It was an action packed midweek as the Ghana premier league entered its third week. It could as well be labeled a match day of stalemates as four out of the seven fixtures ended in a draw.
Aduana Stars hit Bolga All Stars for four as they hit a perfect stride with three wins out of three in the Ghana premier league.
Berekum Chelsea accounted for Liberty Professionals with cheeky ease with a comfortable 2-0 victory at the Berekum Golden city park.
It took Asante Kotoko a last gasp spot kick to break Bechem United’s resolve at the Baba Yara Sports stadium. It was an end to end stuff until Bechem United hearts were broken late in the game when a draw seemed a forgone outcome.
Elmina Sharks stunned Great Olympics with a late equalizer in an entertaining 2 all draw game at the Ohene Djan sports Stadium. Olympics looked to have all points in the bag at 2 nil but a sudden lapse in concentration late on undid their efforts in the first half.
Hearts of Oak roared early but were pegged back by an early second half Nicholas Gyan equalizer for Ebusua Dwarfs to end the game at 1 all in Cape Coast.
Inter Allies returned from Tarkwa with a valuable point against Medeama SC. With their coach missing the trip it looked mission impossible but Isaac Osae pulled parity after a Bernard Ofori opener for Medeama to split the points.
Tema Youth held Ashanti Gold FC to a 1-1 draw at the Tema stadium. Tema Youth took the lead against the odds but Ashgold was just inevitable.
CONSISTENCY- THE INDISPENSABLE PIECE IN THE JIGSAW..
In the advent of the dire search for greener pastures, it has become extremely cumbersome for local football clubs to keep hold of their priced assets. The exodus of players to any foreign land where the bun is a little more creamy has become the bandwagon of the day to the detriment of our local game.
Lack of consistency has been the biggest price to pay in the wake of this serial phenomenon.
With all the troubles of the exodus bandwagon, one club which has been able to keep its core and fulcrum is Dormaa based Aduana Stars. In the process of achieving such an enviable feat, they have as well branded themselves as haven to attract marquee local signings. Not even the Hearts of Oaks, Kotokos and Ashgolds have succeeded in muscling players out of their grip since their emergence on the local scene.
Aduana Stars is the only premier division club that can boast of more than five players with five or more consistent seasons with them. The average time spent by an Aduana player at the club revolves around 3.74 years and that’s remarkable by every shred of standards. The likes of captain Godfred Saka, Daniel Darkwah, Stephen Adams, Emmanuel Akuoko who were part of their historic title winning squad some eight seasons ago are still active and evergreen. Not only have they been able to hold on to their own but have also attracted local hot shots in Yahaya Mohammmed, Zakaria Mumuni, Noah Martey, Tanko Mohammed, Nathaniel Asamoah, to mention but a few at one point or the other. They don’t relent on losing the few who depart but work tirelessly to replace them.
It comes as a little surprise that they always come in and around championship places season in season out on the pile. But for one gloomy season in which they nearly suffered the drop, they have never fallen outside a top seven finish.
Their lightning start to this season amassing maximum points in three outings is no fluke but as a result of their holistic and committed effort in keeping a good unit together for as long as their fist tire.
CONSISTENCY, the constant factor in the Aduana model is surely the indispensable piece in the jigsaw of success in modern day Ghana premier league and Africa at large.
By: Kwame Owusu Ansah
Twitter: @Totti_er_pupone