Sports

Aduana Stars, Kotoko, Hearts in tricky ties

 League leaders Aduana Stars, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko would be involved in tricky duels this weekend as battle for top places intensify with match day six fixtures of the betPawa Ghana Premier League (GPL).

Aduana Stars lead the pact with 13 points from a maximum of 15 points in the first five matches of the season.

They are separated with just five points from the seventh placed team Hearts of Oak which seem to have been transformed since the Slavco Matic takeover.

Between them lie Accra Lions in second position, Accra Great Olympics in third, Asante Kotoko in fourth, followed by Karela United and Berekum Chelsea who all stand chances of climbing the league table should the others flops.

That presents a dicey picture for the forerunners who are all scrambling for top places and con­solidate them as those at the lower ranks of the table also aim to join the race.

Of the aforementioned trio, Kotoko’s task appears the toughest as they travel away to face bogey side, Medeama at the Tarkwa and Abosso Park in what promises to be full of fireworks.

The Porcupine Warriors started the season on a sluggish note as they combined the local campaign with the continental CAF Cham­pions League competition which they failed to progress to the group stage.

That left them fully concentrated on the betPawa Premiership which they recorded wins from two out­standing games to join the elites.

Kotoko has suffered a loss to Bechem United and drew with biggest rivals Hearts in Kumasi.

Against Medeama, they would hope to win to keep pace with their leaders.

That should be possible con­sidering Medeama’s two-match winless run, the last of which came against Great Olympics in Accra.

But with the heat getting to David Duncan, the new man in the helm of affairs, finds the occasion as a perfect time to bounce back.

Ironically, Kotoko’s biggest ri­vals, Hearts have enjoyed a decent run since their Serbian trainer took over, registering two straight wins over Nsoatreman in Accra and Kotoku Royals in Cape Coast.

That has, undoubtedly, raise the expectation of the Phobian fol­lowers who are anticipating a third straight win over a Karela United side that is yet to establish them­selves as a force to reckon with.

Aduana’s task at the Aliu Ma­hama Sports Stadium in Tamale against Real Tamale United (RTU) also look like a mouthwatering tie that could get fans cheering all day.

With an improved Accra Lions and Olympics sides breathing heavily on their necks, they have no other outcome than a win on the agenda but RTU, strengthened by Kofi Abagna’s form, could pro­vide a very threatening opposition to derail their course.

Bechem United will also test the current form of second placed Accra Lions when they clash in Bechem.

In other matches, Dreams FC will travel to the Western region to face off with new entrants, Nsoatreman while Samartex oblige GoldStars at Samreboi.

BY ANDREW NORTEY

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