The GN Bank sponsored Division One League will bounce back in midweek style once again following a short break this past weekend for MTN FA Cup tournament matches. Nothing but tricky road encounters await the various leaders of all three Zones.
Zone One leaders – Unity FC – will have the chance to at worse maintain their 4point advantage over their immediate competitors, but they will first have to dispose of a 10th placed Kintampo FC side in a road match that has all the trappings of a tricky encounter written all over it. Kintampo FC, despite their uninspiring record have been good at home where they have lost just once this season, to Eleven Wonders. They have held their own at home with wins against good sides like B.A. Utd, B. Arsenals and W. NEA Salamina. Unfortunately for them, they opened up their first two matches of the second half on the road with back-to-back losses and they can’t afford a third straight loss despite being a comfortable 9points adrift of the first relegation spot. They will also have vengeance for their 2-0 first round loss on their mind in addition to playing the enviable role of spoilers. Unity FC have their work cut out for them in this one, they are the better side on paper, and are unbeaten in their last two road matches, but the odds seems to be stacked up against them by virtue of being on the road.
Recommended: GN Bank DOL Week 17 Roundup: Unity FC, Karela FC maintain advantage, Lions hold Dreams FC as Danbort FC stun Vision FC in five-goal thriller
Recommended: GN BANK DOL Week 17 Preview: B. Arsenal to test Unity FC, Gold Stars, New Edubiase fight for second spot, and Dreams FC eye revenge against Lions
A tie looks more like a possibility, but the call is definitely up to the Kintampo lads who need the win badly. Second placed Techiman City will have the chance to remain within striking distance of the top spot as well as keep their hopes for a quick return to tier-one soccer alive but they will have to overcome a struggling 12th placed Guan FC side that is adrift of safety by a mere point. Fortunately for TCFC, their hosts have an uncompelling record at home and they just might be able to squeak by with a win depending on which Guan FC team shows up. Third placed with 30points W. NEA Salamina will also have the chance to draw closer to the summit, like the two teams ahead of them they will also have to eke out a win on the road. Unfortunately for the Wamanafo Salamina crew, winning on the road is just not one of their strengths, and they just might find it tough against a side like Glory Stars that has struggled some all season long but are currently playing much better with two wins in their last two outings. Salamina must at worse grab a point.
Recommended: GPL Week 18 Roundup: Tema Youth Complete Double Over Gt. Olympics In 4-0 Counter Attacking Display Win
Erstwhile leaders – Eleven Wonders – will have their focus set on joining the 30 plus-points club as they host RTU in a very winnable home game, and Berekum Arsenals will go for the rebound as they host Steadfast FC in another winnable home game.
Elsewhere Bofoakwa will have to counter their midweek aspirations of ending a miserable 4 games winless run (2 draws and 2 losses) against bottommost Dark Horses’ quest to make some headway out of the cellar. Bofoakwa definitely have a shot at the 3points in this road encounter. And 13th placed, Tamale Utrecht will have to do all in their power to grab all the 3points as they host their struggling peers – Mpuasuman FC – who have the 14th spot.
GN Bank DOL – Zone one – Day 18 – Weds 21st /Thurs 22nd of June, 2017
Dark Horses vs Bofoakwa – Wa
Glory Stars vs W. NEA Salamina – SCP
Tamale Utrecht vs Mpuasuman – Utrecht Aca Park
Eleven Wonders vs RTU – Techiman
Berekum Arsenals vs Steadfast – Berekum
Guan FC vs Techiman City – Tamale
Kintampo FC vs Unity FC – Kintampo
Zone two’s destiny team – in form Karela FC – will have their eyes set on another tough road win this midweek as they pitch their impressive 9 games unbeaten run (8wins and a tie) in the division against Dunkwa Utd who sunk their chances last year with a painful defeat. Interestingly, Dunkwa Utd remains strong at home despite their recent 3 straight games losing run which includes their first home loss of the season, a 2-3 loss to New Edubiase. The loss to New Edubiase coupled with an earlier 1-1 home tie against Hasaacas are the chinks in their armor at home, and this is something the tough Karela FC club who have wrought impressive road wins in tough places like Bibiani and Samreboi and have just two road losses on the season thus far will take inspiration from. Dunkwa Utd remain a spot below mid-table and a whopping 20points adrift of their guests and though they have no shot at a top-four spot this season they definitely cannot afford a fourth straight loss. Definitely a tough encounter for both sides with the fans being the biggest winners due the excitement surrounding this game. I think Karela have a shot if they turn up the same performance that saw them stun Gold Stars and FC Samartex on the road. Second placed and 8points behind the lead - Gold Stars – will be on a road hunt for their fourth consecutive win in the division with hopes of closing the gap for the top spot as guests of cellar dwellers – Fijai Real Utd – in what is definitely a winnable game for them given their performance thus far into the season. Definitely hard to see how the home side can pull a stunner in this one. And New Edubiase who are joint second on 35points but behind in the goal category will have cause to remain hopeful should they be able to pull out a win on the road as guests of Proud Utd who have a decent home record.
