La Town XI last Saturday claimed the bragging rights over their Osu Town XI counterparts, beating them 1-0 in the first leg of the 2022 Homowo festival match played at the Osu Salem Park.
A second half header from Kwadjo Manu was all the visitors needed to break the hosts, who had not lost a game in almost two decades at home.
Played as part of activities to mark the Homowo festival of the chiefs and people of the two towns, the game brought together young up-and-coming football stars as well as established ones from both towns to market their trade whilst defending the flags of their communities.
Put together by the Osu Klottey Assembly Members in collaboration with Osu Town XI Oldies, the well-attended encounter lived up to its pre-match hype as one of the best orgainsed and well-attended Homowo matches in recent times with every available space covered, giving security personnel some tough time to control the crowd.
Osu Town XI, who had in their line-up former Ghana Premier League (GPL) winner Godfred Saka, Samuel Armah of Great Olympics and former Malmö FF striker Benjamin Fadi among others buoyed by the home supporters, began the game on a spirited note, attacking the opponents in search of an early goal – but met a resolute backline of La Town XI led by Sam Boye, Kelvin Annang and Manu who made life very difficult for Armah and Fadi upfront.
La Town XI, who played second fiddle to the hosts in the first quarter of the game, began to grown in confidence and made some few forays into the goal area of the hosts but nothing profitable came out of those efforts as Maxwell Abbey Quaye of Great Olympics fame was held in check by Malik Bawa and Rshid Abdulai
Chances were few and far from to cause havoc for both sides. However, it was Osu who arguably had the best chance of the half in the 39th minute when Saka curled a free-kick from behind the box only for Great Olympics shot-stopper Ismaila Seidu to parry the ball over the bar.
Both teams came into the game with a well-rehearsed defensive plan to catch each other on the break, and it worked for both sides throughout the game.
However, loss of concentration at the back on the 58th minute mark coupled with some sloppy marking from Saka on Great Olympics winger Samuel Ashie Quaye saw the latter gaining the advantage and delivering a cross for the towering Manu to nod past goalkeeper Joseph Tetteh in the post for Osu.
Osu Town XI threw everything into the game in search of the equaliser but tried as they did, they failed. Not even a last-minute sublime free-kick from behind the box again by Saka, could cause havoc.
In the curtain raiser game, Osu Town XI reserve side played a goalless draw game with Prestige FC, while in the volleyball game La Pioneers volleyball male team defeated Osu Youth Volleyball team 3-2 with the Osu Youth female side losing 3-1 in the female encounter.
The La Youth Football Association (LYFA), led Mr Michael Adjetey Adjei, aka Dormon, and Daniel Koney, together with the La Old Footballers Association will organise and host the second leg at the McDan La Town Park on Saturday, August 20 at 3pm.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
