Bechem United head coach, Kasim Ocansey Mingle has indicated that his players flopped in their 4-0 heavy defeat to Asante Kotoko on Wednesday afternoon in Obuasi.
The Hunters suffered the defeat in the hands of thePorcupine Warriors in a match-day 16 outstanding Ghana Premier League fixture at the Len Clay Stadium.
According to Mingle, his team lacked the zeal to win, hence did not turn up in the game.
“They did not have the confidence to win, they all flopped but I can’t tell unless we go back to the dressing room and find out, ” he told the media after the game.
“Though we’ve lost but that will not deter us because it is an outstanding match so we are going to play our second game in the second round. We will put the defeat behind us and prepare for the rest of the matches ahead of us” he added.
Striker Francis Andy Kumi scored his first goal for Asante Kotoko on his full debut as Asante Kotoko walloped Bechem United 4-0 on Wednesday, 7 April 2021.
The game was a match-day 16 outstanding Ghana Premier League match honoured at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi.
The youngster who joined the Porcupine Warriors in the second transfer window applied a blistering header to a cross from left-back Imoro Ibrahim to give Kotoko a 3-0 lead on the 60th-minute mark.
Kumi was signed from Division One League side Unistar to replace lethal forward Kwame Opoku who has been transferred to the Algerian side, USM Alger.
Asante Kotoko took a two-zero lead at half time through centre-back Ismail Abdul Ganiu and Fabio Gama.
Seven minutes from time, Brazilian Michael Vinicius-another midseason signing scored the fourth goal on his debut.
Chelsea bounced back from a testing few days to earn a commanding first-leg quarter-final away win over Porto in the Champions League.
Ben Chilwell added a late second after a mistake by Corona, moments after substitute Christian Pulisic had hit the bar.
Having conceded five goals against West Brom, Chelsea produced a dogged defensive performance to earn a seventh clean sheet in nine European games this season.
Skipper Cesar Azpilicueta’s vital block denied Corona before Edouard Mendy kept out Pepe’s header.
With both legs of this tie in Spain at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium because of coronavirus travel restrictions between Portugal and the UK, this was Porto’s ‘home’ game, meaning Chelsea’s two away goals put them in pole position before next Tuesday’s second leg.
Resilient Chelsea show grit
This was the perfect response by Chelsea after last weekend’s embarrassment – a resilient, determined and professional performance against a team that had eliminated Juventus in the previous round.
Tuchel reacted to the West Brom shambles by making five changes, with Rudiger among those recalled despite his ‘heated’ row with Arrizabalaga.
Rudiger played his part in an impressive Chelsea rearguard display, Porto carving out several chances without managing to find a way through.
Ben Chilwell scored his first goal since 7 November 2020
Mendy used his legs to keep out Moussa Marega while Luis Diaz, who scored against Manchester City in the group stage, went close from outside the penalty area.
At the other end, Timo Werner and Azpilicueta missed headed chances to extend the lead after Mount scored before Chilwell’s crucial second – a composed finish after bursting into the penalty area and taking it past the keeper – gave his side a handsome win.
Mount impresses again
Mount continues to flourish, his goal the highlight in what was for long spells a closely-fought contest.
Having received a pass from Jorginho following a patient build-up, the midfielder turned sharply and beat Agustin Marchesin with an instinctive low finish from an angle.
Mount has scored more goals in all competitions than any other Chelsea player since Tuchel was appointed in January.
Mason Mount has scored three goals in his past four games for Chelsea and England
In 2020-21, he has found the net for club and country in the Premier League, Nations League, FA Cup, World Cup qualifying and now Champions League.
Having dropped out of the top four, Chelsea will hope this result can propel them to a strong finish to the season.
The winners of this tie face Real Madrid or Liverpool in the semi-finals – Real lead 3-1after the first leg – and the Blues also have an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on 17 April.
Mendy’s impressive clean sheet record – the stats
Having won at Atletico Madrid in February, Chelsea have won consecutive away knockout games in the Champions League for the first time since April 2004 under Claudio Ranieri.
No side has conceded fewer goals (2) or kept more clean sheets (7) in this season’s Champions League than Chelsea (level with Man City on both counts).
Since Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge of Chelsea in January, no goalkeeper playing for a top five European league side has kept more clean sheets in all competitions than Edouard Mendy (10).
For the first time since March 2012 against Napoli (John Terry & Frank Lampard), Chelsea have had two different English players score for them in the same Champions League match (Mason Mount & Ben Chilwell).
Porto defender Pepe (38 years 40 days) became the oldest outfield player to appear in a Champions League quarter-final since Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs (40 years 123 days) back in April 2014.
What’s next?
Chelsea have a London derby at Crystal Palace on Saturday (17:30 BST) to negotiate before the return leg with Porto next Tuesday (20:00).
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris St-Germain produced a superb away performance to beat title holders Bayern Munich in a thrilling Champions League quarter-final first leg.
