Aduana Stars shot stopper, Stephen Adams

Aduana Stars aim to topple Hearts

Chris Nunoo Sports News May - 21 - 2016 , 14:50

Accra Hearts of Oak will seek to maintain their fine away performance when they visit the dreaded Nana Agyeman Badu Park at Dormaa-Ahenkro to play against in-form Aduana Stars in their week 13 Premier League match.

Hearts were unimpressive in their 1-0 victory against Sekondi Hasaacas last Wednesday, escaping by the skin of their teeth due in part to a controversial decision by Referee O. B. Amankwaa to overrule a late equalising goal by Hasaacas. But the Phobians have nonetheless exhibited a good away form with four wins against Medeama, Inter Allies, Chelsea and AshantiGold, as well as two draws with Ebusua Dwarfs and Techiman City, statistics which make the Phobians a real threat to Aduana’s strong home record of five wins out of six matches.

However, on account of last Wednesday’s performance in a match played behind closed doors, Coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi and his assistant Yaw Preko will have a lot of work on hand since their opponents are on a five-match winning run going into Sunday’s game at their fortress.

Having worked their way to the second position on the log, just two points shy of Hearts, the Dormaa-Ahenkro lads would be motivated to win and jump into pole position. Such ambitions have been backed by a winning mentality handed down to the players by their Romanian coach Cioaba Aristica, who has a solid defence built around skipper Godfred Saka and goalkeeper Stephen Adams, and a sharp attack, which has scored 15 goals in their last five games and is spearheaded by the league’s leading scorer Yahaya Mohammed.

Kumasi Asante Kotoko seem to have found their rhythm under caretaker coach Michael Osei, who has guided them from the bottom rung of the ladder to the fourth position. Tomorrow afternoon they look poised to add struggling Inter Allies to their victims at the Baba Yara Stadium.

The Porcupine Warriors, who will be missing their striker Dauda Mohammed on national duties, start as odds-on favourites at home against a side who are yet to record a win away and have been hard hit by the absence of four regular players, including their livewire Evans Mensah (to the Black Satellites).

In the other fixtures this weekend, ninth-placed WAFA will be at home against fifth-placed Techiman City at the Sogakope Park, defending champions Ashgold take on third-placed Wa All Stars at Obuasi, while Sekondi Hasaacas welcome Ebusua Dwarfs to Essipon in another tricky clash.

Dansoman-based Liberty Professionals play host to New Edubiase United at the Carl Reindorf Park, with Dreams FC engaging CAF Confederation Cup contenders Medeama SC at the Dawu Park.