No room for a breather as the Ghana premier league entered its 5th week. The league continues to be very uncompromising with some results sending shockwaves along the length and breadth of the football fraternity.
Ebusua Dwarfs and Bechem United kicked off on Saturday in the first game of match week 5. Dwarfs led through Solomon Okudzeto but were pegged back by a Daniel Egyin penalty to leave it all squared.
The final game of the day between Wa All Stars and Elmina Sharks ended in similar fashion as spoils were shared after regulation time. All Stars opened the scores through David Abagna but Samuel Arthur scored to draw Elmina Sharks on level pegging.
Berekum Chelsea thrashed toothless Hearts of Oak by 3 goals to nil at the Golden city park on Sunday. Hearts were a pale shadow of themselves all game but managed to keep Chelsea at bay in the first half. However the floodgates opened in the second half as Stephen Amankonah, Brimah Mohammed and Collins Ameyaw registered their names on the scoresheet.
Dreams FC failed to take full advantage at home as they were held to a goalless draw by Karela FC.
Inter Allies returned to winning ways after their 6-0 drubbing at Dormaa. Victorien Adebayor’s goal was enough to sink West Africa Football Academy and hand Inter Allies all three points.
Ashanti Gold SC continued their impressive start to the season with yet another victory, this time over Asante Kotoko. Two quick fire goals in a spate of two minutes by Samed Ibrahim and Shafiu Mumuni sealed Asante Kotoko’s fate on the day.
The last fixture of the weekend saw Liberty Professionals record their first win of the season. Goals from Brite Andoh and Benjamin Arthur condemned Eleven Wonders to their first home defeat of the season.
EARLY DAYS YET OR AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED ORDER OF A HOUSE OF EQUALS?…
The Ghana premier league season is only 5 games old yet a very conspicuous pattern is ensuing. It looks like it will be the narrative of the season barring any change in the shape of events. Ashgold SC leads the pack with 13 points whilst Liberty Professionals languish at the bottom with 4 points after 5 games. 9 points separate the top from rock bottom. Elsewhere this will likely represent a whooping gap considering the time of the season and the huge difference in the strengths of teams.
The uncompromising nature of results so far in the Ghana premier league makes its case a peculiar and interesting one. The competing teams appear not to be so far apart in terms of strength, quality and depth. It obviously takes the day and a few things to favour a team just to match onto victory. Nothing like a favourite or underdog status if one wants to go strictly by performance and not either a team’s glory in times past or its magnanimous nature in terms of following.
Results so far has shown how any team could fall or rise above another on any other and on any ground.
The introduction of the doubleheader games by broadcasters, Startimes which pitch home teams away from their favourite home grounds at certain points has also changed the face of fairs. Teams now have extra impetus knowing very well they wouldn’t have to play certain teams at their extremely dreaded and hostile grounds. This and many more factors have rendered the league very closely contested with only marginal gains across board. Bar Ashgold SC who have traveled thus far without blemish, every other team have at one point or the other been humbled by a relatively unexpected outfit. Mentions can be made of WAFA exposing Aduana Stars, Aduana Stars thumping Inter Allies, Karela thrashing Dwarfs, WAFA annihilating Liberty, Berekum Chelsea whitewashing Hearts and many more which happened just when it was least expected.
With this interesting trend on the horizon, one can all but sniff an established order which pegs most if not all of the competing teams as equals.
Source: Kwame Owusu Ansah
Twitter: @Totti_er_pupone