This was a meeting between last year’s finalists and they both contributed in a hugely entertaining game that in itself would have been worthy of being the final of the competition.
Mbappe took just three minutes to make his mark as he was fed by Neymar and the striker thumped a drive through Manuel Neuer’s legs.
Marquinhos doubled the lead for the French champions midway through the first half with a neat finish from a great ball by Neymar before ex-PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting headed home to halve the deficit.
Neuer made amends for his earlier mistake by denying Neymar from point-blank range early in the second half, before Keylor Navas kept out strikes from David Alaba and Benjamin Pavard at the other end.
But Bayern Munich kept up the pressure and deservedly levelled on the hour mark when Thomas Muller guided a header into the back of the net from Joshua Kimmich’s free kick.
However, Mbappe had the final say as he swept a low strike through Jerome Boateng’s legs late on to give PSG a third crucial away goal heading into the second leg.
Another big win for Pochettino’s PSG
This was another eye-catching result in Europe for Mauricio Pochettino’s side after they thrashed Barcelona 4-1 in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
That win was all the more impressive as it happened at the Nou Camp and PSG once again went to the home of a European giant to pull off a shock result.
Against a side that had not lost any of its previous 19 games in the Champions League – with 18 of those victories – the visitors produced a tactically brilliant display as they stood up to Bayern’s relentless attacks before utilising the pace of Neymar and Mbappe to pick them off on the break.
PSG were undoubtedly helped by the absence of Robert Lewandowski in the Bayern side as the hosts had 31 chances on goal but that should take nothing away from an excellent performance by Pochettino’s side that sets things up nicely for when the two sides meet in Paris on Tuesday, 13 April (20:00 BST).
‘I’m not here to hide’ – Mbappe up for the big games
Mbappe has now scored eight Champions League goals this season, the joint-most in a single season in the competition by a Frenchman, along with Wissam Ben Yedder in 2017-18 and David Trezeguet in 2001-02.
His double follows his hat-trick in the 4-1 win against Barcelona in the previous round and he said: “Like I said in Barcelona, I love this type of game.
“They haven’t always gone my way and maybe they won’t in the future, but I’m not here to hide. I love this kind of game and being decisive.”
For Bayern coach Hansi Flick, this was his first taste of defeat in the Champions League and he rued the number of missed chances.
“With the chances we had, we could have got a good result despite conceding three goals,” Flick said.
“We don’t like to lose, but the way the team played was top.”
The match officials for Matchweek 19 of the 2020/21 Ghana Premier League season have been appointed.
Below are the Match Officials for this weekend’s matches:
1.DATE: FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 2021 – LIVE ON STAR TIMES MATCH: EBUSUA DWARFS VS ELEVEN WONDERS VENUE: CAPE COAST STADIUM REFEREE: BENJAMIN K. SEFA ASSISTANTS: SINTIM MUSAH & RICHARD APPIAH 4TH REFEREE: BIAMARK APPIAH MATC H COMMISSIONER: THOMAS NUNOO VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: LUKEMAN AYINDE CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: KWETE QUAYNOR
2.DATE: SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2021 – LIVE ON STAR TIMES MATCH: ASHANTIGOLD VS HEARTS OF OAK VENUE: LEN CLAY STADIUM, OBUASI REFEREE: GABRIEL OPOKU ARHIN ASSISTANTS: PETER DAWSA & GILBERT ADOM MENSAH 4TH REFEREE: GEORGE MAWULI VORMAWOR MATCH COMMISSIONER: JAMES MORNAH VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: NUHU ADAMS CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: SETH BOAKYE AGYEMAN
3.DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 MATCH: LEGON CITIES VS ACCRA GREAT OLYMPICS VENUE: ACCRA SPORTS STADIUM REFEREE: SELORM KPORMEGBE ASSISTANTS: PATRICK PAPALA AND STEPHEN BALANGUENA 4TH REFEREE: IMORO OSMAN MATCH COMMISSIONER: ARCHIBOLD ANNAN LOMOTEY VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: DESMOND WORLANYO GFA CAMERAMAN: EMMANUEL OSEI CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: NANA KWADWO
4.DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 MATCH: INTER ALLIES VS KARELA VENUE: THEATRE OF DREAMS, DAWU REFEREE: EMMANUEL OTOO ASSISTANTS: PAUL ATIMAKA AND ISAAC OPOKU ANTWI 4TH REFEREE: OBED DANQUAH MATCH COMMISSIONER: MARK KODUA YEBOAH VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: FREDERICK GYAN MANTE GFA CAMERAMAN: EMMANUEL LARTEY CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: PATRICK MARTEY BOYE
