Yakubu Mohammed scored a hat-trick yesterday as AshantiGold defeated New Edubiase United 3-2 at Obuasi to maintain their grip on the top spot of the First Capital Plus Premier League.
New Edubiase almost looked set to split the points with the Soccer Miners only to suffer a late heartbreak as Mohammed scored his third goal a minute to end the game to hand his side their seventh win of the season.
Nuhu Fuseini put the home team in front in the 17th minute but minutes later Yakubu scored his first goal and added another in the 40th minute to give his side a 2-1 first half advantage.
After recess Fuseini levelled the game with his second goal via a spot kick, but just when the game was heading for a draw, Yakubu converted a penalty kick in the 89th minute to hand Ashgold all three points at stake.
Accra Hearts of Oak slipped into the relegation zone after suffering their second defeat in a row, losing 0-1 to Heart of Lions at Kpando, while defending champions Kumasi Asante Kotoko remained in the 12th position after they were held to a scoreless draw by WAFA at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
At the Carl Reindorf Park at Dansoman, striker Kennedy Ashia’s beautiful strike from the spot-kick in the 88th minute made the difference as Liberty Professionals pipped visiting Berekum Chelsea 1-0, reports Kwame Larweh.
In a match played on a terrible pitch, both teams struggled to maintain ball control or string passes together, with both attacks lacking the cutting edge and finesse to convert the scoring chances that fell their way.
However, luck shone on the visitors in the 30th minute when goalkeeper Kweku Stephen of Liberty Professionals brought down striker Kofi Owusu in the penalty box. But, the striker failed to convert the chance as his feeble shot was parried away by the Liberty goalie.
In the second half, Liberty took the game to their opponents in search of the opener but their strikers, Ashia and Cissey Mohammed, were lethargic in the Chelsea goal area and failed to punish the Berekum side until late into the game when striker Michael Appiah was brought down in the penalty box for a deserved spot kick.
Ashia converted the kick to hand Liberty only their third win of the season and lift the Scientific Soccer Lads to the ninth position on the log.
