Hearts
win sixth straight title
Maxbees,
Olympics share honours
President
Kufuor presents award to Abedi
Sports
disciplines receiving equal attention - Minister
Retired
players to train as coaches
Osei-Kwaku
briefs Parliament on tartan-track construction
Hearts,
Paramount distilleries in partnership
Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - Scores of the 29th week league matches honoured
at the various centres on Wednesday.
Accra: Hearts 4 Power FC 0
Bolga: RTU 1 Kotoko 0
Koforidua: Maxbess 1 Olympics 1
Sekondi: Hasaacas 1 Dawu 0
Kumasi: King Faisal 2 Arsenals 0
Obuasi: Goldfields 1 Mine Stars 2
Sunyani: B.A United 1 Okwawu 0
GRi…/
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Obuasi (Ashanti
Region) 07 November 2002 - Prestea Mine Stars leapt clear of the relegation
zone, at least for now when they beat Obuasi Goldfields 2-1 at the Obuasi Len
Clay Stadium in their uncompromising match.
Enterprising Kelvin
Asamoah scored in each half to give the visitors a 2-0 lead by the hour mark. Asamoah
made hay first, in the 37th minute when he received a pass on top of the box
and drove the ball beyond the reach of Abukari Kankani in goal for the homers.
Though Goldfields came
into the second a more determined side but they were denied the leveller by the
agility of goalkeeper Eric Asamoah as he stood tall and pulled some great saves
including a close header from Dauda Seidu.
It was the Prestea
lads who benefited from the fierce exchanges as Asamoah dismissed a couple of
Goldfields players before planting the ball in the net and registering a brace.
With the homers trailing by two
unreeled goals on a soggy pitch, they were further hindered by the expulsion of
their skipper Yaw Owusu for violently charging Asamoah with 10 minutes
remaining.
The woes of Goldfields
further deepened when they had to play with nine men as their arrow head
Noutsoudje Kossi was carried off after he had collided with the Mine Stars'
goalkeeper. This was after they had exhausted their substitution.
They however salvaged
a portion of their pride when Kenneth Ababio scored at the stroke of full time
to reduce the tally to 2-1 in favour of Mine Stars.
GRi…/
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Hearts
win sixth straight title
Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - Defending league champions Accra Hearts of Oak retained the
league title for a historic sixth time when they hammered Koforidua based Power
FC 4-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium in their match.
The emergence of
Hearts as the league champions follows the defeat of hot chasers Kumasi Asante
Kotoko by Real Tamale United at the Bolga Stadium. Hearts have thereby
stretched the four point lead to seven making the outcome last league matches
irrelevant.
Coming back from a
difficult two all draw with city rivals Accra Great Olympics the Phobian boys
started the game on very determined note as any slip could still postpone their
long awaited party for the league title.
Hearts started making
dangerous incursions into the territory of their opponents but failed to make
use of any of them. The league champions continued to dominate play till the 12
minute when Bernard Don Bortey's free-kick close to the edge of the box zoomed
straight into the net with goalkeeper Eric Ampofo having no answer to it to put
Hearts ahead. The goal also put him on level terms with Taylor on the goal king
chart.
Hearts continued to
mount pressure on the electricity boys but the attacking line up made up of
Wisdom Abbey, Charles Taylor and Don Bortey failed to find the net on many
occasion.
Leading scorer Taylor
was the worst victim of near misses when in the 44th minute he beat
the defence men of Power including the goalkeeper and had a yawning net before
him but messed up the chance to the surprise of all at the stadium.
He again committed the
same offence in the 45th minute as he had only the goalkeeper to beat but
allowed him to make a save out the situation to end the first half.
Just on resumption,
Don Bortey moved swiftly past two defenders and placed ball on the path of
Abbey whose kick in the vital area beat the keeper for the second goal. The
league champions mounted more pressure on the relegation threatened team in
search of more goals but Taylor continued to make near misses including a
penalty in the 50th minute.
Power made some
efforts to reduce the tally but their efforts were not enough to give them the
needed goals as Hearts took complete control on the game. This resulted in a
goal when substitute Eddy Copson's pass to Kwame Antwi was relayed to Taylor
whose cross was connected by another substitute Awudu Adama for the third goal.
