Wise, Iron Fighters on war path in race for premier soccer
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 December 2001 - Two foreign-based players, Charles Amoah and Peter Ofori-Quaye, were expected to join their local colleagues at Winneba on Monday when the Black Stars resumed camping to step up preparations for the Mali 2002 Nations Cup tournament.
The two stars who are currently in the country on holidays obliged to join the team following talks with the Stars head coach, Mr Fred Osam-Doudu in a build-up towards the biennial African championship.
Even though another Stars striker, Baffour Gyan, is also in town, he was yet to be contacted by the coach.
Last week a locally-dominated Black Stars team with only three professionals returned an impressive 1-1 draw away against the Desert Warriors of Algeria in an international friendly last week. The Stars next assignment will be against either Togo, Tunisia or Benin away on December 15.
GRi…/
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The delayed Zone Two Division One (DO) sub-middle league promises to be more thrilling this Wednesday when it reaches the penultimate stage with some crucial encounters. The winner and runner-up qualify to play in the DO middle league proper of six teams, two of which would pass on to the elite premier division.
The more interesting duel of Wednesday’s pairings will be witnessed at the Dawu Park where Iron Fighters and ‘Western Showboys’ Sekondi Eleven Wise clash in an uncompromising battle. Indeed, the two teams appear equally matched as they interestingly have some common characteristics as well.
On their way to the sub-middle league, the two teams tied on top of the table on 23-points, in addition to the fact that they both hail from the Western Region. And apart from the same marginal victories chalked in their opening games last Saturday, Fighters and Wise can be described as local rivals as they are both based at Takoradi currently.
After a tough game, the technically superior side should carry the day even though a deadlock cannot be ruled out. At the Accra Stadium, Mine Stars are tipped to pick their first three valuable points when they clash with Amansie United in an interesting encounter.
In the opening matches last Saturday, Mpohor Iron Fighters and Sekondi Eleven Wise showed their class with some free scoring sprees. The respective 3-1 victories chalked by Fighters and Wise re-emphasised the fact that the Western and Central Region zone two A winners, Mine Stars, after taking a 3-0 lead by the hour mark.
It was lateral defender Albert Armah who shot them ahead after 26 minutes with a powerful grounder before Eric Asante, the younger brother of Great Olympics star, Michael Asante, made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute.
Having everything going for them, offensive midfielder Francis Pobee struck the third goal on the hour mark before Patrick Mensah pulled a face-saving goal for the Miners from Prestea.
At Dawu, Coach Isaac Paha kept his qualification hopes alive when he inspired his tactically superior ‘Akarakachi’ boys, Wise, to a 3-1 triumph over Amansie United.
GRi…/
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