For the many who only pay attention to Ghana football when there is bedlam and the FA and Ministry are having a go at each other or fully believe the FA is one of the most corrupt institutions on the land, Wa All Stars was not their choice to win the league title.
Wa All Stars we all know is owned by the president of the Ghana FA. If we were to have a poll on individuals in the country people perceived were corrupt, I have no doubt Mr. Kwesi Nyntakyi would be in the top 10 of that unenviable list.
Put that aside and Wa All Stars are champions of the Ghana Premier League, the twelfth team to have joined that elite group of clubs. They bagged the title at home with a 2-1 win over their closest rivals Aduana Stars. The Ghana league is decided on head to head if the clubs finish level on points but with a game to still play, Wa All Stars reached the pinnacle.
Many will watch the video of the soft penalty Saddick Alhassan converted for the win and think they may not deserve it, but they would all be wrong. Many who follow Ghanaian football closely felt no pity for Aduana, we have seen softer penalties awarded them on their home grounds. The softest of all was the one they used to get a win over Berekum Chelsea. If ever a referee robbed a team, it was that day.
All Stars won this title by being the best team, they went unbeaten in the first seven games of the season. All Stars played good football, with Ishaku Konda, Hafiz Adams and Abdul Ganiyu they have the best defence till date having conceded only 22 goals. They were throughout the season a tough team to beat and their home form was admirable. Wa All Stars dropped six points at home with draws with WAFA, Ashgold and Hearts of Oak.
They picked up difficult away wins at Dormaa against Aduana and in Accra against Hearts of Oak. They may not be your pick but they picked themselves, not the most prolific, top scorer Richard Arthur has 8 goals, then Max Baako has 6 goals, the top two goal getters of their 31 goal haul with a game to play.
Aduana Stars had a good season, they started poorly and had 4 points from a possible 15, changed coaches and got things running. They have a powerful team, one that may win it next year. Yahaya Mohammed led the way with 15 goals followed by the emerging star Bright Agyei who has 11 goals. Together they account for 26 of the 42 goals Aduana have scored. They both deserved something but fell short, they needed to do more in Wa but it was not to be. Aduana at times looked like they would maul any tea but on away trips sometimes failed to win games that were in the balance. In my opinion they settled in the draw against Hearts and shoud have gone for it.
Many will point to the penalty and say that was the moment All Stars won it and feel it is not fair. However you have to go further back, in fact to the second matchday when All Stars visited Aduana at home. All Stars surprisingly won that game 1-0 thanks to a Kofi Yeboah goal. He may not be hailed like the Arthurs, Ocrans, Baakos and Oforis but that goal that Sunday afternoon in Dormaa in the grand scheme is what truly won this title.
Kofi Yeboah has scored thrice for All Stars this season but that one six months ago was the most important. A major reason why Wa All Stars are champions of Ghana and deservedly.
By: Myles Kusi, Rock Radio Ghana