Charles Taylor
appeased the fans for his near misses when he connected Bortey's perfect pass
in the 88th minute to seal the coffin on the Power boys. The champion continue
to probe fro more goals but could secure one till referee T.R.K Attifu whistled
for the end of the match with a large number of fans of Hearts trooping into
the pitch to celebrate their sixth historic conquest of the domestic league.
Most of the players of
the club were carried shoulder high amidst wild jubilation, that travelled deep
into the night.
GRi…/
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Maxbees,
Olympics share honours
Koforidua (Eastern
Region) 07 November 2002 - Relegation threatened Suhum Maxbees held Accra Great
Olympics to a 1-1 draw in their match played at Koforidua.
Maxbees took the lead
in the 35th minute when their centre forward, Masawudu Mumuni picked
a pass behind the penalty box of Olympics and fired a long range shot which
bounced in-front of the post and volleyed over diving Theodore Atsu in the post
of Olympics into the goal.
The goal increased the
morale of the Maxbees players who pushed the Olympics players to their half and
kept the pressure on them till the end of the first half.
After the recess, the
Olympics players resumed the second half strongly but the Maxbees defence
pivoted around their strongman Emmanuel Osei playing the right half back kept
them at bay.
However Olympics came
close to pulling the equaliser in the 53rd minute when their left
out, Paa Joe Kumah gained an advantage of the ball, when there was a
misunderstanding between Samuel Nartey in the post of Maxbees and his defenders
but instead of shooting into goal, Kumah lobbed the ball which failed to enter
the net and enable Nartey to save the situation.
Olympics finally
managed to pull the equaliser in the 83rd minute when they beat an
off-side trap set by the Maxbees defenders and Kumah scored to bring the
visitors at par.
GRi…/
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Sekondi (Western
Region) 07 November 2002 - Sekondi Hasaacas defeated visiting Dawu Youngsters
1-0 in their match played at the Sekondi Gyandu Park.
The match started
about 15 minutes late because according to match officials there were not
sufficient uniform Policemen to provide security at the stadium. When Policemen
arrived, dark clouds were gathering but referee Charles Dowuona of Accra
whistled for the kick-off.
Shortly after the
match began around 3.45 pm it started drizzling but the match went on as if
nothing was happening. Hasaacas opened attack and taking advantage of home
support were in control of the game most of the time and thrilled the spectators
with good football but missed scoring chances that came their way.
Dawu organised
themselves and faced Hasaacas squarely but they could hardly get the ball
beyond the centre line. Hasaacas came on top again making it possible for
Ephraim Messey to score the lone goal of the match for his side in the 34th
minute.
Dawu redoubled their
efforts in the face of intensive pressure from Hasaacas and this was at a time
he first half ended. Both sides played aggressively in the second half, which
was largely dominated by Dawu but none could find the net.
GRi…/
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Bolgatanga (Upper East
Region) 07 November 2002 - Real Tamale United (RTU), the pride of the North,
beat Kumasi Asante Kotoko by one goal to nothing in their match played at
Bolgatanga.
The defeat has dashed
the hopes of the Kumasi club, thus conceding the league trophy to their arch
rivals Accra Hearts of Oak who thus cruised to their sixth title on the trot,
with an emphatic victory over Power to widen the gap to seven points with one
game remaining.
The only goal of the
thrilling match was scored in the 35th minute by RTU's dribbling maestro,
Joseph Adjei, with a gentle tap, after Kotoko's goalie, Osei Boateng,
unwillingly parried a power-laden shot to him. Goalkeeper Osei Boateng
apparently could not contain the shot from skipper Kumi Abdul Aziz, when the
host team got a freekick close to the visitor's goal post.
Both teams got created
chances but failed to utilise them in the first half of the match with most of
them falling to RTU. For instance,
Joseph Adjei, donning the 11 jersey, on several occasions penetrated the Kotoko
defence, but could not convert any of those chances.
After recess, both
teams made amends with little changes coming from Kotoko, thereby giving the
edge, forcing RTU to position most of their men at the back. The Kotoko
pressure yielded dividends when they found the net through Isaac Boakye but it
was disallowed by John Atikese, a Koforidua-based class one referee.
GRi…/
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Sunyani (Greater
Accra) 07 November 2002 - Gala Lords B.A. United on Wednesday beat Okwahu
United 1-0 in their Premier League match played at the Sunyani Coronation Park.
Kwasi Boateng scored the lone goal in the 26th minute.
