Hello everyone welcome to my crystal ball preview of the second week of the 2017 Ghana premier league where Liberty Professionals, Ashantigold, Berekum Chelsea, WAFA and Hearts of Oak play in front of their home fans after hitting the road on Day One but what does my crystal ball holds for us for Week 2?…Are Kotoko going to win at the Golden City for the first time? How is even Malik AKowuah going to fare playing against his former Medeama side? Elmina Sharks premier league debut “asey ↄbɜ yɜ yie aa?”.
Ashantigold – Great Olympics
Playing in front of their home fans for the first time this season , Bashiru Hayford’s Ashantigold look set to collect maximum points against Accra Great Olympics after the Dormaa reverse on opening day of the season. If Bashiru has any good message to tell Miners’ fans that he is still the best man for the Obuasi job then this is certainly a perfect time to obtain first three points of the season.
This is one of two games this week in which two former winners of the Ghanaian championship lock horns with Ashantigold boasting of four titles against the two league honors of Great Olympics but the lack of progress and nosedive of the latter does not make this fixture what it was supposed to be. The Miners boast of much quality than their Saturday rivals and a win is highly expected for the home side. Olympics on the other hand had their last best season forty-three years ago when they clinched the 1974 league and have been relegated from the elite league many many times. This should be an easy one for the Miners.
Final predictions – Home win for Ashantigold. Clean sheet expected. Osei Baffour to score for Ashantigold.
…………………………………………………………
Berekum Chelsea – Asante Kotoko
This is another game to watch this weekend and it is happening at the Golden City park where the Porcupine Warriors have never won a game against Berekum Chelsea but tKotoko indeed have managed some good away wins against the Brong Ahafo side but those wins came at other venue other than the Golden City park which is a fortress for the Blues. Kotoko take note !
Chelsea lost away to Tema Youth abut it was expected anyway looking at their bad away form in the league but Kotoko picked all three points at the expense of Liberty Professionals winning 2-1 in Kumasi on opening day and Zdravko Logarusic’s side go into this game with so much confidence. Last season Chelsea- inspired by lethal forward Sadick Adams- humbled Kotoko at the Golden City but this is a new Kotoko side altogether whilst Berekum Chelsea are without the influential Adams who made the difference last year it is Kotoko that comes to the Golden City with experienced striker Yakubu Mohammed who hit a brace on his debut for the Kumasi giants.
What do you I see from my crystal ball? If Kotoko are really to contest for the league title then they need to step up at the Golden City now to win or at least avoid defeat. I think this is the best time for the Porcupine Warriors to end their Golden City bad run against Chelsea.
Final prediction – An away win for Kotoko. 1-0 likely scoreline. Yakubu Mohammed or Abass Mohammed to score.
…………………………………………………………
Hearts of Oak – Medeama
Medeama have not won the premier league but boast of two FA Cup titles but whenever they play against Hearts of Oak in Accra they play like champions. Just reflect on the number of good games the Mauves have chalked in recent times against the Phobians in Accra.
A revenge would be sweet for the visitors who lost 2-0 at home at this same time of the season in 2016 but key departures of likes of Kwame Boahene, Malik Akowuah, Abass Mohammed have greatly reduced the quality of the Yellow and Mauves and I doubt they could beat the Phobians.
Final predictions – Hearts of Oak win. Cosmos Dauda to score.
…………………………………………………………
WAFA – Dwarfs
Dwarfs travel to WAFA having won heavily on Day One against newcomers Bolga All Stars but a game against WAFA is much much difficult than that against Bolga All Stars.
The Academy side won 2-0 in this corresponding fixture last season and they are still favorites to win on Sunday.
Final predictions – WAFA win. Razak Abalora to keep clean sheet. Komlan Agbegniadan to score.
…………………………………………………………
Elmina Sharks – Aduana Stars
Aduana Stars could spoil league newcomers home party on Sunday when Sharks play their first ever 90 minutes of premier league football and I know the Sharks lads are buzzing to go as this game is their biggest in their history in that that they are coming up against a former league winner and runners-up of last season Aduana Stars a side that presents enormous quality everywhere on the pitch and on the bench.
Final prediction – Aduana Stars to win or draw.
…………………………………………………………
Liberty Professionals – Inter Allies
Liberty took an early lead against Asante Kotoko last Sunday but ended the game at the bad end of a 2-1 scoreline as they struggle to find consistency in the second half. Inter Allies had a comparatively better result drawing to Hearts of Oak at the El Wak stadium.
But the statistics show that Allies look good in their games against Liberty whether home or away. In 6 games contested by the two sides, Inter Allies have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1 but Allies were not inspiring against Hearts of Oak something that Prince Owusu will be concerned about. Liberty will win.
Final prediction – Liberty win. Papa Arko to score.
…………………………………………………………
Follow Gariba Raubil on twitter @GRAUBIL
