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Asante Kotoko are 10 points clear at the top of the Ghana Premier League following a 2-0 win over Dreams FC on Sunday in Kumasi.

In-form striker Etouga Mbella scored both goals in the second half as Kotoko completed the double over Dreams this season having beaten them 3-1 in Accra in the opening weekend.

Mbella threatened Dreams a couple of times before he brought down in the box with 20 minutes to go. The Cameroonian dispatched the penalty.

10 minutes later he made it two as he slammed home rebound after his ferocious strike hit the base of upright.

Kotoko scored a third but was disallowed for offside.

The Porcupine Warriors are 14 points ahead of defending champions Hearts of Oak.

Second-placed Bechem United suffered a 1-0 defeat in Tarkwa. Vincent Atingah scored a late penalty for Medeama.

Aduana are level on points with Bechem after two first half goals from Bright Adjei sealed a 2-0 win over Karela United.

AshantiGold were stunned in Obuasi by troubled Eleven Wonders. Wonders who are in the relegation zone recorded a shock 4-1 win against the former champions.

Elmina Sharks drew 1-1 with Accra Lions in a must-win match for the former who are languishing at the bottom.

Berekum Chelsea beat Bibiani Gold Stars thanks to Owusu Osei’s first half goal.

Hearts Of Oak on Saturday drew 1-1 with Legon Cities at the ElWak Stadium. Isaac Mensah opened the scoring for the Phobians but two minutes into injury time youngster Osman Amadu equalised for the Royals.

King Faisal secured a 2-1 win away at WAFA. Ibrahim Osman and Mawuli Wayo scored for Faisal with Konadu Yiadom getting the consolidation for the home side.

Asante Kotoko SC restarted the The 2021-22 season with a crucial and comfortable home win over Dreams FC.

The Porcupines lashed the Still Believe side at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 win over the Dawu lads.

Dreams had the best of opportunities to break the deadlock of the match in the first half but their striker Ali Huzaf was just not in the mood to party.

Ali Huzaf had two glaring chances in the first half to score and put the visitors ahead but failed woefully from close range.

After the break, Dreams had another chance to score but fluffed their lines and also came close moments later but Ibrahim Danlad produced another good save as he did in the first half.

The league’s top scorer, Franck Thierry Mbella Etouga was brought down by the Dreams goalkeeper and the Cameroonian elected himself to score the resulting spot kick brilliant.

With nine minutes to the end of the match, Etouga pounced on a lackadaisical defending from the away team to score his second goal after his initial shot hit the upright with a brilliant left-footed strike into the top left corner to make the final score 2-0 to Kotoko.

Kotoko have 40 points from 18 matches and are 10 points clear of Bechem United FC who loss to Medeama SC and sit second with 30 points.

Asante Kotoko beat Dreams FC 2-0 to extend their lead on the log to 10 points.

Frank Mbella grabbed all two goals in the afternoon.

Watch highlights below;

Asante Kotoko head coach, Prosper Narteh Ogum has named his men for the Premier League matchweek 18 clash against Dreams FC this afternoon.

The Reds host the ‘Still Believe’ lads at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi with Ogum making some changes to his side that faced Hearts of Oak last weekend.

Danlad Ibrahim starts in goal with Augustine Agyapong and Charles Owusu flanking him with Abdul Ganiyu and Yusif Mubarik starting at the centre back.

Sheriff Mohammed maintains his place in midfield ahead of Richard Boadu and will partner Justice Blay and Richmond Lamptey in a three-man midfield.

The attack will see Georges Mfegue operating from the right side with Dickson Afoakwa maintaining his place on the left with Mbella Etouga leading the lines.

Asante Kotoko line up;

Ibrahim Danlad (GK), Abdul Ganiyu (C), Mubarik Yussif, Augustine Agyapong, Charles Owusu, Sherrif Mohammed, Justice Blay, Georges Mfegue, Franck Etouga, Richmond Lamptey, Dickson Afoakwa.

SUB: Kwame Baah,Richard Boadu, Samuel Appiah, Mudasiru Salifu, Samuel Boateng, Andrews Kwadwo Appau, Maxwell Agyemang, Fabio Gama Dos Santos, Solomon Sarfo Taylor

Asante Kotoko will face off with Dreams FC on Match Day 18 of the Ghana Premier League at the Baba Yara Sports stadium on Sunday.

The League leaders snatched a point against rivals Hearts of Oak in their outstanding match on Sunday and go into the match buzzing with loads of confidence.

