Consistent Survival and stay in the Ghana Premier League is very expensive and not an easy task at all.Who says so? The testimonies of Ghapoha,Maxbees,Prestea Mine Stars, Stay Cool, Kade Hotspurs, Gomoa Feyenoord, Great Olympics, B/A United,Real Sportive, Zaytuna FC, All Blacks, St.Mirren, Eleven Wise,B/A Stars,Wassaman Utd, Mighty Jets and many more are there for all to see.Even King Faisal and R.T.U ,two of the long-standing top flight campaigners in Ghana football will have to endure relegation to the second tier in 2011 with the latter completing a back-to-back relegation in 2013 after the duo staged a quick return to the premier league.
Bechem United are the only side among the three clubs relegated in the 2011/12 season to return to top tier football.They failed to provide the needed requirements that would have ensured their stay in their debut season and they got relegated. Uncertainty of Club's home,not so exceptional squad,naivety were some of the possible causes of Bechem United's failure at first attempt.The good news however is they are back and the bad omen is that they face some six difficult games within the first 8 weeks. I tout them as the "Top 6 High Hurdles" that Bechem United must jump high over in order to consolidate their stay in the top tier. 1. The Medeama Hurdle Bechem travel to Takwa in Week 2.This will be the 3rd meeting between the two sides.Bechem United's first premier league victory was against Medeama in the 7th Week of the 2011/12 season and will be hoping to get another fine result from this encounter.Medeama won the last meeting between the two sides at Takwa by 3-1 during the second round.Medeama finished last season at 3rd place and historically won the Ghana FA cup and they will be a big stumbling block in the way of Bechem United especially in front of their home fans.
2.The Dwarfs Hurlde
If there would be any hurlde among the Top six for Bechem Utd to jump over without a lot of difficulty,then it would have to be against Dwarfs at the Bechem Park in Week
3.Dwarfs on the other side had a terrific campaign last season having finished within the best four clubs of the season. Dwarfs lost on their last visit to the Bechem Park 1-0 in the 2011/12 season and will be seeking to avoid back-to-back defeat at the hands of the Miroslav Bogdanovic' boys.
3.The Aduana Hurdle
Bechem Utd visits The former league champions in Week 4.Bechem Utd picked only a point from their two outings with Aduana in the 2011/12 season, a 1-1 draw at Babayara stadium and a 1-2 defeat at Dormaa Aygeman Badu Park.Aduana setteld at a respectable 7th place last season and new coach JE Saporng is expected to further empower them and make them more dangerous and this makes Aduana Stars look dreadful for Bechem United . It is a tricky visit for Bechem Utd.
4.The Hearts of Oak Hurdle
This fixture certainly rings a bell.They finished 5th last season but they have not been able to beat Bechem Utd in their two meetings which all ended 0-0 in the 2011-12 season. Coach David Duncan will present a revived Hearts of oak this season having also made some signings to beef up the squad. Week 5 will see this contest at the Bechem Park.
5.The Edubiase Hurdle
Edubiase play host to Bechem in Week 6. This is the club that beat Bechem United in Bekwai to cement Bechem Utd's place in the relegation mire in the last round of matches in the 2011/12 season with a solitary goal from Abeiku Ainooson who has now joined Asante Kotoko.Edubiase has a hundred percent record against Bechem United having won all of the two matches the two sides have played with former Edubiase center forward Emmanuel Baffour scoring a terrific treble of goals in the first ever premier league match between the two teams. At the Bekwai Park,few clubs are known to have to power to beat Edubiase and that list certainly omits the name of Bechem United.
6.The 6th and Deadliest Hurdle
It happens in Week 7 at Bechem Park.In the past,for so long, Asante Kotoko and their fans will always have to travel from Kumasi to Sunyani to either play B/A United or Bofoakwa tano and just recently B/A Stars and they normally pass The Bechem township but little did they know that a time will come when they will no longer speed pass the Bechem town unless they are visiting Berekum Chelsea or Aduana Stars. The defending champions,as big as they are ,visits Bechem Utd for the first time in Bechem.Kotoko Has won all their matches against Bechem Utd and they will hope to continue that fine record coming Week 7.
These are the tough manacles that Bechem United must be able to extract maximum point from in order to consolidate their stay in the premier league and they will host Amindaus Professionals minus a certain Yaya Mohammed who was the fulcrum around which Amidaus revolved last season.
Did You Know?
Did you know that Bechem United picked only 4 point out of possible 21 within thee first 7 matches of the 2011/12 season?
Did you know that Bechem United's first premier league match was a defeat against New Edubiase ?
BY GARIBA RAUBIL
0241262225
SPORTS COLUMNIST SUNYANI