After their
humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Berekum Arsenals at Berekum last Sunday,
B.A. United approached the match with grim determination to win to escape the
wrath of their supporters.
They made several
incursions into the vital zone of the Nkawkaw boys but good goalkeeping by
Fatau Dauda denied them an early goal until the 26th minute.
Boateng, playing at the right-wing position received a beautiful pass from the
left flank and planted the ball in the net before keeper Dauda knew what was
happening.
B.A. United from then
on took absolute control of the game but Justice Opoku and Addae Owusu wasted
glorious goal chances to end the first half. The second session saw the home
team still dictating the pace but their strikers missed all the begging chances
that came their way till the final whistle.
GRi…/
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Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 07 November 2002 - King Faisal beat Berekum Arsenal 2-0 in their match
played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.
Ishaq Debrah set King
Faisal on the winning trail with a 16th minute goal after Eric Gawu
hit the side net with a terrific shot in the 11th minute. The game
then became balanced with play concentrated mainly in mid-field, with
occasional break through from Arsenal but they could not level up.
King Faisal raised
their tally to two in the 38th minute through Ben Wilson in a goalmouth action.
This did not dampen the spirit of the Arsenal lads as they kept on fighting and
nearly pulled a goal back in the 41st minute when King Faisal's goalkeeper
Samuel Okyere failed to grab a high lob but there was no Arsenal attacker there
to finish off.
The Berekum lads kept
the pressure on King Faisal and earned a penalty on the stroke of half time
when llliasu Shiila brought down Frank Yeboah in the penalty box. However,
Francis Bossman's kick hit the side post for King Faisal to clear the ball to
safety.
On resumption, Arsenal
replaced goalkeeper Justice Quainoo, who complained of dizziness twice in the
first half with Anthony Osei and again pulled out Francis Bossman in the 63rd
minute for Francis Aggrey.
But it was King Faisal
who almost increased their tally in the 72nd minute but faced with
only the goalkeeper, Ben Wilson basted off target to leave the score 2-0 in
their favour.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - Scorers in the 2002 Premier League after the 29th
week matches played on Wednesday.
18 - Charles Taylor
(Hearts)
17 - Don Bortey
(Hearts)
12 - Godwin Ablordey
(Kotoko)
10 - Kossi Noutsoujie
(Goldfields) Wisdom Abbey (Hearts)
9 - Amui Quaye
(Olympics)
8 - Masawudu Mumuni
(Maxbees)
7 - Osei Bonsu
(Okwawu) Kwabina Boateng (Faisal) William Tiero (liberty) John Cudjoe
(Olympics) Nana Arhin Duah (Kotoko)
6 - Ernest Papa Arko
(liberty) Abubakar Yahuza (Faisal) Frank Awuah
(Goldfields) Frank
Osei, Michael Osei (Kotoko) Abdul Samad (Mines Stars)
Joseph Adjei (RTU)
5 - Issah Shaibu
(Maxbees) Andy Pomayie (Olympics) Ablade Morgan (liberty) Daniel Babayara
(Okwawu) Kwaku Adu (Bofoakwa) Ben Wilson (Faisal)
4 - Nana Frimpong,
Stephen Oduro (Kotoko) Eric Mbroah, Paul Ofori, Issah Ahmed, Mohammed Polo
(Dawu) John Painstil (Liberty) Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Osumanu Amadu (Hearts)
Asamoah Dzifa (Maxbees) Ofosu Amoah (Goldfields) Faisal Sulamana, Philip Amoaku
(RTU) George Eranio (Arsenals) Kojo Poku (Bofoakwa) Prince Yeboah (Mines Stars)
Edward Sosu (Power) Ishaak Debrah (Faisal)
3 - Eric Adu Poku,
Richard Awuah (Arsenals) Raja Nurudeen, Justice Appiah (Power) Awudu Adama,
Kenneth Sarpong, Laryea Kingston, Frank Turkson (Hearts) Daniel Bonfah, Bawa
Mohammed (BA United) Ebo Mensah, Gariba Haruna, Agyeman Opoku (Hasaacas) Joe Agyman, Kwabina Opoku (Faisal) Alfred
Nii Larbi (Liberty) Alhassan Weah (RTU) Paa Joe Kuma, Sumaila Iddrisu
(Olympics) Kenneth Ababio (Goldfields) Kelvin Asamoah (Mines Stars).
