Sansiro City crowned maiden Futsal League champions
Sansiro City FC from Achimota Christian Village made history on Sunday night when they were crowned the champions of the maiden Ghana Futsal Premier League after humiliating AMG 5-1 in the grand finale at the Lashibi JMJ astro turf.
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The Zone Two champions showed class when it mattered most to thrill the huge crowd and underline their status as the most outstanding side in the 2022/2023 season.
Overflowing joy greeted the crowning moment as vocal fans of Sansiro City FC burst into wild jubilation when goalkeeper Raphael Tsigbe received a giant trophy from the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, to endorse their memorable victory.
As a top-up, Sansiro City swept all the individual awards of the season, except the goal king prize which went to Kwaku Asiedu of Dacota FC who scored 31 goals.
Easily the most-talented player with a brace in the final, Tsatsu Saviour was adjudged the Best Player of the league, while skipper Raphael Tsigbe and his trainer, Francois Ayitey, were named Best Goalkeeper and Best Coach respectively.
The determination to carry the day was clear on the faces of Sansiro City players right from kickoff as they threatened their opponents goal at will until the 12th minute when Saviour connected home from close range to set the teeming fans yelling spontaneously.
While AMG were gradually warming themselves into the game, disaster struck them after 17 minutes when goalkeeper Michael Ruttmern was sent off for touching the ball outside the box in an attempt to deny an opponent a scoring opportunity.
The decision infuriated goalkeeper Ruttmern to protest vehemently but the match officials stood their grounds till his exit compelled a defender, Emmanuel Tei, to replace him. However, the resultant free-kick earned Sansiro City the second goal after Kamaldeen Osman had rifled home a bullet which blinded Tei to end the first half.
Still in cruise control, it took just three minutes for Sansiro City to triple their lead after recess through a brace by Kamaldeen Osman.
Having set the tone for a goal harvest, it was just a matter of course when unmarked playmaker Saviour hit a brace a minute later.
As the Achimotans maintained their dominance, goalkeeper Tsigbe put the icing on the cake of his side's emphatic victory with a sensational strike right from his goal area.
However, AMG ensured they registred their name on the score sheet of this five-a-side drama when hardworking Derrick Tawiah got a consolation goal seven minutes to go.
That was before substitute goalkeeper Tei had been knocked on the face by a powerful drive from strong defender, Richard Mensah. After receiving first aid which held up for almost five minutes, he was rushed to the hospital while his place was taken by another outfield player.
In the third place match which preceded the final, Dakota FC defeated Blooming Smiles 10-5.
After the night's impressive show which won many futsal disciples, the chairman of the Futsal League Committee, Nathaniel Markwei Korley, said he was fulfilled about the success of the first ever futsal league in the country and expected next season's competition to be an improvement over the maiden edition.
