League Day 8: Results/Reports

Herewith the results and match reports of the Kinapharma league matches played throughout the country today: Accra: Olympics 1-1 Hearts Kumasi: Kotoko 4-0 Mines Stars Berekum: Arsenals 2-0 Lions Sunyani: Bofoakwa 1-0 Okwahu Utd Bolga: RTU 0-1 Faisal Sekondi: Hasaacas 1-0 BA Utd K'dua: Power FC 0-0 Goldfields Accra: Liberty 4-2 Stay Cool (played on Saturday) Kotoko Thrash Mine Stars Kumasi Asante Kotoko scored four goals against less-fancied Prestea Mine Stars in their match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. Shilla Alhassan opened the scores for Kotoko when he headed home a beautiful cross from Yusif Chibsah in a goalmouth melee. After this goal, Kotoko, determined to nail the visitors to the cross continued to pile pressure, with Godfred Yeboah's shot missing the post in the 8th minute. Prestea Mines came into the picture a minute later but Eric Mbroh missed a good chance when he fumbled. Michael scored the second goal for Kotoko in the 14th minute after receiving a pass from Stephen Oduro. With Kotoko in full control of the game they made series of incursions and Shilla Alhassan shot at target in the 27th minute but his shot was saved brilliantly by goalkeeper Patrick Antwi. In the 43rd minute, Shilla Alhassan made it three for his side against the run of play when he connected a pass from Stephen Oduro. The shot hit the woodwork and deflected into the net. In the second half Eric Asare of Mine Stars took over from goalkeeper Antwi. The Miners also brought in Mackwood Amankwaa for Adu Gyamfi to strengthen the attack. It was still Kotoko who continued to probe for more goals and this came into reality when Michael Osei scored the fourth goal in the 61st minute through a beautiful header. The visitors made all the attempts they could to get a consolation goal but the iron clad defence of Kotoko would not give in as referee Roger Osabu of Tamale whistled for the end of the game. Olympics Hold Hearts Wonder Club Accra Great Olympics on Sunday put their slogan on display when they came back from a one-goal deficit to snatch an equalizer in the last minute of their match against Accra Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium. The wonder club earned the well-deserved result because they were the dominant side in the game as they had greater part of the exchanges right from the first whistle to the end. Determined to avenge a 2-0 defeat suffered at the hands of Hearts in an anniversary match two weeks ago the "Dade Boys" come out to save their fans from suffering from another pain of losing to Hearts and this they managed to achieve after 90 minutes of hostilities through a Roger Odamttens' equalizer. Hearts who played at home could not settle in the game and allowed the visitors to win most 50-50 balls and conceded the midfield battle to Oly as Francis Manteyand Kwabena Dodzi took control while the phobians occasionally attacked on the break with Laryea Kingston, Bernard Don Bortey and Lawrence Adjei who was having his first outing for the team in the premier league. Hearts drew the first blood in the 43rd minute when Don Bortey pounced on a long ball from keeper James Nanor and raced into the vital area of Olympics before putting the ball beyond keeper Theophilus Mensah. The goal however drew some controversy when some officials of Olympics nearly attack referee Vivian Agoe as they argued that the goal was an off side one, but the security personnel on duty managed to control them. Olympics came back from recess much determined and continued with their dominance, putting the game on the same pattern as it was in the first half, but it was Hearts who created some clear chances which mostly fell on the path of Adjei, Abbey and Bortey but were not utilised. Coach E.K. Afranie substitutions in the second half which saw him bringing on Paa Joe Kumah and Odamten for Amui Quaye and Andy Pomayie respectively added more power to the Olympics attack and yielded fruits in injury time when all hopes seemed lost. The equalizer came after a series of attacks in the vital area of Hearts and ball fell on the path of Odamten deep in the defensive third of Hearts and the striker had no difficulty in putting the ball into the net to bring the final score to one goal apiece. Duncan leads Hasaacas to beat BA United Sekondi, July 13 - GNA - David Duncan began his job as head coach of Sekondi Hasaacas with a one nil victory over Brong Ahafo United in their Kinapharma Premier League match played at the Gyandu Park, Sekondi. Issah Mohammed scored the only goal of the match in the 68th minute when he picked up a loose ball in the vital area of the Brong Ahafo lads and shot past keeper Samuel Quansah who remained stranded and helpless as a result of the speed of the ball. The match was evenly contested, particularly in the first half but both teams failed to score as a result of erratic shooting and over elaboration on the part of the attackers. Backed by a massive home support, Hasaacas showed the zeal to win but Issah missed a clear chance on 25 minutes and Isaac Frimpong messed up another chance five minutes later. In the second half, the BA boys stepped up their game and enjoyed long spells of possession but the defenders of Hasaacas refused to yield until the visitors were stunned by Issah's gaol. On 70 minutes, the visitors were reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Quansah was shown the red card after the second yellow card for time wasting. He was replaced by Frank Adjei. Hasaacas had two good chances to go further ahead in the dying minutes but Issah who had rejoined the team after a season in Sweden and Robert Mensah missed the chances. Bofoakwa Beat Okwawu At Sunyani, Sunyani-based Bofoakwa Tano beat visiting Okwahu United 1-0 in their match played at the Sunyani Coronation Park. Left-winger Amadu Halimah scored the only goal of the match in the 28th minute. The goal however came against the run of play as Captain Edward Acquaye and his Okwahu boys had dominated most part of the early exchanges of the game but were deprived of a goal due to poor marksmanship. But officials and players of Okwahu United would not forgive controversial referee Sampson Kwao and his assistant line two, Dawutey, for disallowing a perfect goal scored by left-winger Samuel Monney in the 88th minute. Monney outwitted the defence of Bofoakwa Tano including goalkeeper Ransford Cudjoe and hit the net but referee Kwao who first whistled for a goal later changed his decision after consulting his line two assistant whose flag was still up signifying that Monney scored from an offside position. As expected the Okwahu players protested against the referee's reversed decision but he would not budge. Unlike the first half when the home team almost played below standard, they made amends on resumption when Alex Gyimah and Kofi Asiedu came on to strengthen the attacking force. The Okwahu boys also made changes by bringing in Mensah Eric and Ohene Owusu but the visitors' effort to level up matters was punctured when in the 47th minute one of their top strikers, Ebenezer Baah was red-carded for unruly behaviour. Arsenal Beat Lions At Berekum, Arsenals who out-doored their new bus on Saturday defeated Kpando Hearts of Lions 2-0 in their match. Goldfields Hold Power In Koforidua, visiting Obuasi Goldfields held Koforidua based Power F/C to a goalless draw in their match played at the Koforidua Sports Stadium. The match which was watched by one of the biggest crowds at the Koforidua Sports Stadium in recent times oftentimes degenerated into rough play and exchange of blows among the players at the blind side of Referee W. A. Buckman Yalley due to his inability to stamp his authority on the match. The whole match was a midfield affair with George Eranio, the inside left of Goldfields sometimes taking on the defence of Power but his various efforts failed to yield any results due to poor co-ordination with his team mates. Power had two good chances to take the lead in the 30th and 68th minutes when on both occasions their outside right Nafio Sulley and inside left, Agblexo Wisdom in that order, received through passes in the goal area of Goldfields but they lifted the ball over the head of onrushing Abubakari Kankani in the post of Goldfields but on both occasions the ball sailed over the bar. Goldfields also came close to scoring in the 69th minute when their substitute player , Owusu Agyeman took a free kick which beat Sulley Abubakar in the post of Power but the shot missed the left top corner of the goal post by inches.