GHPL Week six Preview: Kotoko dare Hearts as Berekum Chelsea unfazed by Aduana Stars
This year’s Ghana Premier League 2019 /20 is turning up to be one of the most keenly contested after five rounds of matches. This weekend’s matches will certainly give football fans, pundits, analysts all over lots to talk about and memories to look back on.
Hearts of Oak will be buoyed by their Never Say Die spirit as they host Kotoko, Giant killers Berekum Chelsea will look to prey on Aduana Stars as Medeama entertain the miners Ashanti Gold.
WOW! it’s the big one this weekend at the nation’s capital, Accra Sports Stadium. The two glamorous clubs in Ghana Football, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko will take to the pitch and battle behind closed doors.
These two big clubs have flattered to deceive with contrasting fortunes so far in the league, home side Hearts of Oak didn’t start the league well, after losing two matches on the bounce, they seem to have gathered lots of momentum picking seven points in three games lying ninth with their most recent win a major comeback against City rivals Liberty Professionals, coming back from a goal down to beat them by two goals to one in a superb fashion away at the Dansoman Carl Reindorff Park whiles Kotoko needed a Matthew Cudjoe and Richard Arthur goals to silence Ebusua Dwarfs at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium behind closed doors.
These two sides since 2005, have met eighteen (18) Kotoko winning the most (5), Hearts (4) and nine (9) draws in the process. Both are currently outside the top four very unusual feelings and will look to get back to the top positions as rightly deserve when they play each other for the three (3) points.
Ghana ‘s wonder club, Accra Great Olympics seem to have found their mojo back in the last two matches, winning one and drawing one. The Dade side sit thirteenth(13th) on the log, with four points whiles their opponents, Inter Allies are fourteenth (14th) with just four (4) points, both have notched a win, three draws and two losses in five matches (W 1 D3 L2) in the ongoing Ghana Premier League.
Sogakope based WAFA are enjoying a mixed season, (W 2 D2 L) under new Coach Prosper Narteh. There is some level of expectation on the new man who took over the reins this season as will have to urge his boys to play above their weights against Liberty Professionals.
The away side lost their last match at home to Accra Hearts of Oak and will be hoping for an improved result when they travel to Sogakope on Saturday. Both teams play very attractive football, and will definitely treat fans to some beautiful football when they take to the pitch.
Alhaji Karim Grunsahs King Faisal Babes are yet to pick up a win in five matches, but their recent performances have sparked lots of debate that a win will certainly turn their dwindling league fortunes around.
A home fixture against Elmina Sharks, who seem to have grinded some hard results in recent times occupies the eleventh (11) spot with six (6) points travel away to Kumasi the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to play King Faisal. This is the first time the two setups are meeting each other with three vital points at stake for grabs.
It’s a top-four affair between Medeama F. C and Obuasi based Ashanti Gold this weekend at the Akoon Community Park. The pair currently occupy the third and fourth positions respectively with the same enviable record (W3 D1 L1) in five games.
Coach Samuel Boadu’s men hold the ace between the two outfits winning six (6) in the last seventeen (17) encounters the pair have played, Ashanti Gold (5) and six (6) by way of draws. Both sides lost the last games to Dreams F. C. and Berekum Chelsea respectively and will battle hard for all three maximum points this time around.
Eleven Wonders, one of three clubs battling relegation in the ongoing Ghana Premier League season are living dangerously in the league, picking up only one win against, Aduana Stars in as many matches, losing four as things stand and lie 16th on the log, Karela F. C are also not enjoying things, picking up 5 points in 5 matches (W1 D2 L2). The pair will enter this match with little history between themselves considering they have played only once which ended in a draw.
After beating top sides in Kotoko, Hearts, Ashanti Gold and Dreams F. C, its no fluke that, Berekum Chelsea are the current table-toppers of the league, very little or no one predicted that after matchday five, they will be at the summit with such an impressive record (W4 D1 L0), with thirteen (13) points, scoring five and conceding just one, amazing for an overall team performance.
Regional opposition, Aduana Stars come into this fixture winning four matches, losing just once (W4 L1) and picking up 12 points. They will be buoyed by Yahaya Mohammed, who is the form of his life, netting six in five matches.
These two former Ghana Premier Champions have played seventeen (17) times with Aduana Stars by far the superior side winning eight (8), Chelsea (6) and three (3) draws.
Legon Cities under Coach Goran have failed to get their season on track after five matches in the league so far. This weekend at the Accra Sports Stadium will see Bechem United travel south of the capital to play host, Legon Cities.
The home side have not won any game, but drawn thrice in as many matches (W0 D3 L2), whiles the away side currently sixth(6th) on the log have ten (10) points to their credits, (W3 D1 L0).
The away side willed a strong edge over the home side coming into this match-winning (7) of their last eleven (11) matches with the home side winning only three (3) and one (1) by way of draw between the two.
One of Ghana’s oldest clubs, Ebusua Dwarfs are one of three relegation teams in the league. After matchday five approaching six, they have failed to pick a single point in the ongoing league and to worsen matters they host a high flying Dreams F.C who are currently managed by no mean a person, Wilfred Domond who understands the tenets of the game, through and through.
The Dawu Based club have since picked up 10 points in five matches occupy the fifth position on the log. Both of these sides are familiar foes having gone at each other five times already in the past season with Dreams F. C the superior of the two, winning five (3), Dwarfs (1) and a draw.
GHPL WEEK SIX FIXTURES:
Hearts of Oak – Kotoko
Great Olympics - Inter Allies
WAFA - Liberty
King Faisal - Elmina Sharks
Medeama S.C - Ashanti Gold
Eleven Wonder – Karela FC
Berekum Chelsea- Aduana Stars
Legon Cities – Bechem United
Ebusua Dwarfs – Dreams FC