GRi…/
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President
Kufuor presents award to Abedi
Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - President John Kufuor on Wednesday, resented the
Commonwealth Sports Award to the Soccer Maestro, Abedi Ayew Pele at a brief
ceremony at the Castle, Osu.
The Award instituted
by the Commonwealth Award, an NGO within the Commonwealth was to honour eminent
sports personalities in Commonwealth countries for their contribution to sports
and especially football.
The award to Abedi
Pele was scheduled for October 19, during its dinner dance in London but he was
absent and the presentation was made on behalf of the NGO by President Kufuor.
Presenting the award,
President Kufuor said it was a big honour to Abedi Pele and the country, adding
"we are proud of you. We hope the Ghanaian youth would be motivated by
your achievements."
Abedi Pele said the
award would be well cherished because it motivated sportsmen not only when they
were at the prime of their career but even after they had left active sports
activity. He asked the Ghanaian youth to emulate his dedication to good
sportsmanship to achieve their dreams and goals in future.
Abedi Pele said the
award has been dedicated to the memory of the victims of the 9 May Accra Sports
Stadium disaster and their bereaved families who are still in pain.
GRi…/
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Sports
disciplines receiving equal attention - Minister
Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - Edward Osei-Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports on Wednesday
said all sporting disciplines, which were duly registered with the ministry
would be given equal attention.
He said the formation
of Regional and District Associations of all sports disciplines, assigning
coaches and general-secretaries to all the 26 sports disciplines and ensuring
their steady development and promotion are being pursued.
Osei-Kwaku said this
in an answer to a question by Kwakye Addo, NDC- Afram Plains South as to
specific programmes the ministry was pursuing to ensure that all the 26
registered sports disciplines are given equal attention.
He said the perception
that the ministry had become a "Ministry of football" was a thing of
the past and it was encouraging and supporting all sports disciplines
financially to organise national championships and participate in elimination
tournaments for qualification to Africa and World Championships.
The Minister said some
of the programmes and assistance being offered by the Ministry in some sports
disciplines are Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Baseball and
Swimming.
Mumuni Abudu Seidu,
NDC-Wa Central asked whether the ministry was not considering prioritising
sports disciplines and the Minister said it was not an easy thing to be done
since each of the disciplines think they were important and should receive
equal attention.
Edith Hazel,
NDC-Evalue Gwira asked why the Minister did not mention football and hockey as
well as the issue concerning the foreign coach of the Black Stars who absconded
with the nation's money.
Osei-Kwaku said the
Hockey Association was assisted to host an international tournament this year
while football promotion was on course and the Ghana Football Association (GAF)
has entered a Bid to host the 2008 African Cup of Nations while there are plans
to develop more regional stadiums.
John Mahama, NDC-Bole
asked whether the Minister was aware that the $67,000 given to the foreign
coach amounted to a financial loss to the state and the Minister said his
engagement was in good faith.
Osei-Kwaku said the
coach's approach to work was impressive but he only had the habit of travelling
to his homeland. His conduct has been reported to the World Governing Football
Body (FIFA) with a call for a refund of all moneys taken from the sports
authorities.
Victor Gbeho, Ind.
Anlo asked whether feasibility studies have been conducted towards either the
rehabilitation or construction of a new swimming pool at the Accra Sports
Stadium. The Minister said the project was abandoned while a lot of investment
had gone into it and allowed to deteriorate to its present state, but the
question now was whether the country actually requires a swimming pool and
whether it could afford to own one and said so far no feasibility studies have
been done about the facility.
GRi…/
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Retired
players to train as coaches
Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has began enlisting
retired players who have aptitude for coaching into the Association's coaching
programme currently taking place in the country.
Retired players like
Mohammed Choo, Kwesi Owusu, Abubakari Gariba among others, have been invited to
participate in the prosecution of a five-year football development plan as
technical assistants while others have been attached to the Junior National
Team as goalkeepers trainers.
Edward Osei Kweku,
Minister for Youth and Sports was answering questions in Parliament on
Wednesday, Joseph Tsatsu Agbenu,NDC- Afram Plains North, had asked what welfare
programmes the Ministry of Youth and
Sports was putting in place for aged and disabled sportsmen who represented the
nation in international sporting activities.
The minister mentioned
that employment is being offered at the National Sports Council (NSC) to those
who wish to pursue career as coaches in football, hand ball and basketball.
