Red Bull Soccer Academy yesterday suffered 2-0 defeat in the hands of premier league side Liberty Professionals in Sogakope in a friendly match to close their home invincibility chapter.
The match started in a whirl-wind fashion .Having lost the toss, Red Bull Academy were the first to kick off and they did so aggressively. As if possessed ,they swarmed all over their opponent and bombarded their goal area with amazing rapidity with well rehearsed inter-positional changes ,short crisp passes and piercing shots, one could prognosticate the BULLS of Ghana football were going bury the Scientific soccer lads of Ghana under avalanche of goals.
Miraculously, they survived the incessant attacks thanks to the agility of their goalkeeper Daniel Adjei and the defensive network made up of Khalif Alhassan, Charles Boateng, Maxwell Mensah and Kofi Nketsiah.
In the tenth minute, Joshua Otoo of Red Bull received the first yellow card of the game for rough play.
Gradually but steadily Liberty warmed themselves into the game. By the twentieth minute of the first half, their tactical discipline had been clearly established. Stringing their passes together beautifully, they kept Red Bull Academy reeling backwards. They survived the pressure courtesy their goalkeeper Douglas Asamoah who weathered the storm with hair –raising and acrobatic saves to the amazement of the crowd .
Liberty opened the score line in the 32nd minute when in a five on one situation ,the adroit midfield generalissimo Emmanuel Frimpong in a Ronaldo like fashion cannoned the ball beyond the reach of helpless goalkeeper Douglas Asamoah .
Back from recess ,Red Bull Academy made two substitutions .Prince Adoma and Edem Towodjoh came on for Jnr Arthur Paintsil and Ibrahim Mohammed respectively. With their pride wounded and humiliation staring them in the face, they attacked in burst and drew rings around their opponent reminiscent of the early stages of the first half.The now almost impenetrable defense combined effectively with the well lubricated midfield and hungry attacking machinery to form symbiotic symphony. In one of their incessant forays a galloping Felix Adjei collected a tailored measured pass from the midfield ,dummied two onrushing defenders of Liberty and directed a tricky shot which missed the goal post by the teeth.
Red Bull Academy were however given a bitter pill to swallow when their goalkeeper Douglas Asamoah collided with Liberty Professionals attacker and had to be replaced by Former Starlets goalkeeper David Dadzie who kept the post like a jaguar.
In the 75th minute , the hope of Red Bull Academy getting the equalizer and the eventual winner was shattered when Tuah Khemix beautifully connected home a cross from Michael Issiandoh to register the second goal for Liberty .
After the game ,the general manager of Red Bull Soccer Academy Siegfried Sanzio Bahner commended his boys for their bravery and good performance and said the match was meant to give his boys experience and exposure said the academy would be playing high profile matches to fine tuned his boys for the impending Volta Region Second Division league.
Liberty’s coach Nii Noi Thompson was also full of praise for the Red Bull Soccer Academy’’The boys are wonderful and seriously speaking ,with such matches for the team ,the future looks bright for Red Bull Soccer Academy. Red Bull-Douglas Asamoah(David Dadzie)Livingstone Logoh, Joshua Otoo,Kingsley Kwakye,Emmanuel Tetteh,Ibrahim Mohammed (Edem Towodjoh)Jnr Arthur Paintsil (Prince Adoma),Kwame Frimpong,Gilbert Fiamenyoh,Yousef(Zampa) Felix Adjei
Liberty-Daniel Adjei,Khalif Alhassan,Charles Boateng,Maxwell Mensah,Kofi Nketsiah,Aziz Tetteh,Owusu Addae(Renel Adjei)Emmanuel Frimpong,Tuah Khemix,Aaron Baah(Cisse Nouhoun)Isaac Amponsah (Michael Issiandoh)
