Three to retain SWAG positions
Ladies Golf Championship tees off on Saturday
Faisal to delay Hearts
walk down memory lane
By Cecil Adom (GNA Sport Desk)
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 November 2001 - As the curtains gradually draw this year's Star Premier League to a close, champion club Accra Hearts of Oaks appears to be in the driving seat heading towards an unprecedented fifth title with a comfortable eight points lead over their nearest rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko with five matches left.
To die-hard Kotoko fans, it is not over until the final match. They would be praying for a big favour from their neighbours, King Faisal, to give the Phobians on Sunday the same bitter medicine they (Faisal) forced down their throat at the same Kumasi Sports Stadium last weekend.
Alhaji Karim Grunsah's boys pride themselves in tormenting the big clubs in their territory. Goldfields and Kotoko are their victims who they dished by lone goals in succession and would be targeting Hearts to make the cycle complete. What makes the threat of Faisal more dangerous is the fact that they are in a fight to avoid relegation.
Hearts whose away performance this season has been on the average with five victories and three defeats would come up against a team, which has played four matches undefeated even without a substantive coach. Hearts will be without their goal poacher Ishmael Addo, the two-time goal king and current leader on the scoring chart with 20 goals. The goal thief is away in Europe for a "justify your inclusion exercise." Even in his absence, the league leaders still have enough firepower in players like Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Bernard Don Bortey and others.
Asante Kotoko are also in an equally dicey situation as they encounter resurgent Great Olympics at the Accra Sports stadium, a venue that gave them no points in their two previous visits this season against Hearts and Ghapoha. Kotoko whose brilliant start to the season appears to have hit a snag, taking only seven points from a possible 18 in their last six matches face an Olympics side that has lost only a match since the start of the second phase of the league. They went down 2-0 to Goldfields over the weekend.
Coach Sarpong's boys are capable of picking all the three maximum points against injury plagued Kotoko who would miss the services of their inspirational skipper Godwin Ablordey, Joe Luis as well as Steven Oduro. But Kotoko would be buoyed by the recent decision of the Appeals Committee of the FA who declared them winners in their protest against Berekum Arsenals and would be looking forward to take advantage of any slip by Hearts. Expect a tough and uncompromising match but Oly's wonder would not elude them.
In other matches, Suhum Maxbees would take on Liberty Professionals as Koforidua
whiles Dawu face Real Tamale United at the Dawu Park. At Berekum, Arsenals are likely to vent their spleen on Goldfields. Adansiman are likely to collect all the three points when they host Ghapoha, whiles Hasaacas, smarting from two dramatic defeats in a row would make amends when they take on Okwawu at Sekondi. At their Sunyani fortress Bofoakwa are likely to maintain their unbeaten run against Kwaebibirem.
GRi…/
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Cape Coast (Central Region) 01 November 2001 - Tudu Mighty Jets played a determined game to beat Dansoman Stay Cool Professionals 2-0 in an all Accra sub- middle-league match played at the Cape Coast sports on Wednesday.
After a goalless first half, Mighty Jets resumed the second stanza with greater determination, leading to sporadic attacks on their opponent's vital area. It therefore came as a matter of course when centre forward, Mohammed Awar, opened the scoring from a goalmouth scramble in the 55th minute.
Undaunted by the score-line, Stay Cool swung into action and forced the tide in their favour, dictating the pace and creating chances, but their hopes of drawing level were shattered when Jets' substitute Emmanuel Nanor collected a mid-field pass from outside right, Joseph Okine in the 83rd minute and fired home to increase the tally to two.
In another encounter at Sekondi, Power FC drew nil-nil with AC Olympiakos.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 01 November 2001 - Mr Ebo Quansah incumbent Vice President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) and two others are poised to retain their positions after elections slated for the SWAG Club House at Dansoman on Saturday.
At the close of nominations at 1700 hours on Wednesday, Mr Quansah was the only candidate for the topmost position and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would be returned unopposed and handed the mantle of leadership for the next three years.
