- But there will be a lot to watch out for at the top of the table and some excitement in the air as well, on Saturday, as Premier League leaders AshGold fight to maintain their hold on the topmost spot...
Match Day ten of the Ghana Premier League will come on as scheduled tomorrow with a lot of excitement in the air as slumping Accra Hearts of Oak and archrivals Asante Kotoko seize the limelight in the sole match set for Super Sunday in the first of two highly anticipated clashes between the nation’s two most decorated clubs, both of whom continue to look for their glorious days of yore.
But there will be a lot to watch out for at the top of the table and some excitement in the air as well, on Saturday, as Premier League leaders AshGold fight to maintain their hold on the topmost spot as guests of Medeama SC who will be focused on ending a two-game winless run against the Miners at home. Second placed Dreams FC will have their eyes on a possible takeover of the summit as guests of WAFA, and so will newbies, Karela FC, who with their eyes glazed on the top spot will be praying for losses for AshGold and Dreams FC, and an improbable win for themselves at Bechem United.
Elsewhere on Saturday, it will be Aduana Stars going for the rebound against B. Chelsea, Elmina Sharks gunning for the winning column at the expense of Eleven Wonders, Dwarfs trying to fight their way up the table as guests of Inter Allies, and bottom Liberty Profs eyeing the start of yet another revival attempt at the expense of bottommost Wa All Stars.
Ghana Premier League Week 09 Standings
Aduana Stars vs Berekum Chelsea - Nana Agyeman Badu Park
Defending Premier League Champions and CAF Confederation Cup campaigners, Aduana Stars, will have the chance to rebound from this past Monday’s 2-0 road defeat at the hands of Dreams FC as they play host to Berekum Chelsea in the only derby of the weekend.
The Berekum Blues have rallied strongly from a three-game winless start to the season (2 losses and a tie) with an impressive unbeaten three-game run (2 wins and a tie) in their last three outings for the 9th spot on the Premier League table on 11points. But with just a point out of a possible 12 in their four games away from home, it is obvious that their road game continues to lack and that they will have to be at their best to salvage a point here.
With four outstanding games, and just two Premier League games played at home to date, the Fire Boys have exuded confidence at home, scoring a whopping total of 10 goals whilst letting in just one. A record feat that is not lost on their guests. Strikingly, the two sides have split their last three meetings with each side winning at home. It looks to be headed that way again, the only uncertainty in my book is the number of goals the Fire Boys will be able to pile on their neighbors.
Liberty Profs vs Wa All Stars – Carl Reindorf Park, Dansoman
A clash between the current bottom- feeders of the Premier League as bottom Liberty Professionals welcome bottommost Wa All Stars with both sides hoping to put a halt to recent adversities.
For Wa All Stars, it’s a four consecutive game losing run and an overall five game non-winning run, and for Liberty Profs, it’s a three straight game winless run (2 losses and a tie).
The two sides have split their last 4 meetings - a win apiece and two ties. Heading into the match, Liberty is surely the better looking of the two sides, having played fairly well at home with a victory and a tie against AshGold and Dreams FC in their last two outings. Given Wa All Stars’ awful record on the road (4 losses), they don’t seem to stand much of a chance on paper in this one. It will be up to Liberty to capitalize at home as they look to resuscitate their season.
Dreams FC
WAFA vs Dreams FC – Red Bull Arena, Sogakope
Following the canning of their head coach Klaus Rasmussen, this past week, the Academy Lads proved they can win without him as they managed a 3-2 road win over a struggling Dwarfs side to end a 5-game winless run (4 losses and a tie). They will be hoping for a stay in the win column as they welcome joint Premier League leaders Dreams FC who are riding high on a three-game unbeaten run – two wins and a tie.
Having managed just a tie in four road outings, the road still remains a problem for the pesky upstarts who typically don’t yield more than a goal per game.
