Aduana Stars travel to the western part of Ghana to battle it out with the mauve and yellow team at Akoon Park on Saturday, 9 January 2020 at 3 pm GMT in match week eight.
The never give up lads have not been impressive as touted at the beginning of the season. Their results out of the seven matches played can only be boasted with seven points with just one win coming out of those matches.
If you have watched Samuel Boadu’s men play, you could see a clear –cut plan aiming to score but the chances created are usually wasted leaving them 13th on the league log. After selling Prince Opoku Agyemang and Nana Kofi Babil who combined to give the mauve and yellow boys about 15 goals that were about 83% of the Medeama goal scored in the truncated, Medeama has found it difficult to hit the back of the net.
Even though they have ameliorated their squad with the likes of Abdul Basit formerly of New Edubiase, Kwadwo Asamoah, formerly of Eleven Wonders, they are all yet to find their feet. The Tarkwa based side has scored eight goals so far in the seven games, averagely 1.1 goals per game but has conceded nine goals (five goals came from their last match against Wafa) which is also a concern for Coach Samuel Boadu.
Some careless performances bereft of inspiration in front of goal has lead to the signing of former Kotoko and Bechem United striker Ahmed Toure, who recently played for a Guinean club AS Kaloum. If his performances with Kotoko and Bechem United some years ago is anything to go by then Medeama has gotten themselves a prolific striker.
Many my question his age, yes, he is 33 years but we have the likes of Yahaya Mohammed, Gladson Awako, Jordan Opoku and Asamoah Gyan who has shown some glimpses of what he is made of. All these guys are doing well in the GPL currently, then why not the Burkinabe who has the experience in the league already.
Already, Samuel Boadu has expressed his happiness of having the Burkinabe and is hopeful that he will hit the ground running. Again, it behooves on Samuel Boadu to psyche Justice Blay who is one of their key players to have his ‘A’ game back after the deal to Asante Kotoko failed.
Justice Blay was arguably the best player in the truncated league but has become a pale shadow of him after his dream move did not materialize, Coach Samuel Boadu must look at that as well. With the Kwasi Donsu, Agyenim Boateng, Kwadwo Asamoah, Rashid Nortey, Eric Kwakwa now picking up, Samuel Boadu will be playing Ali Ouattara and Daniel Egyin at the heart of defense, right and left-back will be Samuel Appiah and Patrick Yeboah respectively, captain Eric Ofori Antwi who has three clean sheets to his name will be entrusted again to mount the post.
On the flip side, Aduana Stars did not also start well after getting two points out of a maximum nine after three games. They started their season with Hearts of Oak after beating them two goals to nil at Dormaa. They continued to Golden City Park after coming from behind to draw with Berekum Chelsea in the Bono derby.
Their last game was against an obstinate Great Olympics who took the lead in the second half through Samuel Ashie Quaye in the 54 minutes but the Adade boys could not stand the test of time as Aduana Stars came from behind to equalize after 3 minutes of conceding through Flavien Kongoza.
Aduana Stars kept on mounting pressure till they got a penalty, which was converted by their talisman Yahaya Mohammed in the 78 minutes and that was enough for them to gain the maximum points.
In all these, they are having contractual problems with key players like Caleb Amankwah, Paul Aidoo, Noah Martey and Farouk Adams which is a worry going into this game. Coach Samuel Paa Kwesi Fabin is not a happy man due to this and is on record to have said that the players he recommended to management were not signed for him as well. Going into a game of such magnitude, Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin will fancy a 4-2-3-1 system. That is, goal keeper Joseph Addo will be their safest pair of hands, with a back four will comprise Isaac Kwain (right back) and Joshua Tijani (left back).
The centre backs will be Hafiz Adams and Emmanuel Akuoku completing the back four. Sam Adams and Prince Acquah will play as the two pivots in front of the four back since there would not be their stalwart centre backs (Caleb and Farouk) available.
The three midfielders will be Samuel Bioh. Flavien Kongoza and the Bright Adjei but will be playing as an auxiliary striker as well. Who else than Yahaya Mohammed who has scored 50% of the goals scored by Aduana Stars will be leading the line. Aduana Stars can boast of a better defense compared to the never give up boys. That is, Aduana Stars have conceded five goals while Medeama have conceded nine goals. Medeama also have an upper hand in terms of goal scoring having scored eight as against seven of Aduana Stars. Another advantage for Aduana Stars is that Medeama have conceded 44.4% f the goal conceded in the second half in which Aduana has also scored five goals in the same second half.
Medeama can take solace traveling records of Aduana Stars this season. In three games, they have just two points. Again, in the last eight travel by the Ogya boys, Medeama has won five, drawn two and lost one and that can propel Medeama psychologically going into the game. Now that the government has also ease restriction on fans, 25% of fans at the stadia will count and Medeama could use that as well. Medeama will be chasing their second win after losing 5-4 to WAFA at Sogakope. Aduana Stars will be looking to continue their form after that come against Olympics. It will be an entertaining game but Medeama win or draw is the likely result after the final whistle.
By Kwesi Baffoe