Accra Great Olympics overcame a stubborn Nsoatreman side to emerge 2-1 victors in their betPawa Ghana Premier League match day nine encounter at the Accra Sports Stadium, yesterday.
But that feat was marred by the darkness that engulfed the stadium after the game was strangely scheduled for 4pm and a delay to put on floodlight for the game to continue.
For well over 35 minutes, players and officials of both sides were kept spellbound as visibility became poor after 60 minutes of play.
The protest for the lights to be switched on by Nsoatreman goalkeeper who defied the match referee’s instruction to return to the post to restart the game.
He was joined by the other players at a point when the score was one all before the Match Commissioner and Fourth Referee got involved in discussion on whether to go ahead with the game or cause an abrupt end to it.
The 4pm kick-off was greeted with cloudy weather at the start of the game with Nsoatreman pressing the host for the opener.
The clash was expected to be a cagey one following the exploits of Great Olympics at home and the heroics away form of Nsoatreman FC lived up to its billing on the afternoon.
Before this game, Great Olympics held a four-home game unbeaten run – three wins and a draw, scoring five goals.
Nsoatreman FC since losing 1-0 to Hearts of Oak in their last visit to Accra on match day two, have managed to pick up four points on the road, a 1-1 draw with Dreams FC, and a 1-0 victory over Berekum Chelsea, and were expected to continue their fine form on the road against the ‘Dade’ Boys.
Against the run of play, Nsoatreman’s Mohammed Abdul Rahman opened the scoring for his side in the 15th minute, profiting from a flick-on from midfielder Sadat Mohammed to hit a half-volley past Benjamin Asare.
Great Olympics pressed for the equaliser but found it tough going breaking the rear of the visitors.
Goalkeeper Daniel Afadzwu’s resistance was broken in the 55th minute when Emmanuel Antwi curled home a free kick behind the penalty arch for the equaliser, marking the beginning the keeper’s protestations over poor visibility.
The actions of the goalkeeper and the technical bench of Nsoatreman FC held up play for close to 35 minutes.
Soon after the flood light issues were resolved, Antwi popped up to curl home from a beautiful Solomon Twene cross from the left flank to put the Dade boys in the lead.
Maxwell Konadu’s men came out firing from all angles for the leveler but Olympics defended gallantly.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
