Ghanaian lower-division side, Kotoku Royals could play in the Ghana Premier League next season after winning a protest case against Heart of Lions to secure Father Christmas points.
The team based in Akim Oda earlier this year filed a protest against Heart of Lions on claims Mohammed Musah who was fielded was unqualified to feature in their matchday 18 encounter.
After looking into the allegations and looking into the facts of the matter, the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has found Heart of Lions guilty.
As a result, Kotoku Royals have been awarded three points whiles Heart of Lions have been deducted three points.
The three points means that Kotoku Royals can leapfrog Tema Youth Football Club and Liberty Professionals into first on the standings of the division.
The Ghana FA has rescheduled the outstanding Ghana Premier League game between AshantiGold and Asante Kotoko to June 2, 2022.
The match-day 29 fixture was originally scheduled for May 19 at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium but had to be postponed following security intelligence and advise from the Ghana Police Service.
Though the GFA has announced that the match will be held at the Obuasi Len Clay at 3pm on the new date, the game could be shifted to an alternative venue if the security risk remains unchanged.
Security officials consider the Obuasi Len Clay unsafe based on threats by some angry AshantiGold fans to beat up the Club’s President Dr. Kwaku Frimpong and the CEO Emmanuel Frimpong following their role in the match manipulation scandal that got the Miners demoted to the Division Two League.
Former Ghana Football Association [GFA] chairman, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe says the lack of funding from government has led to the country’s Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] trophy drought.
The Black Stars, who are four times African champions have not won the Afcon since 1982 despite numerous appearances at the continental showpiece.
Ghana exited the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon this year in the group stage after failing to win a single game for the first time since 2006.
According to Dr. Tamakloe, the state must be willing to finance in the game to reap the benefits.
“The problem is more of a financial one, Nkrumah was able to win two cups because he invested in football,” the Hearts of Oak Board Member said as reported by Citi Sports.
“For the past 40 years, we have not been able to achieve anything because we are not investing enough money into football, what you put in is what you get.
“If government is really serious about getting the AFCON cup back to Ghana, then they need to invest heavily in football,” he added.
Ghana will begin their qualifiers for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] at home against Madagascar on June 1.
The 2021/22 Ghana Premier League continued with matchday 30 fixtures across the venues this weekend with exception of the Eleven Wonders vs Hearts Of Oak game, which has been postponed indefinitely due to health issues.
Berekum Chelsea defeated Ghana Premier League leaders Asante Kotoko 1-0 thanks to Kelvin Obeng’s goal in the 80th minute at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Sunday.
Kotoko were expected to extend their lead at the top, and they became overwhelming favourites after the halftime break when Chelsea were reduced to 10 men.
In the 67th minute, Owusu Osei was sent off for a poor challenge.
But Chelsea scored with 10 minutes remaining, negating the numerical disadvantage.
Obeng won a shoulder-to-shoulder duel and then curled the ball over goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim into the net to give Chelsea the lead.
The Blues held on for their first win over Kotoko since 2020, keeping Kotoko’s lead at the top at just six points.
Elsewhere, Aduana’s winless streak now stands at nine games after a 0-0 draw with Accra Lions on Sunday.
Elmina Sharks fell 3-1 to AshantiGold at home, putting them one step closer to relegation. The Miners overcame their off-field issues, having been demoted to Division Two League due to match-fixing, to win convincingly in Elmina.
BibianiG Gold Stars recorded another home win as they beat Real Tamale United 2-0. Dreams and WAFA shared the spoils, meaning coach Ignatius Osei-Fosu is still without a win since taking charge of Dreams.
Karela United and King Faisal drew 1-1, Berekum Chelsea and Legon Cities played out a goalless draw and Medeama beat Great Olympics in Accra.
Scores at a glance:
KUMASI: Asante Kotoko 0-1 Berekum Chelsea
Scorer: Kelvin Obeng
Man of the Match: Gregory Obeng Sekyere (GK-Berekum Chelsea)
DAWU: Dreams FC 1-1 WAFA
Scorers: Gogoe Kwabena | | Justus Torsutey
Man of the Match: Justus Torsutey (WAFA)
BIBIANI: Gold Stars 2-0 Real Tamale United
Scorers: Prince Opoku Agyemang, Emmanuel Appau
Man of the Match: Farouk Adams(Gold Stars)
ACCRA: Accra Lions 0-0 Aduana Stars FC
Man of the Match: Salifu Samari Abass (Accra Lions)
ELMINA: Elmina Sharks1-3 AshantiGold
Scorers: Michelle Sarpong | | Daniel Afriyie, Ali Mohammed, Yaw Annor(pen)
Man of the Match: Francis Oteng (Elmina Sharks)
BECHEM: Bechem United 0-0 Legon Cities FC
Man of the Match: Clinton Duodu (Bechem United)
ANYINASE: Karela United 1-1 King Faisal
Scorers: Umar Bashiru | | Samuel Kussi
Man of the Match: Pius Baffour Awuah(King Faisal)
ACCRA: Great Olympics 1-2 Medeama SC
Scorers: Maxwell Abbey Quaye | | Vincent Atingah(pen), Kwadwo Asamoah.
After sharing the spoils with Swedru All Blacks on Sunday afternoon, FC Samartex secured promotion to Ghana’s top division for the first time with three games to spare.