Video of how the players arrived for the game;

Asante Kotoko will face off with Dreams FC on Match Day 18 of the Ghana Premier League at the Baba Yara Sports stadium on Sunday. The League leaders snatched a point against rivals Hearts of Oak in their outstanding match on Sunday and go into the match buzzing with loads of confidence.

The Porcupine Warriors have lost only twice this term and lead the League table with 37 points – 7 points richer than second placed Bechem United and 14 points ahead of Dreams FC.

Left back Imoro Ibrahim is a doubt for Sunday’s game after picking up an injury against Hearts of Oak on Sunday as he was replaced by Patrick Asmah.

Captain Ismael Ganiyu, Mudasiru Salifu, Etouga Mbella, Richard Boadu and the combative Justice Blay provide a possible selection headache for Head Coach Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum. Etouga Mbella failed to score on Sunday but his goals have been extremely crucial for the forward march of Asante Kotoko in the League – scoring 11 goals in 15 matches to lead the Top scorers chart.

The Porcupine Warriors suffered a 2-1 loss to Elmina Sharks on Match Day 16 – their second defeat of the season to end their eight match winning run – bringing to an end their longest winning run in two seasons.

Asante Kotoko are unbeaten in their last five home matches following victories against WAFA (1-0), AshantiGold (3-1), Medeama SC (1-0) and Great Olympics (2-0) scoring 7 goals and conceding 1 at the Baba Yara Sports stadium.

Dreams FC registered yet another important win on the road before the end of the first as Sylvester Simba’s first half strike gave them a 1-0 win against Medeama SC at the Akoon Park at Tarkwa. The Still Believe lads parted ways with Vladislav Viric three weeks ago and replaced him with Abdul Karim Zito.

The former Ghana and Asante Kotoko right back would want to make amends in Kumasi – a known territory having failed to pick all the spoils as Asante Kotoko came from behind to win 3-1 in the opening match of the season in Accra.

Dreams FC have been underwhelming away from home having recorded only two wins in 9 away matches in the first round. The Dawu lads lost three and drawn four on the road but their poor form against Asante Kotoko at the Baba Yara Stadium tilts things in favour of the League leaders.

Dreams FC have beaten Asante Kotoko only once in Kumasi – but have yet to win against the Porcupine Warriors in three attempts away from home.

Richard Addae won the day for Dreams FC at the Baba Yara stadium in the Ghalca G8 tournament in 2018 but other attempts in 2015 (1-0) and 2021 (3-1) ended in favour of the Porcupine Warriors.

The match which is scheduled for 3pm kick off at the Baba Yara Sports stadium on Sunday, February 27, 2022 will broadcast live on StarTimes Adepa Chanel 247.

Hearts of Oak midfielder Sulley Muntari was caught on camera complaining fervently about the bad nature of the El-Wak pitch in his outfits’ 1-1 draw against Legon Cities.

In the 36th minute of the game, Sulley Muntari off the ball sat on the turf after picking an injury. The former AC Milan and Inter Milan midfielder who has played on quality pitches during his time in Europe was caught on camera complaining about the bad nature of the pitch.

The 2010 UEFA Champions League winner could be seen saying in pain “pitch pitch pitch”!!

The issue of poor pitches in the Ghana Premier League has become a major talking point. Just recently, Head Coach of Asante Kotoko, Prosper Narteh Ogum stated that the league is struggling to progress because of the lack of quality pitches at some venues.

“…And then some of the pitches we play on are not good at all. They don’t give the players the opportunity to express themselves. If you look at the quality of the Accra Sports Stadium pitch today, you saw the quality of the game, both teams tried to keep the ball on the turf, and I think if venues have good quality pitches like this our league will be better,” Ogum said after the scoreless draw against Hearts of Oak.

“La Liga, EPL and others will be a thing of the past because they are a lot of young talents in the country and when we get good pitches I think we can get there.” the former WAFA trainer added.

Recently also, Spokesperson of Ghana FA, Henry Asante Twum lamented over the quality of football pitches, adding that he sometimes feel sorry seeing some of the matches on TV.

“I feel sorry sometimes seeing some of our league matches on TV because the pitches are very poor and the optics don’t look good on TV,” Asante Twum said on Kumasi-based Akoma FM.

“Maybe we need to find a way to keep our pitches in healthy condition because it affects our product in terms of marketing,” he added.

-MahamaShaibu