League Action reports for week 15
Olympics and Faisal share points
Goalscorers chart after Week 15 matches
Other Sports news
Nine soccer fans die in accident
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 24 June 2002 - A controversial penalty awarded by FIFA referee Emmanuel Bissi of Sunyani during injury time, enabled Kumasi Asante Kotoko to draw 1-1 with champion club, Accra Hearts of Oak in their titanic premier league in Kumasi.
Skipper Godwin Ablordey scored the equaliser from the resultant kick. The skipper moved into the Hearts penalty box when all hope of both players and Kotoko fans was lost and got the ball to substitute Joe Louis who found himself on the turf when he attempted to move.
Referee Bissi whistled for a penalty but Hearts players protested vehemently claiming the player took a dive since there was no contact from a player. It took security personnel sometime to cool down tempers and skipper Ablordey planted the ball on the left side of goalkeeper Sammy Adjei.
Hearts rocked the stadium in the 70th minute with a spectacular goal by Bernard Don Bortey. The speedster who played a manly game took a pass from Kwame Antwi and outpaced Kwaku Duah before beating onrushing goalkeeper Osei Boateng with an intelligent lob.
The league leaders kept Kotoko fans sitting on tenterhooks for a greater part of the game with their crisp inter-positional passes amidst cheers by their teeming supporters. Indeed, the Hearts defence held Kotoko's speedster Micheal Osei in check giving him no room to move in the early stages of the game as the game progressed it became obvious that he could not tick and was eventually substituted.
Kotoko who were playing at home were anxious to win brought on Frank Osei for Joe Sam after the break. The change bolstered Kotoko's attack and in the 48th and 49th minutes, Nana Arhin Duah and Stephen Oduro missed good chances as Frank Osei also shot wide in the 58th minute.
Hearts, however, turned the tide in their favour when in a swift counter-attack, Kwame Antwi laid on the pass to Don Bortey to open the score. Just as everything looked like a win for Hearts, referee Bissi awarded Kotoko the controversial a penalty from which skipper Ablordey equalised.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 24 June 2002 - Soccer Mountaineers, Okwawu managed a face-saving 2-0 victory over visiting Sekondi Hasaacas in their last match of the first round of the Premier League played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday.
Okwawu, who have lost their last two matches on the trot- including a 3-1 home thrashing by Dawu Youngsters dominated play from kick off and deservedly took the lead before half time. But that goal only came after stalwart defender George Tutu had thrown away a 38th-minute penalty to the chagrin of their scanty fans.
However, three minutes after that wastage, former player of Liberty Professionals, Daniel Babayara nodded home beautifully to give the homesters the opener.
Barely a minute after the resumption of the second half, Paul Amponsah fired past goalkeeper Seth Tabiriin in post for Hasaacas for the second goal. Unfortunately, the performance of the two sides slumped considerably after the goals and on the few occasions that Okwawu came close to increasing the tally, their efforts were thwarted by goalkeeper Tabiri. Okwawu should have added more goals but goalie Tabiri stood between them and the goal harvest with some excellent saves.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 24 June 2002 - Wonder club, Accra Great Olympics on Sunday put up a spirited performance to snatch a 90th minute equaliser against King Faisal in their league match at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Faisal got the opener in the 16th minute through Kwabena Boateng when he sent a brilliant left footer from the rebound of a cornerkick after Olympics goalie Theodore Atsu failed to grab the ball in his first attempt.
Although Olympics made some serious attempts at goal, Faisal’s defence, comprising Frank Amankwaah, Dada Kwadwo, Sam Thompson and Yahaya Iddrisu, combined beautifully to prevent any goals.
However, the expulsion of Faisal’s Dada Kwadwo in the 50th minute for a retaliatory charge on Winfred Dormon and the introduction of diminutive midfielder, Joe Tagoe, apparently lifted the game of the Wonder Boys, Oly, who wasted no time to take advantage of the numerical disadvantage. Tagoe, arguably the lifeline of Olympics, inspired his side to make threatening moves, forcing goalkeeper Sam Okyere to make superb saves to keep Faisal’s thin lead.
Olympics final moment, however, came in the 90th minute when substitute Adjetey Gershon beautifully slotted home Dormon’s cross from the right flank to bring back life into the dejected Olympics fans at the stadium.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 24 June 2002 - Scorers after the first round matches were honoured at the weekend indicate Hearts of Oak’s Charles Taylor leading the pack on 12 goals with his closest challenger as Bernard Don Bortey also from the Hearts stable with seven goals. Great Olympics Amui Quaye and Kotoko’s Godwin Ablordey share the third spot on six goals. Full detail is given below.