For WAFA, who are yet to win at home after their 1-2 stunning Week 06 loss to Medeama SC that ended a record 46 game unbeaten run, this is a must win game as they look to start another record as well as move up into top half of the log. The two sides divvied the two meetings between in 2016.
Medeama SC vs AshantiGold FC – T&A Park, Tarkwa
Game in hand Ghana Premier League leaders, AshantiGold, will be severely tested this Saturday as they stake their outstanding road record and their quest to hold on to the summit against Medeama SC at the T&A Park.
Coming off a lone goal loss to Eleven Wonders that marked an end to a brilliant five-game unbeaten run, the Yellow and Mauves will be ready to play for the full spoils, but they will to be exceptional against the Miners who have proven they can play and win anywhere under Coach C.K Akunnor.
A 3-1 smacking of Hearts of Oak, ties with WAFA and Bechem United, and a last minute loss to Liberty FC, all on the road are good indicators of what the hosts can expect from their stingy guests who have so far given up no more than a goal in each of their road games. Victories at home against a brash Karela FC, an up and down Kotoko side, and an energetic Inter Allies side will be some of the experiences the fifth placed on 13points with two outstanding games in hand Medeama SC can draw from as fans look forward to what will surely be a thrilling game. Interestingly, the Yellow and Mauves are winless against the Miners in their last four outings – two ties and two losses.
Karela FC
Bechem United vs Karela FC – Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park
One of the maiden clashes of the day as the Hunters go on the hunt for the spoils against the passionate third placed on 15points newbies, Karela FC, who have been playing very well under the radar and are presently on a five-game unbeaten run.
Karela’s away game has been better than expected. Two losses; to AshGold and Medeama SC, an impressive tie with Dreams FC and a win against struggling Wa All Stars.
Having managed three wins and a tie with AshGold at home, Bechem United seem to have the advantage at home, but they will have to up their game against the Passioners who wouldn’t mind walking away with a point at worst.
Elmina Sharks vs Eleven Wonders – Nduom Stadium
Following an impressive performance that saw them hold former Division One League rivals, Karela FC, to a goalless stalemate away from home, the Sharks will be looking for a spot in the win column this weekend as they take on Eleven Wonders in the premier clash between the two sides.
Unbeaten at home thus far into the season, the Sharks have turned their home court into a mini fort of sorts that Eleven Wonders may find hard to collapse as they look to extend their unbeaten run to seven straight games.
For the 12th placed Eleven Wonders on 11points, who have managed a point out of a possible 12 on the road, it looks like a tall order, but don’t count them out of a possible point.
Meanwhile, the management of Elmina Sharks have issued a press statement describing recent publications from some media houses that a 10 match ban has been placed on the team following the abrupt end to their home game against Medeama SC on Match Day 08 as false.
File image - Dwarfs vs Inter Allies, 2017
Inter Allies vs Dwarfs – Tema Sports Stadium
Coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi and his middle of the table squad will have the chance to go for the rebound as well as add to the misery of struggling Ebusua Dwarfs as they play host to the latter at the Tema Sports Stadium on Saturday.
With just a point out of a possible 9 from their travails on the road, the struggling crabs who lost at home to WAFA this past weekend will have to up their game to steal a point against the Capelli Boys who have maintained a 100 percent winning record at their Tema Sports Stadium base, as well as a clean sheet, Dwarfs will definitely have their work cut out for them.
The two sides divvied the spoils last season with each side winning at home. Interestingly, Dwarfs have on occasion played very well at Tema and managed to leave with a point (2016/17 and 2014/15 season), but this is a different Inter Allies squad that will have to win every home game given their poor performance on the road. It will be up to Dwarfs to prove the pundits wrong.
Please check with your local listing for TV times and exact venues as some matches may be moved around for broadcasting purposes.
© MYGHANALINKS 2017. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be copied, republished, reposted or redistributed on another website.
Follow @myghanalinks on Twitter and like us on Facebook
