GPL Week 06 Preview: Can Liberty stop AshGold’s rise as Hearts of Oak, Asante Kotoko, and WAFA look to rebound at home?

Topmost on the list is the cagey encounter between unbeaten leaders, AshantiGold and bottommost side, Liberty Profs. Theirs is the story of two teams that, for now, seem to be headed in different directions after both teams fought very hard to survive relegation last year. The new season has so far seen AshGold on the ascendancy, with 4 wins and a draw for the top spot on 13points, and Liberty on the decline, with just a win and a tie for four points and the last spot. Head to head, the two sides have split their last six meetings equally, with each winning at home. Having played as well as they have on the road so far, for 4 out of 6points, and having put Kotoko away this past Sunday, by two goals to naught in the Ashanti derby, AshGold certainly looks like the favorites. On the other hand, having tasted victory finally, this past Sunday, in their 2-0 shutout win over Eleven Wonders, it will be up Liberty’s Coach, Reginald Asante Boateng, to let that and their desperation to vacate the cellar buoy them up to victory.

Another of the midweek’s not so cagey clashes to keep an eye on is the maiden derby between defending Premier League champions, Aduana Stars and newly promoted side, Eleven Wonders. Coming off their Week 04, 6-0 thrashing of Inter Allies, and this past Sunday’s 6-1 thrashing of Fosa Juniors in their Confederation Cup match, all at their favorite Nana Agyeman Badu I Park, one can only wonder how ravenous they will be to add to the record 12 goals that they have produced in their last two matches. In contrast, Eleven Wonders, who started the season fairly well with two ties and an impressive 3-1 drubbing of neighbors, Bechem United, have since hit a bad patch. They will be riding a two game losing streak that will be hard to turn around at the NAB Park. Aduana are unquestionably the favorites at home in this one, the only question, I think is the number of goals they will heap on their junior brothers.

The pressure will definitely be on Hearts of Oak Coach, Henry Lamptey Wellington, and his squad, to do whatever it takes to win this midweek’s cagey clash against Wa All Stars at their adopted home - Cape Coast Sports Stadium – to get the disgruntled fans out of his head for now, following his sides embarrassing 3-0 capitulation at Berekum Chelsea this past Sunday, or risk more vitriol from the the Hearts faithful’s who have been yelling for his canning. Newly appointed Wa All Stars head coach, Sarfo Castro, will surely urge his lads on, as he looks for his first win to prove his backers right, especially after he was denied the win this past Sunday, in a 1-1 tie that saw Elmina Sharks come from behind. Intriguingly, the Northern Blues have always given the Phobians a lot of headaches. Head to head, they have taken two out of the four most recent clashes between them, with Hearts winning one and the other ending in a tie. Given the venue, which is somewhat neutral in this case, Coach Wellington will have to prepare his boys very well to avoid back to back losses. Fortunately for the Phobians, their two wins so far have come at Cape Coast, and that perhaps will be enough motivation to put in the work for the full spoils.

Following their 2-0 loss to AshGold this past Sunday, the pressure will be on Asante Kotoko to win this midweek to calm the growing angst among the Porcupine fraternity. Having won just two games out of five so far, and scoring a miserable total of 3 goals, while conceding 4 in their five outings so far, things are definitely not going as well as anticipated for the Reds, and second-time go-around coach, Paa Kwesi Fabian. The Crabs, led by Coach Bashir Hayford, have not been able to build on their controversial lone goal home win over Berekum Chelsea. Attempts to reset so far haven’t worked very well for the mysterious club, and unfortunately for them, they haven’t fared well at Kumasi, although they managed a draw there last season before losing by a lone goal at home. The two sides split the spoils in their 2016 meeting, with each winning at home. Given the venue, the advantage belongs to Kotoko, it will be up to Dwarfs to surprise.

Six points behind the chase, West African Football Academy (WAFA), will have the chance to get their season back on track after going down by a lone goal at Inter Allies this past Sunday. At home against Medeama SC, who were idle this past Sunday, but were denied the full points in their last road outing in a 1-1 tie with Liberty Professionals. Given WAFA’s home performance, they have the edge in this one; as to whether Medeama can make their long rest count, remains to be seen.

Elsewhere in midweek action, it will be Berekum Chelsea looking to build on their 3-0 thrashing of Hearts of Oak this past weekend, as they test the waters against Karela FC in the premier encounter between the two, with the latter playing host at the Baba Yara Stadium. Bechem United will be hoping to build on their recent 1-1 tie with Dwarfs, as they welcome a Dreams FC club that is looking to end a two-game winless run, and Elmina Sharks will have the chance to haul in their second win of the season as they host an Inter Allies club that can be very feisty and entertaining on the road.

Ghana Premier League Week 06 Fixtures

Wednesday

Liberty Profs vs AshantiGold – Carl Reindorf Park, Dansoman

Aduana Stars vs Eleven Wonders – Nana Agyeman Badu Park

Hearts of Oak vs Wa All Stars – Cape Coast Stadium

Asante Kotoko vs Dwarfs - Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi

WAFA SC vs Medeama SC - Sogakope

Bechem United vs Dreams FC – Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park

Elmina Sharks vs Inter Allies – Nduom Stadium

Thursday

Karela FC vs Berekum Chelsea – Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi

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