Week 8 of the Ghana Premier League will come on this weekend with six matches scheduled for Saturday. Struggling Hearts of Oak will host bitter rivals Asante Kotoko in the first leg of this year’s ‘Super Clash’ on Sunday. Inter Allies and Tema Youth will round off the Week on Monday.
The pressure will be on Aduana Stars to hold on to the top spot as guests of Ebusua Dwarfs, with third placed Bechem United looking to gain some ground for the summit on the road as guests of bottom Bolga All Stars and Berekum Chelsea trying to do same on the road against WAFA.
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Also on Saturday, Elmina Sharks will host AshantiGold, Liberty will welcome Champions Wa all Stars and Medeama SC will hope to turn around their season at the expense of visiting Gt. Olympics with the former hoping to end a 6 game winless run and the latter still looking for their first win of the season after 7 tries.
Elmina Sharks vs AshantiGold – Elmina
Impressive two loss newbies – Elmina Sharks – will be on the hunt for their third home win of the season as they host an AshGold side that just ended a three game losing run and will be looking to improve on their fortunes.
The Sharks seem to be gradually finding their way despite tough lone goal losses to two of the best teams in the league; Aduana and Kotoko. Recent spirited performances – a 2-1 home win over B. Chelsea, a goalless road tie with Bechem Utd in their last outing and an impressive home record (2 wins and a loss) are positive indicators and a warning for AshGold who are winless on the road with a tie being their best performance to be on their guard.
This is the first premier league meeting between the two, AshantiGold have experience on their side whilst the Sharks have home advantage and their positive spirit to aid them on.
WAFA vs Berekum Chelsea – Sogakope
Coming off this midweek’s painful lone goal loss to title contenders – Asante Kotoko at the B. Yara Stadium, WAFA will look to get back into the winning column for the third time this season on their favorite Astro turf as hosts of B. Chelsea who managed a lone goal home win over Bolga All Stars this midweek.
File: Berekum Chelsea line up
WAFA have struggled somewhat at home this season given the several new faces they have brought on, but they have managed to survive several close calls at home; a come from behind 1-1 tie against Aduana and a hard fought win over Tema Youth in their last two matches. The good thing for them is that they have being resolute in defense, allowing just two goals at home thus far, something that will definitely work against the ‘Berekum Blues’ who are winless on the road but managed to pick up a crucial point against regional neighbors – Bechem - in Week 4.
They have divvied their last 4 meetings with each team winning at home.
Bolga All Stars vs Bechem Utd - Tamale
Struggling neophytes – Bolga All Stars – will attempt to regain some pride at home as they look to staunch a 5game non-winning run that has seen them lose twice at home. They will however be bolstered on by their recent Week 6 one-all tie with Asante Kotoko as they host a Bechem Utd side that will look to capitalize on the inexperience of their guests who have allowed a whopping 14 goals, the highest by any team so far.
Coming off a disappointing midweek performance that saw them play to a goalless tie against Elmina Sharks, Bechem will definitely look to make up some lost ground with their experience over the neophytes who will have to mount a similar if not better performance that saw them come from behind to hold the Porcupine Warriors to a 1-1 tie. Bechem have managed two impressive wins on the road; 3-1 and 4-2 over Gt. Olympics and AshGold respectively, and that should be enough warning for the Bolga lads.
This will be first meeting between the two sides.
Liberty Professionals vs Wa All Stars - Dansoman
Six points behind the summit with a game in hand – Champions Wa All Stars – will be under pressure to win on the road as they as they take on a Liberty Professionals side that has a perfect winning record at home to go along with a perfect losing record on the road. The Scientific Soccer lads have been very resilient at home allowing just 3 goals so far whilst banging in 7. They will need this combination of good defense and potency in front of goal to be in their favor against their guests who are working hard on looking like a championship team and have lost just a game on the road so far.
Wa All Stars were denied the full 3points at home this midweek by way of a game waning moment equalizer by Dwarfs, and triumphs on the road against Medeama SC and Bolga All Stars - 0-1 and 1-3 respectively – will prod them on against a Liberty side that will be on the rebound after ceding to a lone goal loss against AshGold.
Interestingly the Scientific Soccer lads have Wa All Stars’ number, winning 3 out of the last 4. Liberty won by a lone goal at home last year after holding Wa All Stars to goalless tie at Wa. The pressure is absolutely on Liberty to win tomorrow.
Medeama SC vs Gt. Olympics – Tarkwa
On the mend Medeama SC, who have played below expectation and find themselves with just a win and three ties will be comforted by their midweek performance that saw them stall Aduana Stars charge for the summit by holding them to a goalless tie this midweek as they take on winless and beleaguered Gt. Olympics at the Tarkwa T&A Park.
For the winless Rosalinda Club whose player cum coach – Godwin Attram has testified to being on the hot seat, it’s hard to find hope and consolation especially if they can’t protect and hold on to their lead. Perhaps a reminder of life in the wilderness of Division One soccer where they just came from will be enough to spur them on to at worse fight for a tie as they continue to look for ways to claw out of the cellar.
The two teams split the points last season with each team winning at home.
Ebusua Dwarfs vs Aduana Stars - Cape Coast
Having lost the perfect opportunity to hold on to their lead following their midweek inability to breakdown a struggling Medeama SC side at home and Kotoko leveling up with them on 17 points for the summit, the pressure will be on Aduana to once again win on the road to keep their title aspirations afloat.
For the Crabs who are coming off an unusual road performance that saw them earn a crucial point against a credible Wa All Stars team, the pressure to win at home where they’ve won two out of three thus far will be huge. They have been solid at home allowing just 2 goals whilst scoring 5, but their opponents have the best away record so far this season; 2 wins and a tie for 7points whilst allowing just 2 goals and scoring 4.
Dwarfs will have to be disruptive in defense to frustrate Aduana’s attack and excellent in attack and in front of goal to win this one. The two sides divvied the spoils last season. A tough game awaits but Aduana will look to steal a point at worse if Dwarfs gives them the chance.
Hearts of Oak vs Asante Kotoko Accra (Sunday)
Inter Allies vs Tema Youth – El Wak (Monday)
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