Week five matches to mark 9 May disaster

Soccer fans who anticipate the resumption of the domestic premiership with bated breath will have their curiosity satisfied when the fifth week duels fall in a mid-week fray. For the first time this season, patrons who have been waiting desperately to see a continuous flow of the league via mid-week action will have their prayers answered, courtesy the 9 May anniversary celebrations.

To comply with the recommendation by the Government White Paper, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) suspended the fifth week matches and wanted to organise a friendly in its stead between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko (whose clash resulted in the tragedy last year) to commemorate the occasion. But after that match fell through, the FA in its wisdom decided to keep the day solemn in reverence to the 126 departed souls, thus the absence of league action last Sunday.

And even though the various teams are expected to be in a mourning mood, that will definitely have no effect on their ambitions as they will as usual go all out in search of victory. However, the most attractive feature will be the power play between Hearts and Kotoko with the top spot as the focus. So far, defending champions Hearts have not hidden their intention to maintain their hold on the title once again as they hold an enviable record of four victories in as many matches.

Their main adversaries whose attention has been divided following their continental campaign made a significant impact on their last two games which propelled them from the bottom to their current fourth place. All they needed to make the difference were 5-0 and 2-0 wins over RTU and Mine Stars at home. Having strongly re-launched their mission for the title, it will be interesting to witness how they sustain the chase on the Phobians in the subsequent weeks.

But the respective matches of Hearts and Kotoko on Wednesday do not signal any effect on the five-point gap separating them as they are both tipped to secure vital home victories. Between the two, it is Kotoko who will likely face a tougher assignment as they play host to perennially stubborn opponents, Dawu Youngsters.

For Hearts, dealing with Berekum Arsenals will not be much of a bother, even though the visitors will surely flex their muscles in a manner typical of a toothless bulldog. If for nothing at all, the 15 points mission by the Phobians will urge them on to maintain their clean sheet after the fifth week.

To add salt to injury, the exit of Kotoko's expatriate coach, Ernst Middendorp, coupled with the current managerial crisis, are among issues the players will grapple with when they engage in tomorrow's battle. As a prelude, Liberty and Okwawu United will raise the curtain on Tuesday when they clash in an interesting match.

Having finally broken through with their maiden victory which came by way of a 3-0 massacre of Great Olympics, the confidence of coach Silas Tetteh's boys has certainly been buoyed. Liberty will therefore be expected to go for their second win with the league's top scorer, Ernest Papa Arko, leading their attack as usual.

Obuasi Goldfields will have to put their house in order if they want to avoid being overtaken by events when they host Power FC at Len Clay. After tasting their first defeat at the hands of Bofoakwa at Sunyani last week, Coach Oti Akenten will surely aim at making amends by getting back to winning ways by brushing aside their opponent’s challenge.

At Bolga, Olympics' interest will not be served when they play as guests of struggling RTU while Maxbees are the likely candidates for the three maximum points in their match against Hasaacas at Koforidua. Fresh from their surprise 1-0 away win over Hasaacas, B.A. United will be motivated to dispatch King Faisal home with nothing to show, with Mine Stars facing the might of Bofoakwa at Prestea.