LEAGUE: Bofoakwa Shock Faisal

Sunyani (B/A) June 13, GNA - Bofoakwa Tano beat visiting Kumasi King Faisal 1-0 in the Northern Zone Kinapharma novelty premier league match played at the Coronation Park in Sunyani on Sunday. Eric Ansah scored the only goal of the match in the 75th minute of the second half when he connected home with a header an aerial cross by substitute Eric Nkrumah.

Goalkeeper Mohammed Suraji who had before the goal endeared himself to the spectators with perfect saves however misjudged the pass giving Ansah the easy option of heading home.

Incidentally Ansah, a former player of relegated Stay Cool originally wanted to sign for Faisal but eventually switched on to Bofoakwa.

It was therefore no surprise that he played his heart out to prove to Alhaji Gruzah's club executives that they misjudged their priorities for rejecting him.

The game itself was a ding-dong affair especially in the first half with the two sides squandering goal-scoring chances right from the blast of the whistle of FIFA Referee William Agbovi of Suhum from the Eastern Region for the proceedings to begin.

King Faisal nearly took the lead when the match was barely a minute old, but Kwabena Opoku's thunderbolt of a shot in the goal area of "Bofo" was saved by goalkeeper Ransford Cudjoe.

Left off the hook, Bofoakwa threw everything into their attack and in the process Abdulai Tahiru who had a glorious chance in the sixth minute saw goalkeeper Suraji saving the situation.

Four minutes later, goalkeeper Suraji was once again called upon to save a close range shot from Nkrumah.

Key defender Abeiku Aikins of Bofoakwa in his characteristic play of over-lapping, beat three defenders in a row but instead of slotting the ball home surprisingly decided to pass to a colleague but a Faisal defender intercepted the move to clear to safety.

Joseph Doe of Bofoakwa and Shilla Illiasu of Faisal were shown the yellow card close to the end of the first half for foul play. On resumption both sides started in a whirlwind fashion but unlike the first half the decisions of referee Agbovi and his two assistants - Ahele Daniel and Anthony Opai, both from Koforidua, begrudged the visitors with their strange decision as most of their decisions went against King Faisal, prompting Alhaji Gruzah to complain from his VIP seat.

The game thereafter degenerated into rough house tactics and in the 64th minute Kwabena Opoku of King Faisal was shown the yellow card.