5.DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 MATCH: WAFA VS BECHEM VENUE: SOGAKOPE REFEREE: ERIC SEFA ANTWI ASSISTANTS: EMMANUEL ALLOU TEBSON AND MUMUNI FUSEINI 4TH REFEREE: WISEMAN GHANSAH MATCH COMMISSIONER: GABRIEL T. INKOOM VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: TILDA ACORLOR GFA CAMERAMAN: ELVIS MENSAH CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: EDWARD OWUSU SEFA
6.DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 MATCH: MEDEAMA VS DREAMS VENUE: AKOON PARK, TARKWA REFEREE: ALFAA BA-ADEY ASSISTANTS: EMMANUEL DOLAGBANU AND THOMAS NGINDIEYE 4TH REFEREE: JOSHUA SAMADJI MATCH COMMISSIONER: EUGENE ADDO AKORNOR VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: RICHARD BAFFOUR NKRUMAH GFA CAMERAMAN: ABDUL SAMED CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: VINCENT DANQUAH
7.DATE: SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 MATCH: LIBERTY PROFESSIONALS VS ELMINA SHARKS VENUE: CARL REINDORF PARK, DANSOMAN REFEREE: JONES AKUBIEM ASSISTANTS: COURAGE KUEDUFIA AND ISAAC NYAMEKYE 4TH REFEREE: AKUDZI MARTINS MATCH COMMISSIONER: NANA OPARE AKUFO VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: SETH ACQUAYE GFA CAMERAMAN: BERNARD AGBODZA CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: JOSHUA NELSON
8.DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 MATCH: ADUANA STARS VS KING FAISAL VENUE: NANA AGYEMAN BADU I PARK, DORMAA REFEREE: PATRICK OKYERE ASSISTANTS: KWESI BROBBEY AND ROLAND ADDY 4TH REFEREE: ADAARI ABDUL LATIF MATCH COMMISSIONER: STEPHEN KPEN VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: VINCENT AMPAABENG GFA CAMERAMAN: HERBERT SEMAKOR CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: ISAAC W. KOOMSON 9.DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 – LIVE ON STARTIMES MATCH: ASANTE KOTOKO VS CHELSEA VENUE: LEN CLAY STADIUM, OBUASI REFEREE: KENNY PADI ASSISTANTS: TIJANI MOHAMMED AND FREDERICK DANFUL 4TH REFEREE: JULIAN NUNOO MATCH COMMISSIONER: CHRISTIAN ATSATSA VENUE MEDIA OFFICER: NUHU ADAMS CLUB SAFETY & SECURITY OFFICER: MICHAEL WAYO
The second round of the Women’s Premier League will resume this weekend. The first round of the competition ended in style with some exciting events and results being recorded across the League centres.
Rivalries were rekindled in both the Southern and Northern Zones with some interesting statistics recorded.
Ampem Darkoa Ladies lead the table in the Northern Zone and surprisingly Berry Ladies slipped on the last day of the first round as they lost the top spot tyo Hasaacas Ladies in the Southern Zone.
With 28 matches played so far in both Zones, a total of 140 goals were scored with 72 goals recorded in the Northern Zone and 68 recorded in the Southern Zone.
There were 12 away wins in the Southern Zone to the Northern Zones’ 11 making it 23 away wins in both Zones.
With regards to home wins, the Northern Zone had 11, with 10 in the Southern Zone resulting in 21 home wins.
The first round also had 6 drawn games in each Zone making it 12 in total.
Berry Ladies player, Nina Norshie scored the first goal of the season against Immigration Ladies in the first match in the southern zone.
It was Tracy Twum of Ampem Darkoa who scored the last goal in the first round with her late second half goal in the Northern Zone when her side won 4-2 over Northern Ladies.
Hasaacas ladies ended the first unbeaten and sit at the top of the Southern Zone table with 17 points. Ampem Darkoa Ladies are also unbeaten with 19 points after 7 round of matches in the first round.
With the second round set to start on April 9, 2021, the race for the top scorer award has is heated with Ophelia Serwaa Amponsah of Ampem Darkoa and Sandra Owusu Ansah of Supreme Ladies all tied on 6 goals.
They are followed closely by Felicity Asante of Berry Ladies and Suzzy Dede Teye of Lady strikers both with 5 goals.
Officiating in the first round was applauded by many even though there is room for improvement. With the battle for supremacy at stake, coaches will need to tweak their systems and players would have to give their maximum to clinch the ultimate.
Despite the emphatic 4-0 thumping of Bechem United, Asante Kotoko Portuguese trainer Mariano Barreto has stated that he is not entirely happy about the scoreline.
According to the ex-Black Stars coach, his charges could have won the game by 8 or 9 nil.
The Porcupine Warriors defeated the Hunters in a match-day 16 outstanding Ghana Premier League fixture on Wednesday afternoon at the Len Clay Stadium.
Asante Kotoko walloped noisy Bechem United 4-0 in their match-day 16 outstanding Ghana Premier League match on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 at the Len Clay Sports Stadium in Obuasi.
Starman Fabio Gama scored the Porcupine’s second goal and assisted the first goal which was scored by Abdul Ganiu, with youngster Andy Kumi and Michael Vinicius grabbing the 3rd and 4th goals respectively.
