Aduana Stars, Hearts of Oak, and Asante Kotoko all failed to win on matchday 13 of the Ghana Premier League, but Accra Lions and Karela United finished with key home victories. Meanwhile, Great Olympics rose up the ladder with an important win after five games, while Medeama fell.
Here are five talking points from the 13th round of matches.
A WIN FOR KARELA AT LAST
It was a sigh of relief for one of the worst-performing sides in the league this season, as Karela United shocked league leaders Aduana Stars at the Crosby Awuah Memorial (CAM) Park. The Anyinase boys bounced back from a seven-game winless run with a narrow victory thanks to Evans Adomako’s solitary strike.
Karela have been battling to get back to the top after finishing fourth last season but a few factors seem to have retarded their progress. They have now found a win which would possibly play a positive role in reviving their fortune.
Having finally found a win, they will attempt to stay away from the relegation zone in their next attempt. They still lie 17th and would search for another victory when they engage Great Olympics in their next Premier League match.
GREAT OLYMPICS END WINLESS RUN
After five matches, Great Olympics recorded a 2-0 win over bottom-placed Kotoku Royals. Kotoku Royals may not be in the best of form but the win over them will give more to Olympics who have now climbed to eighth place.
The Accra-based side had blown chances to win maximum points in previous matches but the pedigree of most of their opponents cannot be undermined. They drew with both Kotoko and Hearts and lost to league leaders Aduana Stars. With that considered, Yaw Preko’s men sorely needed a win to situate themselves for the battle.
DREAMS FC RISING SLOWLY
Dreams FC can keep believing to achieve something positive this season after recuperating from a terrible run. They beat Real Tamale United 3-1 and extended their streak to seven matches without defeat. They had to play six matches without a win following their back-to-back victories at the start of the season. But they quickly got back on track and are now unbeaten in their last six games.
Dreams FC may not be favourites but if consistency is found in their pattern, rubbing shoulders with the top sides could be a possibility.
A few weeks ago they were 15th but are now seventh on the table.
LIONS BACK IN IT
Accra Lions capitalized on the failures of Kotoko and Hearts to climb to the second position. They beat Berekum Chelsea 2-1 in a fiercely contested clash on Monday afternoon to get back to where they started. Stalemates from Kotoko and Hearts opened the way for Accra Lions, who were brutal at the start of the season which put them on top.
However, their performance instantly switched from outstanding to lousy as they struggled to churn out results.
They currently seem to have checked well their weaknesses and have bounced back in the last weeks with two wins out of three.
Accra Lions stand a chance of going back to top spot when they play Aduana Stars in their next match.
CONSISTENCY MISSING IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
It is easier to spot competing teams persistently recording poor results but no team in recent times have been consistent in winning as far as the Ghana Premier League is concerned.
The narrative paints a picture as though the league is now competitive but deep analysis reveal the mediocrity and averageness in terms of quality in the various teams.
For instance, Asante Kotoko are winless in their last four games but are still third with just three points adrift of Aduana Stars who sit top of the league.