12 - Charles Taylor (Hearts)
7 - Don Bortey (Hearts)
6 - Amui Quaye (Olympics) Godwin Ablordey (Kotoko)
5 - Ernest Papa Arko (liberty) Frank Awuah (Goldfields) Frank Osei, Nana Arhin Duah (Kotoko) Osei Bonsu (Okwawu) Kwabina Boateng (Faisal) Masawudu Mumuni (Maxbees)
4 - Abubakar Yahuza (Faisal) Michael Osei, Nana Frimpong, Stephen Oduro (Kotoko) Joseph Adjei (RTU) Paul Ofori (Dawu)
3 - Eric Adu Poku (Arsenals) Raja Nurudeen (Power) Kenneth Sarpong (Hearts) Bawa Mohammed (BA United) Eric Mbroah, Issah Ahmed (Dawu) Gariba Haruna (Hasaacas) Andy Pomayie (Olympics) Ben Wilson (Faisal) William Tiero, John
Painstil (Liberty)
2 - Wisdom Abbey, Awudu Adama, Charles Allotey, Frank Turkson (Hearts) Abdul Samad, Prince Yeboah, Kwasi Mensah (Mines Stars) Joe Okyere (Kotoko) Kwabina Opoku, Joe Agyman (Faisal) Alfred Nii Larbi, Ablade Morgan (liberty) Kwaku Duah, Charles Benson, Kojo Poku, Ben Kusi (Bofoakwa) Ofosu Amoah (Goldfields) Justice Appiah, Dennis Odum (Power) Daniel Babayara, Isaac Asante (Okwawu) Lawrence Kenyah, Addai Owusu (B A United) Charles Asamoah, Richard Afriyie (Hasaacas) Frank Awuah, George Eranio (Arsenals) Paa Joe Kuma (Olympics)
1 - Laryea Kingston, Awuley Quaye, Adjah Tetteh, Hassan Mohammed (Hearts) Joe Louis, Joe Sam, Hamza Mohammed, Shila Alhassan (Kotoko) Kenneth Ababio, Issah Rahman, Dauda Siedu, John Quansah, Asare Boateng, Aminu Musa, Solomon Laryea, Alfred Arthur (Goldfields) James Amartey, Gershon Adjetey, John Cudjoe, Joe Tagoe, David Sharpe, Sumaila Iddrisu (Olympics) Andrew Antwi, Osman Sakora, Angelon Dedon, Bawa Mohammed, Charles Ampiah (BA United) Eddy Acquaye, George Tutu, Paul Amposah (Okwawu) Issah Shaibu, Asamoah Dzifa (Maxbees) Felix Gbadegbe, Samuel Owusu, Awal Mohammed, Sefa Boateng (Power) Mutalib Abdul, Mohammed Inusah, Atta Yawson, John Ainoo, Maxwell Kensah, Ebo Mensah, Salu Muntari (Hasaacas) Philip Amoaku, Albert Ayikade, Mohammed Baker, Alhassan Weah, Alhassan Habib, Mawe Mohammed, Bobby Rahman, Kwame Acheapong (RTU) George Biara, Kennedy Ayew, Issaka Tanko, Kelvin Asamoah (Mines Stars) Tahiru Abulai, Kofi Asiedu, Kwasi Owusu Jnr, Anthony Mintah, Kwaku Adu (Bofoakwa) Kamara Dauda, Paul Otu, Samuel Bakai, Baba Sule, Chronicle Kwame Amadu, Osei Kofi (Dawu) Kwame Adjei, Seth Antwi (Arsenals) Joe Agyman Jnr, Ishak Debrah (Faisal) Jonathan Qaurtey (Liberty)
GRi…/
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Ejisu (Ashanti) 24 June 2002 - Nine soccer fans, including the driver of a Mercedes Benz 207 bus, died on the spot when the bus on which they were travelling from Accra to Kumasi collided head-on with a timber truck at Ejisu, near Kumasi.
The Benz bus was carrying football fans, most of them clad in the colours of Accra Hearts of Oak and believed to be on the way to watch Sunday’s match between Hearts and Kotoko. The bodies of the deceased, who are yet to be identified, have been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) mortuary for autopsy.
According to Kofi Boateng, driver of the articulated truck, when he got to a spot at Ampabame, the driver of the Benz bus, in an attempt to overtake two vehicles on the run, lost control and collided head-on with the timber truck. He said he swerved on to the lane of his truck resulting in the collision. Two other occupants of the timber truck confirmed the story. Eye-witnesses said the victims smelled of alcohol when they were retrieved.
Mr Yaw Afrifa, District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Ejisu-Juaben District said a total amount of ˘1.036 million was found on the victims. He said a voter ID card bearing the name of one Adotey was also found on one of the victims. Mr Afrifa said a Ghana Telecom receipt bearing the name Louis Okudzeto, which indicated that it was issued at the Ho office of the company in respect of an amount of ˘366,000 was found on another victim.
He said when he got to the scene, he and his team found the bodies of nine male adults, but eye-witnesses said some survivors had been sent to a Hospital in Kumasi.
GRi…/
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