Medeama Sporting Club is three points richer as Vincent Atinga’s second-half spot-kick at the A’koon Community Park seals the day for the Mauve and Yellow side against the relegation-threatened side, West Africa Football Academy (WAFA).
Coach Umar Rabi started the game with a 3-5-2 system of Vincent Atinga, Kofi Asmah, and Ali Ouatarra at the back, with Prosper Owusu, skipper Kwesi Donsu and Agyei Boakye in the heart of the midfield. Benjamin Abaidoo and Darlington Gyanfosu took their place on the wings, as in-form attacker Ansu Kofi Patrick partnered Ato Mensah Justice in the front two, with John Mossie manning the sticks.
There were scary moments of a potential 4th premier league match in Tarkwa being postponed due to heavy downpour but the action of today’s rains wasn’t enough to call off the game.
WAFA started the game strongly giving Medeama puzzles to solve but their efforts were not enough to break open the coach Umar’s men.
Medeama was forced into an early substitution in the first half as defender Kofi Asmah sustained an injury in his leg and was replaced right back, Yaro Ibrahim in what looked like an end-to-end action from both sides, causing Medeama SC to switch into a 4-3-3 system.
The first half recorded no goal from either side.
The match commissioner and match officials before the beginning of the second half went on the pitch to assess the pitch since the rains had still not stopped and instructed the home side to do some quick-draining with foam, after which the second half received greenlight to begin.
Coach Umar attended to his options on the bench by bringing on nimble-footed Theophilus Anoba and Godfred Kwadwo Asamoah for Ato Mensah and Darlington Gyanfosu earlier in the second half.
The tempo of the game tilted in the direction of Medeama as Anoba began to torment the WAFA defense and won Medeama a penalty after he was brought down in WAFA’s 18yard box and was beautifully converted into a goal by Vincent Atinga, bringing his personal tally to 5 out of Medeama’s 18 goals scored this season.
Medeama continued to press for the second but WAFA remained resolute and on several occasions, Medeama SC was very wasteful.
WAFA recovered from their goal down to pressure Medeama for a possible equalizer but all proved futile.
Substantive club captain, Joseph Tetteh Zutah was introduced in the dying embers of the game for Agyei Boakye but that couldn’t change the scoreline even after four minutes of additional time.
Referee Prosper Arthur brought the proceeding to an end, with all three points going the way of the “We never give up” boys matching them majestically to 3rd position on the Premier League ladder at 42 points.
Medeama SC travels to Dormaa to face Aduana Stars for their week 27 fixture.