WAFA to worry Bechem at home?
The tempo for this season’s Ghana Premier League (GPL) is steadily rising each passing week and this weekend, the action will be at the Fosu Gyeabour Park where Bechem United host WAFA in what promises to be a keenly contested tie.
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The outcome of Sunday’s game will significantly impact the title race, given that the two sides are tied on 14 points apiece with WAFA lying third and Bechem in fourth position on the GPL log.
Interestingly, last season, the two sides were in a neck-and-neck battle on the GPL table and it took a play-off, which WAFA won, to separate them and decide which side finished in sixth and seventh positions.
This season, it looks like they are headed for that road again with very little to choose between them as the similarities run deep, separated only by goal difference.
Out of eight matches played so far, both Bechem and WAFA have won four, drawn two and lost two. They both have scored 11 goals, but Bechem have conceded seven goals, two more than WAFA have let in.
Both sides have made significant changes to the heads of their technical teams, Bechem opting for Italian Vincenzo Alberto Annese, while WAFA have a Dane, Klavs Rasmussen.
They have similar style of playing, relying more on their strength in midfield, but Bechem have a stronger spring in their step with the presence of the experienced striker Ahmed Toure.
Toure has assumed the role of a WAFA midfield built around Richard Danso, Gideon Waja, Emmanuel Boateng and Majeed Ashimeru, who have proved to be a dependable engine for the Sogakope-based side so far.
Despite a relatively improved away performance this season (won one, drawn one and lost two on the road), WAFA have dodged the question of whether they intend to keep a top-four finish this season.
But on account of their performance so far, that seems to be their target, with their team manager, George Ofosuhene, saying the club plan “a respectable finish in the Ghana Premier League” as a fitting tribute to their departed technical director and respected coach, Sam Hemans Arday.
“Our focus is always on a good performance. We always set out to at least get a draw and that will be our focus as we go to Bechem,” Mr Ofosuhene told Mirror Sports.
Playing at home favours Bechem United, who are unbeaten at the Fosu Gyeabour Park, but WAFA’s stunning 4-1 victory over Wa All Stars may just have given them the confidence boost to seek another away win.
After a week’s break, the league resumes with the bottom clubs hoping to bounce back to avoid early relegation fights.
Time is running out for Coach Godwin Attram and his young Great Olympics side as they face visiting Ebusua Dwarfs on Sunday at the Accra Stadium, where the Wonder club are yet to record a win in four home games.
Also, the match between Tema Youth and Medeama SC at the Tema Stadium will be one to watch as the home side, buoyed by their win against Hearts of Oak before the break, seek to continue from where they left off at home.
In other matches, second-placed Kumasi Asante Kotoko will host Inter Allies at the Baba Yara Stadium, Hearts are guests to Berekum Chelsea at the Golden City Park and Ashgold will host Bolga All Stars.
Elmina Sharks also welcome Liberty Professionals at the Nduom Stadium tomorrow afternoon in the first clash of the weekend’s fixtures.