After winning zone two of the Division One League after 27 games, the Samerboi-based team will compete in the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League season.
FC Samartex maintained their spot following a scoreless draw with Swedru All Stars and a loss to Nzema Kotoko by Ebusua Dwarfs in Aiyinase.
FC Samartex leads the zone two table with 61 points after today’s stalemate with All Blacks. Ebusua Dwarfs is second with 51 points after today’s defeat to Nzema Kooko.
Coach Henry Wellington and his troops had been superb throughout the season in zone two, facing harder opposition at times such as former Ghana Premier League campaigners Ebusua Dwarfs, Hasaacas and New Edubiase United but still managing to make it to the top.
FC Samartex will make their Premier League debut after spending the previous 26 years in the division one league.
Asante Kotoko suffered a painful 0-1 defeat, a third home loss of the Ghana Premier League season, to 10-man Berekum Chelsea at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi in a match-day 30 fixture on Sunday.
Asante Kotoko suffered a painful 0-1 defeat, a third home loss of the Ghana Premier League season, to 10-man Berekum Chelsea at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi in a match-day 30 fixture on Sunday.
Striker Kelvin Obeng maintained his composure and struck past goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim in the 79th minute to record the match-winner despite being chased by two Kotoko defenders.
Kotoko’s two best chances of the second half fell to Etouga Mbella in the 71st minute but he rattled the post but the Cameroonian set up Richmond Lamptey in the 83rd minute, only for the ex-Inter Allies midfielder to miss from an open net.
Berekum Chelsea finished the game with ten men after striker Kofi Owusu, an ex-GPL Goalking, was sent off in the 65th minute for hitting Kotoko defender Christopher Nettey in the face. Despite the defeat, which cuts Kotoko’s lead to 6 points, the Porcupines have a game in hand against AshantiGold.
Stephen Amankona in a challenge with a player of his former club Berekum Chelsea
Elsewhere, Bechem United slipped to the third spot on the GPL table but remained unbeaten at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park, as they recorded their fifth straight stalemate following a 0-0 draw with Legon Cities.
Bechem United lost the second spot to Medeama SC after the Tarkwa based side came back from a goal down on Saturday to secure a 1-2 away win at Great Olympics courtesy goals from Vincent Atinga and Kwadwo Asamoah in the 35th and 70th minutes respectively.
Troubled AshantiGold recovered from the recent worries of demotion from the GPL for match manipulation, to deepen the woes of bottom placed Elmina Sharks. The Obuasi based club secured a 1-3 away win at Sharks with goals from Derrick Atta Afriyie in the 15th minute, Ali Mohammed in the 70th minute and GPL Goalking contender Yaw Annor from the penalty spot in the 74th minute. Michel Sarpong scored Sharks consolation goal in the 19th minute.
Prince Opoku Agyemang and Emmanuel Appau registered their names on the score sheet in the 62nd and 72nd minutes to hand Bibiani Gold Stars a 2-0 home triumph over demotion threatened RTU.
Justus Torsutsey scored in the 37th minute to ensure relegation candidate WAFA, which occupies the 15th spot, held Dreams FC to a 1-1 draw in Dawu.
In the other games, Karela United shared the spoils with visiting King Faisal in a 1-1 draw while Accra Lions and Aduana Stars played out a goalless drawn game.
Hearts of Oak striker Ouatching Yassan has earned a call up to the Central African Republic national team ahead of the 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Born in Douala, Cameroon, the 23-year-old has switched his international allegiance to represent Central African Republic after completing his paper works.
Central African Republic will begin their 2023 AFCON qualifiers against Angola on June 1, 2022, before playing Ghana four days later.
Central African Republic are in Group E for the qualifiers alongside, Angola, Madagascar, and Ghana.
The lanky striker penned a three-year deal with Hearts of Oak after impressing coach Samuel Boadu who okayed the player’s signing for next season.
The Phobians, in a bid to solve their major problem area, allowed the 23-year-old to train with the side despite the closure of the transfer window to foreign players.
Yassan Ouatching played for UMS de Loum and Yong Sports Academy (YOSA) in his home country before leaving in 2021 to sign for Myanmar side Zwekaping United. After 16 months, he moved on to Bangladesh where he signed for Mohammedan SC where lasted just four months. He has been a free agent since August 2021.
Asante Kotoko will welcome Berekum Chelsea to the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Sunday in the Ghana Premier League match week 30.
The Porcupine Warriors will go into this encounter with a full confidence, knowing that a win for them will edge the club closer to the Ghana Premier League title.
Prosper Narteh’s side have managed two wins, two defeats and one draw in their last five matches of the domestic top-flight.
Berekum Chelsea who have suffered three defeats in their last three away games will hope to change the narrative against the two-time African Champions.
The Bibires have managed one win in their last five matches and have the opportunity to back up from their slumber lately at away.
Kotoko are at the summit of the table with 56 points whereas Chelsea occupies 9th position with 40 points.
Meanwhile, the Porcupine Warriors has a game at hand following the postponement of their matchday 29 encounter against Ashantigold.
The much-anticipated game which was scheduled for Thursday, May 19, 2022 was postponed indefinitely by the Ghana Football Association citing security reasons on the back of the miners demotion to Division Two League.
