B/A United 2 Dawu 1
Hearts 2 Hasaacas 0
Kotoko 2- Bofoakwa 0
G'fields 2 Olympics 2
Maxbee 3- King faisal 3
RTU 2 OKwawu Utd 2
Mine Stars 1 Power 0
Liberty 1- Arsenals 0 (played Today)
Hearts survive Hasmal scare
CHAMPION Club Accra Hearts of Oak survived stiff opposition before overcoming Western Giants Sekondi Hasaacas when they beat them two nil at the Accra Sports Stadium to remain on top of the league table.Bernard Dong Bortey converted two penalty kicks in the 63rd and 68th minutes for Hearts of Oak.
Hearts started the match on a bright-note and made attempts to get the opener in the eighth minute when Adjah Tetteh’s long-range shot was parried to corner by Yakubu Minkah in posts for Hasaacas.
Charles Taylor and Laryea Kingston took turns to miss chances in the 10th minute and 31st minute.
Back from recess, Hearts turned the heat on their opponents trying in vain to get the opener. In the 60th minute, Elvis Opoku, who played well in midfield had the chance to put Hasaacas on top but his lob was headed by Kwabena Boafo with Sammy Adjei completely beaten.
In the 63rd minute, Ayitey Dormon was dispossessed of the ball in midfield by Adjah Tetteh, who gave a through pass to Charles Taylor, who, after beating a defender, was brought down in the penalty box for Dong Bortey to convert the opener.
Their opponents raised the game trying to redeem the goal but Hearts increased the tally in the 68th minute when a misunderstanding between Dormon and Felix Yeboah in their bid to head the ball from the penalty box let to handling of the ball by Dormon for the referee to whistle for a penalty. Dong Bortey, who elected himself to take the kick displaced Yakubu Minkah for the second goal.
Hasaacas tried hard but they failed to score while Taylor and Adjah missed glorious chances for Hearts till the referee brought proceedings to an end.
• At Prestea, Mine Stars beat visiting Power FC 1-0 in their match. The goal was scored by Abdul Samad in the second half.
Kotoko keep pace
Kumasi Asante Kotoko romped home to a 2-0 victory over Bofoakwa Tano in their mid-week premier encounter at the Kumasi Stadium yesterday and further deepened the relegation woes of the Sunyani-based club.Bofoakwa came to Kumasi full of fight, but Kotoko, using experience and superior tactical play, held sway and stayed four points adrift of league leaders, Hearts of Oak with five more matches to go.
Both teams threaded cautiously in the early exchanges but it was Bofoakwa who threatened occasionally, earning two corner kicks by the 10th minute.
Kotoko found it hard to unlock the water-tight Bofoakwa defence until workaholic midfielder, Hamza Mohammed, threaded a great pass to Isaac Boakye at the edge of the box in the 14th minute but the agility of keeper Mohammed Alhassan was at display as he pulled a stupendous save to deny Boakye.
Thereafter, Kotoko, enjoying massive home support, went into full gear with Michael Osei, Isaac Boakye and Arhin Duah swapping positions upfront but keeper Alhassan and the defence dealt with the dangerous situations until a moment of carelessness by defender Yaw Kyeremeh caused Bofoakwa dearly.
It was in the 45th minute, and a lousy clearance by Kyeremeh, who had played so well, saw Hamza intercepting the ball near the Bofoakwa box. He quickly located Arhin Duah who flashed the ball past advancing keeper Alhassan for Michael Osei to head home lowly. Bofoakwa's Kwame Asiedu was booked in the half for a crunching tackle on an opponent.
The visitors had a great opportunity to even the score in the 49th minute but Charles Benson, who outran Isaac Owusu in the Kotoko box, only made a mess of the chance.
Michael Osei had two glorious chances in the 50th and 51st minutes to up Kotoko's goal but he blew them away to the chagrin of the home fans.
Ralf Zumdick made two substitutions in the 63rd minute, bringing on Kwadwo Opoku and Shilla Alhassan for Stepehn Oduro and Isaac Boakye while Bofoakwa replaced Benson with ageless Ben Kusi but it was Kotoko who kept wasting begging chances until Arhin Duah increased the tally in the 80th minute.
The striker received a neat pass from Shilla and let go a left footed thunderbolt, which hit the back of the net with power.
Kojo Opoku should have made it three in the 88th minute when he was released free at the edge of the box but his lob grazed the bar.
B/A United 2 Dawu 1
Brong Ahafo United this afternoon played a good game to beat stubborn Dawu Youngsters 2-1 in a highly entertaining game at the Sunyani Coronation Park.Urged on by their voiceferous fans, B/A announced their resolve to carry the day as early as the 12th minute when the opened the scoreline through striker Justice Opku(Akroma).After the first goal, the Apostles of Power Soccer continued to probe for more goals and succeeed in securing a well-deserved penalty, in the 42nd minute after a hard-pressed Dawu defender handled a goal-bound shot from Nasiru Gaanui. Hard working defender Charles Ampiah who elected himself to take the penalty kicked over the bar.Surprisingly, the fans of B/A gave Ampiah a very warm applauds which is unprecedented in the Club's history.
The Visitors accepted the challenge and started the second-half with determination.Their efforts were rewarded with a well-deserved goal in the 59th minute.
This goal incensed the gala-lords who started firing from all angles, whilst at the same time playing some delightful touches, much to the admiration of soccer fans.It therefore came as no surprise when speedster Kwasi Boateng connected home from Emmanuel Nkrumah's impeccable cross in the 83rd minute to give the gala-lords a much deserved victory.
King Faisal hold Maxbees
Alhaji Grusah's King Faisal recovered from a two-goal deficit to share points with relegation-threatened Suhum Maxbees after drawing 3-3 in their encounter at the Koforidua Stadium yesterday. As soon as the referee's whistle went for the start of the match, Maxbees carried the game right to the visitors and in the fourth minute, found the net through Shaibu Issah, who shot home from a rebound.
The goal brought King Faisal on their toes and just after four minutes equalised through a penalty converted by Ben Wilson when an attacker was fouled in the vital area. Maxbees re-organised themselves and fought like wounded lions to earn a freekick 20 metres away from goal and was buried in a spectacular fashion by Emmanuel Osei. Shaibu Issah made it three for the homesters in the 40th minute to end the first half.
When the second half began, King Faisal substituted their goalie with Stephen Appiah. They raised the pace of their game with Ben Wilson, Kwabena Boateng and Olli Rahman dictating affairs and drew level through Ben Boakye and Eric Gawu in the 51st and 66th minutes to the amazement of the few spectators who watched the match.
Sensing danger Maxbees made two changes to add some bite to their game but all efforts to score were foiled by the Faisal defenders.
