. Faisal brought on Ben Wilson and


Eric Gawu while Adansiman also substituted Richard Aka and Hope Leveh for Mohammed Dauda and Kwadwo Owusu-Ansah but it was Faisal who benefited from the substitutions.