Bechem United have a date with leaders FC Samartex at Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park on Matchday 20 of the Ghana Premier League on Sunday. While the Hunters lost to Nsoatreman FC in their very recent home game, leaders, FC Samartex 1996 suffered a shocking 1-0 home loss to Nations FC to bring to an end their 8 games winning run.
Bechem United are 9th in the table with 26 points, having recorded 2 wins and 3 defeats in their last 5 games and have won 5, drawn 2, lost 2, scored 14 and conceded 5 league goals at home.
The Hunters have lost two of their influential forwards to the foreign market in the January transfer and look very impotent upfront. Premier League top scorer Augustine Okrah has joined Simba FC of Tanzania while Emanuel Avornyo has also signed for Macedonian club FK Shkupi. The two, formed an astonishing partnership upfront and shared the goals before traveling abroad. Hitherto, club captain Kofi Agbesimah and goalkeeper Abdulai Iddrisu had joined Accra Hearts of Oak and Tanzania’s Azam FC respectively.
FC Samartex 1996 boasts 3 wins and 2 defeats in their last 5 encounters but still hold a 3 point lead at the top of the table. The Timber giants have accumulated 11 points scoring 7 and conceding 10 league goals on the road and rates as the third best club with most points accumulated away from home – lurking behind former champions Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak.
Bechem United have one outstanding game against Dreams FC as they occupy the 9th spot with 26 points – 9 points behind their visitors.
The last meeting between these sides at Bechem in the 2022/23 season, ended 2-0 at Fosu Gyeabuor Park.
Forward Cephas Mantey is expected to lead the lines for Bechem United on Sunday with the likes of Francis Twene, Joseph Kinful, Seth Kwadwo, Francis Acquah, Clinton Duodu, Samuel Kuffour, Isaiah Nyarko, Emmanuel Owusu and Emmanuel Annor all available.
Baba Hamadu Musa who signed from Skyy FC in the summer has been a brilliant acquisition for FC Samartex following his heroics for the leaders.
Baba Hamadu who has scored 8 goals in 19 Premier League games aims to add to his tally against the Hunters. Also in their frame are, Emmanuel Adu Siaw, Emmanuel Keyekeh, Emmanuel Mamah, Gabriel Appiah, Ebenezer Ocran, Evans Osei Wusu, Dauda Yussif Seidu and Francis Gyetuah.
Still in the Premier League, Nsoatreman FC will do battle against CAF Confederation Cup campaigners Dreams FC at the Nana Konamansah Park fresh from their disappointing home loss to Accra Hearts of Oak.
Nsoatreman FC are amongst the top 5 clubs – with most home wins (19 points) and look pretty good playing at home after conceding only 3 and scored. They have lost once and scored 10 goals in Nsoatre.
Nsoatreman FC are 5th in the League table with 30 points – 5 points behind leaders FC Samartex and 8 points ahead of Dreams FC who have two games in hand. Dreams FC currently sit in 12th place in the table having won 2, lost 2 and drawn 1 in their last 5 games.
The Still Believe lads, who are amongst the poor travelers in the League, have amassed only 5 points, scored 3 and conceded 12 in 6 away games.
Abdul Manaf Umar will lead the lines for Nsoatreman FC with Stephan Diyou. Walid Neymah Fuseini, Meider Kwabena, Mohammed Issaka, Philip Ofori, Eric Osei Bonsu, Ransford Asokwah, Bortey Acquaye and Mohammed Abdul Rahaman all fit for selection.
Dreams FC star man Abdul Aziz Issah is not available for the game due to his involvement in the ongoing African Games for the Black Satellites. The evergreen John Antwi, Agyenim Boateng Mensah, Derrick Agyei, Emmanuel Agyei, Godfred Atuahene, Sulemana Suhiyini and Eric Boateng are available for the encounter.
Elsewhere in Dormaa – third placed Aduana FC will host Legon Cities at the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa.
The two-time champions were stunned 2-1 by FC Samartex on nthe opening weekend of the second round and look very desperate to returning to ways – this time against their former employee Samuel Fabin.
Aduana FC have picked up 30 points, 5 points behind league leaders FC Samartex 1996, having won 2 and suffered 3 defeats in their last 5 games.
The Ogya Boys have recorded 8 wins, 2 losses – scored 20 and conceded 7 league goals in the process. Aduana FC and FC Samartex are the sides with the most accumulated home points in the league (24 points each) and would fight to keep hold of that record despite the setback against FC Samartex.
Legon Cities have huffed and puffed this season keeping an inconsistent run that has left them in 11th place in the table with 25 points. The Royals have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 2 in their last 5 games having accumulated 8 points, scored 6 and conceded 14 goals on the road.
Aduana FC have played Legon Cities three times at home since the 2020/21 season with Aduana FC winning two and drawing 1 Aduana FC beat Legon Cities 2-1, in the 2020/21 season, drew 1-1 in the 2021/22 season and won 1-0 in the 2022/23 season.
Aduana FC go into the game without their star man and top scorer Isaac Mintah due to injury. However, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Sam Adams, Bright Adjei, Richard Afriyie, Anderson Asamoah, Alex Boakye, Kelvin Obeng, Frank Owusu, Rich Sackey and Kyeremeh Silas are all fit and available for the game.
