A welcome return to form for Medeama and a timely one at such. The 2-1 home win over Aduana meant Medeama bagged maximum points but there was something more significant about the victory than just the spoils at stake. It was quite astonishingly the first home victory for the Yellow and Mauves and a quick reminder to the rest of the division that they can really turn on the style when the pieces fall in place.
It wasn’t the most complete performance but the manner with which they comprehensively outplayed Aduana for large spells of the game suggested Medeama could be closing in on getting themselves back to form, the sort we became so accustomed to last season and the season prior. It was the sort of form which made Medeama one of the bookmakers’ favorites to go all the way and topple the rest of the division and they very much lived up to the expectations before the season got terminated prematurely on each occasion.
This season has presented a brand-new proposition altogether and the indifferent start to the season suggests Medeama are struggling to deal with the weight of expectations which has pretty much soared to an all time high simply because of news which broke out of Tarkwa hot on the heels of the commencement of the season.
The club announced a mouthwatering sponsorship deal from Goldfields Ghana Ltd and in the process fanning the flames for those who believed Medeama are primed to annex the ultimate this season and the thinking was that the financial backing will spur the club on to immediately hit the ground running once the season kickstarts. Beyond that, the return of Justice Blay after his loan stint with Kotoko was welcome news for the club and the fans with it believed that one of last season’s top performers in the topflight would add star quality to an already impressive setup.
But 8 games into the season, things have not quite gone according to plan with just ten points amassed. Loads of other factors have accounted for the relatively poor start but the glaring lack of a reliable source of goals is the most disconcerting. Ten goals have been scored and ten have been shipped in thus far and on the face of it, that is a pretty decent return on the goalscoring front but four alone was scored vs WAFA and two vs Aduana last time out. Prince Opoku Agyemang and Nana Kofi Babil combined to devastating effect in the most dominant spells for Medeama last season but have both departed since.
Abass Mohammed and Abdul Basit were drafted in as replacements but have flattered to deceive and look destined to leave in the not-too-distant future. Ahmed Toure has been snapped up and is expected to slot in straightaway and provide the sort of focal point which has been nonexistent at times this season for Medeama.
League leaders Ashanti Gold lie next in wait and as truest litmus tests come, the matchup vs Hans Kwofie, Appiah McCarthy, Yaw Annor and co is very much up there. Medeama have conceded ten goals as mentioned earlier with five coming in the reverse at Sogakope vs WAFA alone in their last away outing and they could be in for a rude awakening should the likes of Daniel Egyin, Ali Ouattara, Bright Enchil and Samuel Appiah continue fluffing their lines at the back.
So with Len Clay beckoning, are Medeama set to build on the impressive victory over Aduana and in the process kickstart something resembling a consistent run of form or these early season wobbles will continue? We are set to find all of that out on Sunday.
