Ghana Premier League Week 1 Preview: Hearts of Oak host WAFA; champions Kotoko visit Aduana
After exactly 228 days since the last league match was played in Ghana, the belated First Capital Plus Premier League is back .
Kept in buffer period due to the court injunctions placed on it by a court, Saturday’s league opener can only a sigh of relief for club owners and the playing staff.
Spiced with the return to topflight of great Olympics, B A united and Gomoa Fetteh Feyenoord, now known as WAFA, the local fans can expect the usual derby drama, heartbreaks and scintillating performances by some household names.
Is Asante Kotoko on course to equal Accra Hearts of oak’s sextuplets of titles consecutively? From relegation galore to top four credentials, the soccer net team welcomes the league opener in brief.
Defending champions, Asante Kotoko visit the Dormaa Park for the sixth time in their history to start the defense of their league crown.
Having never scored a goal in the Dormaa Park since the qualification of the 2009 champions to the topflight, Coach Mas-Ud Dramani and his team will need some mental interventions to see them through.
With 10 matches between the sides, Asante Kotoko’s three victories have all been achieved in Kumasi whiles their 3 defeats in the Dormaa Park resulted in the conception of 7 goals in total against Aduana. Will Kotoko get their first goal in Dormaa or even get their first 3 points in Dormaa?
Their 4 wins in 24 league matches against oppositions from Brong Ahafo Region need to be bettered as well.
The visit of WAFA to the Kpando Park for the league meeting between the oldest club in the league has been spiced by the fact that, hearts of oak are playing home away from home.
Having met on 6 previous occasions in league football, Hearts of Oak’s 5 wins and 1 draw doesn’t sound well to the returnees. Buoyed by their 25 friendly wins in 32 matches, the Phobians might just be too slippery for the football mathematicians from Gomoa.
The goal scoring heroics of Foovi Aguidi has been boosted by the defensive solidity of Philip boampong , whiles the experienced Soulama will return after the AFCON tournament.
Herbert Addo’s men may just gate crush the newly branded West African Football Academy. A total massacre cannot be ruled out in this encounter.
Heart of Lions might have joined the topflight in 2003, but their league form has since made them a feared side to play especially in Kpando. New Edubiase have never won in any their previous 5 meetings in Kpando. Having won 4 of the 5 home ties with Sunday’s league opener, they could not wish for a better opponent.
The home side will be looking for their 112 win in their 285th league match whiles their 301 goals is not a bad tally either.
The visit of Secondi Hasmal Hasaacas to the liberty park might not resonate as a high profile match, but the thrills and drills that await fans cannot be overruled.
Liberty has won 4 of the last 5 home ties with the secondi based premier side, though their last defeat is now well over 9 years. The records are even bettered when you factor in the overall head-to-head, as their 6 wins in 10 matches is in no way a small achievement. Can Hasaacas get their first win in their 6th attempt at the liberty park? 90 minutes will separate the two clubs with different ambitions
Other interesting fixtures include B A United vrs Bechem, AshGold vrs Olympics and Inter Allies vrs Medeama SC.
By : Saani Abacha
Saaniabacha77@yahoo.com