Tamale City gave a fine kiss of life to their premiership aspirations on Saturday when they defeated Dansoman-based Liberty Professionals 1-0 in a hotly-contested game played at the Accra Sports Stadium.
A 43rd minute lob over the head of onrushing goalkeeper Lawrence Osei in the post for Liberty by Isaac Mensah was all the Citizens needed to draw level on points with the vanquished side on the log.
Liberty threw everything into the game in search of the equaliser and the possible winner, but luck eluded them from open play.
They were, however, presented with a golden opportunity in the 77th minute when substitute Kingsley Braye was adjudged by referee Joseph Kwofie to have brought down skipper Godfred Atuahene in the box, but lightning failed to strike twice in the competition for Liberty’s top markers man William Oduro who failed to score from the resultant spot-kick like he did in the opening game against Dwarfs.
With their back against the wall, Liberty pushed men forward in search of a goal and were left vulnerable at the back, Nana Yaw Asare capitalised on that to slot home the second goals but assistant referee Kofi Nyarko Bakai flagged it for offside.
The outcome leaves the competition open, with Liberty and Tamale City three points apiece ahead of the final game between Ebusua Dwarfs and Tamale City today.
A win for the Cape Coast lads will bring them level on points with the rest of the pack, with the head-to-head rule applying in the final stanza to determine who goes through.
City’s maiden appearance in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) hangs on their own neck as they line up against Cape Coast-based Dwarfs in the final game of the three-team all-play-all competition today at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The three-team competition has been organised by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to determine the team to replace demoted Obuasi AshantiGold SC from the Ghana Premier League (GPL) over match manipulations.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