Head coach Samuel Fabin also have a fully fit squad for the clash with the likes of Kwabena Boateng, Mohammed Suleman, Kamal Suraje, Morris Fuseini, Ramin Doobi, Stephen Asare, Mohammed Alidu, Frank Akoto and Frank Antwi all available.
Also on Sunday, Bibiani, GoldStars will take on Accra Great Olympics at DUN’s Park.
GoldStars have been on a rise since the arrival of Frimpong Manso as head coach. The Miners are in 13th with 21 points, having won 2 and lost 3 in their previous 5 games – At home, the yellow and greens have recorded 5 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses, scoring 20 and conceding 11 goals in the process.
Great Olympics boasts two wins, two draws and five defeats on the road - have managed to accumulate 27 points and are currently 8th in the table.
Bibiani GoldStars have beaten Great Olympics twice at home since the 2021/22 season. In the 2021/22 season, Bibiani GoldStars beat Great Olympics 2-1 and 1-0 in the 2022/23 season respectively.
Prince Kwabena Owusu has banged in 7 league goals for Bibiani GoldStars and will is available for the game on Sunday.
Frank Amankwah, Alex Aso, Vincent Atingah, Eric Bosomtwi, Ampem Da Costa, William Dankyi, Mohammed Sadat, Ronald Frimpong, Prince Taifa Osei and Appiah McCarthy are all ready for the battle.
Great Olympics top scorer, Emmanuel Antwi is raring for more with the likes of Mathew Abayase, Samuel Abbey-Ashie, Albert Amoah, Gladson Awako, Abdul Yusif Razak, Christopher Nettey, Razak Kasim, Raymond Grippman and Richard Botchway.
In Kpando – Coach Bashir Hayford’s Heart of Lions will clash with Real Tamale United in the battle of the bottom placed teams who are tied on 18 points each.
Hearts of Lions have recorded 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat in their last five games and are currently 17th in the table with 18 points having won 3, drawn 5 and lost 2 at home. The Kpando lads have also scored 8 and conceded 6 goals – with a total of 14 points accumulated at home (the third lowest in the league so far).
Real Tamale United have had a fair share of troubles in the last few days following player revolts over nonpayment of salaries and bonuses. The Northern giants who are bottom of the table with 18 points, have won 1, drawn 1 and lost 3 in their last 5 games and picked a paltry 3 points on the road, scored 6 and conceded 21 goals (3 away points - the lowest in the league).
Heart of Lions started the second round with a 1-0 win over Asante Kotoko but crashed to a 2-1 win against Accra Great Olympics on Matchday 19.
Skipper Ebenezer Abban is in contention for selection after recovering from a minor knock against Great Olympics. Returnee Godfred Kwadwo Asamoah, Yusif Afful, Bismark Anim, Christian Boateng, Yaw Danso, Ruben Hennessy, Dennis Hutor, Akwasi Mahama and Mustapha Yakubu are all fit for the game.
Real Tamale United forward, Mohammed Alhassan Mankuyeli will lead his side with the likes of Awudu Mohammed, Jorge Renchi, Adams Hafiz, Christian Gyan, Faisal Gariba, Iddrisu Gadafi, Abdul Aziz, Mohammed Iddriss, Abdul Sayibu and Baba Kushibo.
Finally on Sunday, Nations FC will welcome defending champions Medeama SC to the Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports complex at Abrankese.
Nations set the bar this week with a 1-0 win over leaders FC Samartex at Samerboi to condemn them to their first home loss of the season.
The win kept them in 4th place with 30 points – 5 points of the top having won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1 in their last 5 League games. Nations FC are unbeaten at home after collecting 21 points at home, scored 18, conceded 6 goals and ranks as the third club with the most accumulated home points (3 points behind FC Samartex and Aduana FC).
Champions Medeama SC have played two games less due to their participation in the final two games in the group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. The Tarkwa lads are 10th in the league table with 25 points, having won 1, drawn 3 and lost 1 in their last 5 games and managed 8 points on the road – scored 8 and conceded 12 goals.
Asamoah Boateng Afriyie (6 goals) is the top scorer of Nations FC in the ongoing campaign and aims to extend his goal tally against the champions. Nafiu Sulemana, Razak Simpson, Victor Oduro, Abdul Karim, Emmanuel Boahene, Barimah Baah, Michael Awuah, Sadiq Alhassan, Prince Acquah and Bismarck Oppong are all available for selection.
For the champions, the only missing part of the jigsaw is Jonathan Sowah who has joined Al Nasr Benghazi of Libya. In his absence, the club has signed former Ghana Premier League top scorer Diawusie Taylor to fill the void while the likes of Daniel Lomotey, Derrick Fordjuor, Nana Kofi Babil compliment him. Ghana left back Hamidu Abdul Fatawu, Baba Musah, Manuel Mantey and Bernard Tetteh OsarBenardinho look ready to start for Medeama SC.
The 3pm kick off game will be broadcast live on StarTimes Adepa channel 247 on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
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