Sole holders of the fourth spot – Unistar Academy – will be hoping to consolidate their grip on the spot as they take their game on the road against 14th placed relegation threatened Wassaman Utd who need the win to improve their odds. FC Samartex will be yearning for a spot in the win column as they look to end a 5 game dry spell against visiting Sekondi Hasaacas who just got out of a five game skid with a 3-1 win over Fijai Real Utd.
Elsewhere, Achiken will welcome Nzema Kotoko with hopes of improving their points tally, King Faisal will hope to stay afloat of the relegation brouhaha directly beneath them as they take on Asokwa Deportivo on their common turf – the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. And relegation threatened Eleven Wise who have the 15th spot on 15 points will also be hoping for some positive results on the road against BYFA.
GN Bank DOL – Zone two – Day 18 – Weds 21st /Thurs 22nd of June, 2017
BYFA vs Eleven Wise – Bekwai
Fijai Real Utd vs Bibiani Gold Stars
FC Samartex vs Hasaacas – Samreboi
Dunkwa Utd vs Karela FC
Asokwa Deportivo vs King Faisal – B. Y. Stadium
Proud Utd vs New Edubiase – Swedru
Achiken vs Nzema Kotoko – Bekwai
Wassaman Utd vs Unistar Academy – Tarkwa
After dropping significant points at home this past midweek in a 1-1 tie with the pursuing Heart of Lions, Zone three leaders – Dreams FC – will have the chance to hold on to their one point advantage as they trek to Ho to take on bottom of the pile Dynamo FC who have struggled mightily after gaining promotion to the Division one scene this year should victory be theirs. Given their impressive 1 loss and 3 draws record on the season thus far, and Dynamo’s abysmal record, the temptation is to count out the struggling home team in this one, but with this perhaps being their biggest game in their foray into tier-two soccer, coupled with playing in front of their home fans and the rare chance of playing spoilers, Dreams FC will likely pay a huge price if they underrate their hosts. Second placed Heart of Lions who remain undefeated at home on the season will quite likely not have it easy against one of last year’s sensational teams – Okyeman Planners – who have thus been unable to replicate their season or form from last year and have tumbled to the first safe spot on 15points from 16 matches. Either way, the Lions know they have to pick up the maximum points at home and will hopefully not disappoint. And third placed Vision FC who have now fallen behind slightly in the three-way chase will have to do all they can to avoid a second straight loss as guests of Amidaus Profs who are at least playing well at home and are undefeated in their last 5 home appearances. The pressure is definitely on Vision FC in this game.
Uncle T United will look to continue their recent brilliant run that has seen them take 4 out of their last 5 games, but they will have to do it on the road against Phar Rangers, and Danbort FC who just ended a 5 game winless spell with a stunning 3-2 road win over the favored Vision FC will have the chance to pick up a second straight win at home as they host Sporting Mirren.
Elsewhere, Tudu Mighty Jets will welcome Nania FC with hopes of a rebound, Kotoku Royals will be at home with the chance to move away from the first relegation spot, and second but last Zein FC will have to marshal all the energy they can for a much needed win over the visiting Young Wise crew if they want to make some upward progress.
GN Bank DOL – Zone three – Day 18 – Weds 21st /Thurs 22nd of June, 2017
Tudu Mighty Jets vs Nania FC
Amidaus vs Vision FC
Dynamo FC vs Dreams FC
Kotoku Royals vs Okwahu Utd
Heart of Lions vs Okyeman Planners
Phar Rangers vs Uncle T Utd
Danbort FC vs SP Mirren Zein FC vs Young Wise
© MYGHANALINKS 2017. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be republished or reposted.
Follow @myghanalinks on Twitter and like us on Facebook