The Blind Pass: A matchday feature on the Ghana Premier League - Giants on a knife edge

Published on: 20 April 2018
The Blind Pass: A matchday feature on the Ghana Premier League - Giants on a knife edge
Hearts of Oak

The Ghana premier league continued in midweek and on Thursday as it races to meet the deadline before the football mundial commences in Russia. William Opoku and Hafiz Konkoni were the star men in week 8 as they single-handedly conjured their sides’ victories.

Hafiz Konkoni hit a brace at the Nana Gyeabour park in Bechem as Bechem United overcame Wa All Stars in a 2-1 encounter. Jeffrey Degorl got the goal back for Wa All Stars who have struggled so far in the 8 week old league.

An early second half capitulation saw Hearts of Oak give up a first half lead to lose 1-3 to Karela FC at the CAM park. Hearts led through Daniel Kodie in the first half but two quick fire strikes from substitute William Opoku overturned the score line within 5 minutes after the interval. William Opoku completed his hattrick midway inside the second half after stealing a yard ahead of the Hearts defence before rounding up the goalkeeper to cap an impressive cameo.

Asante Kotoko were held to a 1 all draw by Berekum Chelsea at the Baba Yara stadium. Latif Salifu put the visitors ahead in the first half but Frederick Boateng brought Kotoko back on level pegging after the break.

West Africa Football Academy failed to come to the party at the Red Bull Arena yet again as they were held by league leaders Ashanti Gold SC in a crunch 1-1 draw. Umar Bashiru converted from the spot to put WAFA infront but Richard Djordi pegged them back with an equalizer.

Inter Allies laboured before finally breaching a resolute Eleven Wonders defence to edge them by a goal to nil at the Tema park. Abdul Nasiru Hamza got the match winning goal for the home side.

The game between Elmina Sharks and Medeama SC at the Nduom stadium ended abruptly after the centre referee was hit with a missile by an irate fan.

On Thursday Dreams FC were victors at the Carl Reindorf beating Liberty Professionals by a Zuberu Sharani’s lone goal.

GIANTS ON A KNIFE EDGE..

The age old popular fictional prose which has all smaller animals in the animal kingdom taking turns to trample upon the mighty elephant when it is down is slowly but gradually becoming the tale of the Ghana premier league in recent years.

The two most glamorous clubs in the country, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko have become so banal so that their originality seem to have far eluded them. Two clubs who have dominated the local game so much and made winning their preserve are slowly losing grip on their coveted veneration. With 43 league titles between them and several other domestic and continental accolades, their free fall from grace to grass in recent seasons could bring emotions out of the most stolid of people. Whereas Asante Kotoko seem to be in a trance, having drawn blank on a league title in 4 seasons, Hearts of Oak’s near decade of no silverware seem to have plunge them into total befuddlement and perplexity.

With the benefit of their stature, appeal, potential and possible allure if things are properly managed at these two entities, it has become extremely difficult for most if not all to fathom their state hook, line and sinker. For what they stand for and have achieved in their existence, results have been so horrendous to say the least. They have virtually changed everything about their clubs but their names, however it gets worst by the day.

With 8 matches and a possible 24 points, Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak have 11 and 10 points respectively. They have failed to amass even half of the total points haul and languish somewhere appalling, uncharacteristic and unimaginable on the league log. It would have been titillating for our league if the other teams were rather catching up with our big two in their glory and glamour. Unfortunately both teams have assumed a smooth decline whereas other small and less fancied teams are rubbing every bit of it right in their faces.

Blips are quite normal in the game of football but self induced blips of this magnitude as it is pertaining in these two clubs are very much avoidable. Certain times just when the right note is about to be hit, a thunderstorm from no where evolves to set them aback.

Who is to blame for this chronic conundrum?

Everybody, every single body who points accusing fingers in these clubs and blame everybody but themselves for what’s happening. Separation of powers, checks and balances and strict adherence to roles have been taken to the cleaners by stakeholders of these clubs. Players, managers, technical men and supporters have just failed to execute their core duties as expected. It has rather degenerated into who plays the blame game best. Whoever is shrewd in shifting the blame is the ultimate winner whilst the very entity whose interest has to be protected sink in deep waters.

Lugubrious, sad, doleful, woebegone, gloomy and even melancholic how the giants of our local game continually live on a knife edge..

By: Kwame Owusu Ansah

Twitter: Totti_er_pupone

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