‘Betway Derby’ Recap: Early Goal, Red Cards, Woodwork Define Fiery Affair

Ashantigold emerged winners of a fiery “Betway Derby” in Obuasi, beating Medeama 1-0 in match week 5 of the ongoing NC Special Competition.

The game between the two Betway sponsored clubs was rightly billed to be a classic, and it proved that and more. An early goal from Amos Addai settled the game in favor of Ashgold, in a game that also produced two red cards.

The home team, Ashantigold, were desperate to return to winning ways, having not won a game since their opening day victory over Eleven Wonders.

Medeama, on the other hand, were buzzing going into the game, unbeaten in two matches, with a 100 percent winning start to the competition.

Svetislav Tanasijevic was forced into making changes to his starting line up, most notably, Roland Amouzou was roped in for the injured Eric Donkor, who picked up his injury in the Miners’ 2-0 defeat to Asante Kotoko some 3 days prior.

Ashantigold shot off the blocks early, with Amos Addai, who was handed a start ahead of Emmanuel Nti Mensah, rounding the Eric Ofori Antwi in the Medeama goal to give Ashgold the lead heading into the break at half time.

Back from recess, Medeama took full control but despite their dominance, the woodwork and poor finishing combined to rob Samuel Boadi’s men of the equalizer. First, Awudu Tahiru’s shot came off the crossbar in the 53rd minute, before Yussif Musah’s effort also came off the woodwork in the 90th minute.

In between those two efforts though, Richard Osei Agyemang (Ashgold) and Tahiru Awudu (Medeama) were both shown straight red cards for turning the pitch into Kungfu practice ground, exchanging reckless kicks around the 70th-minute mark.

For Medeama, it was their first defeat of the competition but they would walk away feeling proud of their showing that was far from easy for their opponents.

It was a truly special game of football, churned out by two of the best football clubs in the country; their success on the pitch, complemented by success off it and driven by a true global bookmaking giant, Betway.