28 Down, Two To Go In Premiership - Kotoko, Ashgold To Fight For Champs League Slot

Two decisive moments at the weekend in the hectic run for this year's Onetouch Premiership title appear to have settled the riddle as to who will grab the diadem.

A famous 2-0 win achieved by the Phobians over Heart of Lions, and an unexpected crushing of Kumasi Asante Kotoko by Sekondi Hasaacas at the Sunyani Coronation Park, have put paid to the intentions of the Porcupine Warriors to stake a surprise claim to the title.

Mr Jerry Asare, Director of Operations in the management of Kotoko, yesterday declared that the championship dream of the Porcupine Warriors was over and said “unless God intervened, the league title is out of our reach.”

“We declared operation 15 points when the league had five matches to go, but now it's all disappointment, and with only two matches left nothing much can be done except to pray for the unexpected,” Asare said, with his mind set on the three disciplinary committee cases filed against Hearts by Tema Youth, Ashgold and King Faisal.

Still upbeat about the chances of Kotoko in the remaining two matches, the Kotoko management member said his outfit would strive to pick a slot for next year's Champions League.

Whilst the Kotoko hierachy appears to have given up on the league, Ashgold are still exuding confidence, and their Chief Executive, Mr Kudjoe Fianoo, argued that the protest pending at the FA's Disciplinary Committee and the last two matches would be the real defining moments in the coming few days.

But Hearts Administrative Manager, Ashford Tettey-Oku, strongly asserts that if the matter should be narrrowed down to the disputes pending at the Disciplinary Committee, then the league is over for Hearts.

For those with a keen sense of tradition, last weekend's drama was expected because in the 50 years that Hearts and Kotoko have maintained dominance in the premiership, the side which has succeeded in winning duels between them eventually carries the league. Hearts had earlier secured a double over Kotoko.

Indeed, Hearts, who are waiting for their coronation as the league champions by the arithmetics of the situation, need only a point, but this could be elusive against desperate Gamba All Blacks who host them in a penultimate fixture.

Kotoko will have another difficult hurdle to scale over at Berekum against Arsenals whilst Ashgold could cruise further with an easy challenge at home with relegation- threatened RTU.

Relegation troubles will still loom for Bofoakwa, Feyenoord and Faisal as they play Real Sportive at Cape Coast, Tema Youth on Staurday at Cape Coast and Power at home.

Story by Andy Quao