No respite for premier league clubs as the league zoomed straight into week 11 in midweek and on Thursday. It was a goal feast as strikers moved into top gear and proved equal to the task of banging in the goals.
Berekum Chelsea hosted West Africa Football Academy in a dicey duel. An own goal by Francis Debrah was canceled out by Evans Obeng but Charles Boateng was on hand to secure all three points for West Africa Football Academy.
Bechem United and Elmina Sharks sold out a pulsating 6 goal thriller at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour park. Elmina Sharks led 2-0 at half time and looked to have put the game beyond the home side with a third but the game was just about to turn on its head. When Adama Diabate pulled one back for Bechem United, it looked to be just a consolation but Hafiz Konkoni matched Benjamin Tweneboah’s brace on the day to level things up at 3-3.
Latif Anabila’s second half strike kept Ashanti Gold SC at the top as they pipped Eleven Wonders in their game at the Obuasi Len Clay stadium.
Hearts of Oak and Liberty Professionals failed to breach each other in their game at the Cape Coast stadium. Chances were far and few with very little to choose between the two sides. Spoils were shared in a barren encounter.
Karela FC piled more misery on Asante Kotoko as they inflicted on them a second defeat in the space of three days. Karela led through Imoro Ibrahim but were pegged back by Sogne Yacouba’s equalizer. Abdul Ganiyu converted from the spot just before the break before former Kotoko youth prodigy Maxwell Baako curled in a third to condemn Kotoko to a second straight defeat on the bounce.
Another fascinating and frantic encounter was the one between Dreams FC and Inter Allies at the Dawu park. Twice Dreams FC fell behind but they responded three times to leave Inter Allies empty handed. Eric Gawu’s first goal of the season canceled out Adje Adebayor’s for Inter Allies. Adebayor restored the lead for Inter Allies but captain Leonard Tawiah equalled Adebayor’s tally on the day with the equalizer and a last gasp winner to break Inter Allies hearts.
The game between Wa All Stars and Aduana Stars was halted due to power challenges and have been postponed to a later date.
On Thursday Ebusua Dwarfs and Medeama SC played out a 1 all draw game at the Cape Coast stadium. Kwame Boateng put Medeama ahead via the spot kick in the first half but Abu Alebke restored parity for Ebusua Dwarfs early in the second half.
A MIDWEEK GOAL FEAST AS QUARTET HIT THE DOUBLE….
Goals, the end result of hard work, persistent scheming and intricate trickery on the a soccer pitch is the ultimate determinant of a victor or vanquished at the close of 90 minutes. The lack of it renders the game boring and leave spectators frustrated. The art of goal scoring has very much been associated with either congenital knack and/or constant practice.
Many a time, the Ghana premier league has lacked this focal point of all excitement in the game. Times without number spectators have cried a river and ranted uncontrollably at the rate clear cut goal scoring opportunities go begging in our league. For larger periods of our league seasons goals are far and few and the conundrum thus extend to our various national teams.
It is against this backdrop that the trumpet has to be sounded with the applause at its all time loudest when players put in a shift in this aspect of the game. If you could cry us a river when the goals are not going in then you owe this league the duty to sing high praises of excelsior standards when the goals come in avalanche proportions.
Much as a tally of 21 goals on a match week is not out of this world, we will be counting it as one the highest goal scoring weeks if not the highest. That aside, the thrilling circumstances in which the goals went in coupled with certain individual brilliances makes it even worth mentioning. Leonard Owusu (Dreams FC) and Hafiz Konkoni Wontah (Bechem United) both hit a brace which moved their teams from a losing position. In the former’s case it gave his team maximum points from 2-1 down. The latter’s scenario is even more interesting even though it secured his team only a point. Hafiz Konkoni’s double was the main catalyst in Bechem United’s comeback from a 3 goal deficit to secure a draw.
Interestingly the other two players who also scored twice played in the above mentioned games as well. Victorien Adje Adebayor (Inter Allies) was just unlucky to be on the losing side as he put his side ahead twice in their game against Dreams FC. Benjamin Tweneboah (Elmina Sharks) was mercurial scoring twice in his side 3-3 thriller with Bechem United. What a story it would have been for this young man had they seen the game out especially scoring twice away at such an difficult ground.
8 goals between 4 players, more than a third of the total tally on match week 11 is a feat worth projecting. Imagine such an output week in week out, our league would have been a standout in Africa, a realistic dream we all hope to realize one day.
On a rainy midweek where it rained goals, the quartet of Hafiz Konkoni, Benjamin Tweneboah, Victorien Adebayor and Leonard Owusu kept their fire on.
By: Kwame Owusu Ansah
Follow the writer on Twitter: @Totti_er_pupone