"Retired sportsmen and women who wish to watch sporting activities are
issued with special identity cards, which guaranteed them free access to all
stadia in Ghana to watch sporting activities organised by the National Sports
Council," he added.
The minister said it
has so far met with some retired sportsmen to discuss their welfare and ensure
revival of the Welfare Fund, which has dried up.
Osei Kweku announced
that the Ministry of Youth and Sports is also planning to establish community
playing fields in Ashaiman Roman park, Kao Kudi and Madina parks in Accra and
the Dogo Moro Park in Kumasi.
He therefore, urged
other district assemblies, institutions and communities to initiate sports
development and promotion programmes in order to receive the needed assistance
from the ministry.
GRi…/
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Osei-Kwaku
briefs Parliament on tartan-track construction
Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - The Minister of Youth and Sports, Edward
Osei-Kwaku on
Wednesday said a total estimate of ¢41bn for the construction of the tartan
tracks at the Accra and Kumasi Sports stadia have been forwarded to the
Ministry of Finance for consideration.
He said, while in
Manchester for the Commonwealth Games he requested the assistance of some
specialists to visit Ghana and assess the cost of constructing new tartan
tracks and the team have so far inspected the Kumasi, Accra, El-Wak stadia as
well as the playing fields at the national Sports College, Winneba.
Osei-Kwaku said this
when Mr Joseph Tsatsu Agbenu, NDC- Afram Plains North asked what effort the
ministry was making to source funds for repairing the tartan tracks at the
Kumasi Sports stadium and transforming it into a modern athletics Complex as originally
proposed.
Osei-Kwaku said the
normal life span of tartan tracks was between eight to ten years. The Kumasi
and Accra Sports Stadia were laid about 24 years ago, which should have been
re-surfaced at least twice by now. He said in view of this the tracks at both
stadia have deteriorated to the extent that they now need to be totally
reconstructed.
The estimated cost of
the reconstruction work which comprises feasibility studies, design, drainage,
making electronic and measuring devices are approximately one million dollars.
Osei-Kwaku said over
the past decade the ministry has been making provisions in its annual budget
for the reconstruction of the tartan tracks but owing to budgetary constraints,
the project has not taken place.
Abuga Pele, NDC-Chiana-Paga
asked what plans the ministry has to source for other funds to support other
sports disciplines and the Minister said the ministry was in dire need of funds
to undertake its obligations.
Osei-Kwaku said the
ministry needs not less than ¢250bn for youth as well as sports development. A
Youth development fund is to be formed to assist the youth go into various
training so as to make them go into useful ventures instead of doing menial
jobs for a living.
John Mahama, NDC- Bole
asked whether it was not a matter of encouraging sole sourcing of constructing
the tartan tracks and whether it was not also against the Zero Tolerance for
Corruption.
The Minister said
there were other companies who have shown interest in undertaking the
reconstruction of the tartan tracks. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, NPP
Gukpegu/Sabonjida asked what has brought the interest in Basketball in the
North and the Minister said it was because the people there have the physique,
height and the interest in the game and promised to support the sole financier
of basketball in the North, Dr Baba Sampana to continue with his good works.
GRi…/
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Hearts,
Paramount distilleries in partnership
Accra (Greater Accra)
07 November 2002 - The National Chapters Committee of League Champions, Accra
Hearts of Oak, are collaborating with Paramount Distilleries based in
Kumasi to raise one
billion cedis to enable the club win next year's CAF Champions League.
As part of the
initiative, Paramount Distilleries has introduced on to the Ghanaian market two
brands of alcoholic beverages using the club's logo. They are "Phobia
Power Gin Bitter and Phobia Dry Gin."
The company similarly,
on Tuesday, signed a five-year agreement worth ¢1.5bn with Kumasi Asante Kotoko
to market two new products, London Dry Gin and Power Gin Bitters with the logo
of Kotoko.
A statement issued by
the Hearts Chapters Committee in Accra on Wednesday and signed by Nana K.
Obuobi, Public Relations Officer, said the newly introduced brands would be
officially launched on Tuesday 12 November in Accra.
The launch has been
programmed to coincide with activities marking the club's 91st birthday
and a sixth consecutive league title celebration. It urged all supporters to
join in the celebration that would be followed by a massive carnival.
GRi…/
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