Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Dormaa Aduana Stars will renew their football rivalry tomorrow evening at the Kumasi Baba Yara Stadium when the two clash in the match-day 27 betPawa Premier League game.
At stake is a colossal three points that may define the season for either side.
For Kotoko, a win would all but lift them into the top-four zone of the log and keep them at arm’s length of defending the title they won last season.
In their last five games in all competitions at the Kumasi Sports Stadium, Kotoko have one win under their belt with two draws and a loss which came in the FA Cup game in February.
The last five league games have seen Kotoko record a win, two draws and two losses – the last being a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Berekum Chelsea at the Golden City Park in Berekum.
Aduana Stars, on the other hand, have two wins and three draws in their last five games with both teams having 15 games between them in the premier league. Kotoko have three wins with Aduana having five wins while seven have ended in a stalemate.
Kotoko’s season have been hampered by injuries to key actors on the field. However, this game will see the return of Rashid Nortey to the midfield as well as skipper of the side Richard Boadu and Eric Serge Zeze, who both missed the last game due to suspension.
For the travelling party, they have no injury worries with CoachPaaKwesiFabin in high hopes of keeping their top spot after this round of games.
Should they lose and Medeama win their game against Accra Lions, Aduana will surrender their top spot – a sight coach Fabin says he cannot hold.
Fourth-placed Bechem United will have an uphill task when they host Accra Hearts of Oak at the Nana FosuGyeabour Park today.
The last five games between the two in the league have seen Bechem United carry two wins with two draws and a loss, and many soccer pundits have called this game for the home side as well. But it remains to be seen as to how it would play out this afternoon when Coach David Ocloo leads his charges to test the might of CoachKassim Mingle and his boys.
OdaKotoku Royals will be looking to build up on their points when they take on Real Tamale United at the Theatre of Dreams in Dawu today.
Battling relegation, the Oda side have been on a roller-coaster ride in the second round – winning some key games but that has done little to their fortunes of staying afloat.
In other games, sixth-placed Bibiani Gold Stars will stay put at the Dun’s Park to host eighth-placed Berekum Chelsea in a game that is expected to be full of fireworks tomorrow. Nsoatreman FC will welcome a resurgent King Faisal side to the Nana Konamansah Park for another game that will have necks turning from one side to the other for 90 minutes.
Relegation-threatened side Accra Great Olympics will welcome Tamale City FC to the WAFA Park in Sogakope, after the former decided to abandon the Accra Sports Stadium during the week.
The Crosby Awuah Memorial Park in Aiyinase will be boiling with action when Karela United take on Legon Cities, who are seperated on the log by a point going into this game.
Dreams FC will trek to the timber twon of Samreboi to square off with FC Samartex 1996 in a game a home side looks likely to bag all three points.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