Similarly, Mr Emmanuel Amoako of the Graphic Corporation is in pole position to retain his position as Secretary, as he was the only person who filed his nomination papers while Miss Rosalind Amoh the current Treasurer is also set to retain her post because there are no challengers.
The Vice Presidency, however, will be a two-horse race between Mr Adu Kwabena-Essem of the Ministry of Agriculture and Mr Kwabena Yeboah of Africa Sports.
Mr Christian Abbew of New Times Corporation, the out gong Assistant Secretary would slug it out with Mr Maurice Quansah of Graphic Corporation who has concluded the nomination process for the same position.
The hottest race appears to be the two slots for Executive Members. In all, four candidates are on the roll. They are Mr Richard Avornyotse of the Ghana News Agency, (GNA) Mr Kwame Baah Nuako of Radio Gold, Mr Hayford Ampomah of Radio Ghana and Mr Ben Ohene Ayeh of the Ghana Tourist Board.
A statement signed by Mr Harry Mouzalas, the electoral officer said 'only paid up members' of SWAG are eligible to vote and be voted for.
GRi…/
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Ghanaians in Lagos donate
to Stadium Disaster Fund
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 November 2001 - Ghanaian residents in Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday donated three thousand dollars to the Stadium Disaster Fund at the Castle, Osu.
Mr Francis Ofori Kuma who led a three-man delegation to make the presentation said it was their widow's mite to assist the victims and their families. He said Ghanaians in other communities are being mobilised to contribute to the fund.
Mr Jake O. Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs who received the donation commended Ghanaians for their response to the May 9 tragedy and assured them that the money would be used for the benefit of the victims and their families.
GRi…/
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Johannesburg (South Africa) 01 November 2001 - Leading scorers in the African Champions League ahead of this weekend's semi-final, first leg matches:
8 - Flavio (Petro Atletico, Angola)
6 - Segun Abiodun (Julius Berger, Nigeria)
5 - Kapela Mbiavanga (Petro Atletico, Angola), Alaa Ibrahim (Al Ahli, Egypt)
4 - Avelino Lopes (Petro Atletico, Angola), Lazare Sanou (USFA, Burkina Faso),
Shaibu Ishola (Julius Berger, Nigeria)
3 - Ishak Ali Moussa (Chabab Belouizdad, Algeria), Khaled Bebo (Al Ahli, Egypt),
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour (Hearts of Oak, Ghana), Bakari Kone, Antonin
Koutouan (both ASEC Abidjan, Ivory Coast), James Omondi (St Michel United,
Seychelles), Raphael Chukwu, Bennett Mnguni (both Mamelodi Sundowns,
South Africa), Ally Yusuf (Young Africans, Tanzania), Mourad Melki,
Reinaldo, Ali Zitouni (all Esperance, Tunisia)
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 01 November 2001 - This year's Ghana Ladies Golf Union (GLGU) Open Championship tees off at the Achimota Golf Course in Accra on Saturday, November 3 and ends on Sunday, November 4.
Mrs Elizabeth Ezan, Vice President of the Union, who announced this in Accra on Tuesday, said the two-day 36-hole Scratch event open to lady golfers throughout the country, is being sponsored by Vanguard Assurance Company Limited. She said about 100 golfers have so far registered for the competition and the number is expected to increase to about 150.
Mrs Ezan said a handicap competition would be played alongside the main event and very attractive prizes have been put at stake for both events by the sponsors. Eight prizes would be awarded in the Scratch competition while four would go to the handicap event. There would also be prizes for the Best First Day and Best Second Day winners. A flag raising ceremony would be held on Friday, November 2. Nana Awuah Darko, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vanguard Assurance Company, will be the guest of honour.
Meanwhile, a farewell competition, in honour of Mr J.F. Sam, Manager of the Club who retires after 30 years service, would be played on November 10. Air-Commodore K.K. Pumpuni, former Hospital Administrator of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is the new Manager of the Club.
GRi…/
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