Okwawu wins first league game

Soccer Mountaineers Okwawu United won their first three maximum points in the six-week old GT Premier League with a 2-0 home victory over a half-strength Feyenoord at the Nkawkaw Park. The regular team of the Feyenoord boys are in Amsterdam, Holland, for an invitational tournament.

Buoyed by the inclusion of three former Hearts of Oak players, Kwame Antwi, Charles Benson and Wisdom Abbey, the Okwawu team was completely transformed and the goals came as no surprise at all to the supporters.

Abubakar Yusuf scored the opener when he applied his head to Owusu's lob while Antwi made victory certain with the a 55th-minute free kick.

At the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi, Ahantigold suffered a massive home defeat when they lost by 1-3 to King Faisal to send the home fans into mourning.

The homers dictated the pace in the early minutes of the game as Mohammed Polo and Mark Komade tested goalkeeper Abukari Kankani who shone to keep Faisal in the match.

The early threat by Ashantigold brought out all the elements from the two teams and they treated the fans to excellent football, with all players challenging for the ball very competitively.

Habib Mohammed turned the tide in favour of Faisal when he scored the first goal on 23 minutes to intensify the pressure on the home team. The striker picked a headed ball treaded to his path by Sumaila Mohammed and knocked a feeble shot into the net for the opener. Ashantigold responded swiftly and restored their pride a minute later when Kwaku Sarpong finished off an incisive pull out from Ofosu "Tico Toco" Amoah.

In the second half, Asnantgold introduced Kwaku Wiafe for Mark Komade, while Faisal also substituted goalkeeper Kankani with Suraju Mohammed.

The changes profited Faisal who restored their lead in the 47th minute through Eric Gawu who stunned the home fans with a bicycle kick that hit the back of the net.

Thereafter, it was Ashantigold, which throttled harder looking for the equaliser but the defenders of Faisal warded off their onslaughts.

With a minute left to play in regulation time, Edward Owusu Prempeh increased the woes of the home side with a goal that sent most fans of the miners into pensive mood, bringing the final score to 3-1 for the visitors. Liberty Thrash Hasaacas Michael Osei sold out a classy performance reserved for classy performers to inspire Dansoma-based Liberty Professionals to squeeze four unanswered goals past visiting Sekondi Hasaacas in their sixth-week GT Premier League match at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra. The player popularly known as "Ember Power" scored two goals and created two to complete the quartet with an admirable output, underscoring the reason why he is the song jewel on Liberty's crown. On an afternoon where telepathic understanding proved decisive for Liberty, the Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio coached club, scored once and thrice in both halves to wrap up the maximum points.

With periodic onslaught from both sides, it was Liberty who seized the moment by taking the lead on the hour mark when Michael Helegbe finished off a beautiful move by Osei to signify their intention of humiliating their visitors.

Osei tore his markers into shreds before setting up the skilful Helegbe to slot home from an acute range.

Hasaacas were earlier lucky not to have conceded a goal after a Mustapha Essuman's piercing header kissed the goal posts and rebounded to safety while Helegbe's intelligent lob deflected off Ekow Ampiah to touch.

Hasaacas recovered well and with amazing shuffling and occasional flashes of brilliance, the "Giants of the West" gave their followers enough reason to expect the equalizer that never was, to end the first session.

Osei's magic resurfaced deep into the second half when he capped a fine move that he initiated to mark his first goal on the 70th minute since joining Liberty from Kumasi Asante Kotoko. He grabbed the brace a minute later when he capitalized on a defensive mess up by Hasaacas for the Club's third before setting up substitute Kofi Nti Boakye to notch home the forth, enabling the youngster to take his goal tally on the scorers chart to three.