Medeama Sporting Club’s winning start to the 2024/2025 Ghana Premier League was yesterday brought to a halt at the TnA Stadium, following a resistive performance from Kpando Heart of Lions, who are also yet to see defeat this season.

The well-patronised game saw no goal but a vintage 90 minutes of quality soccer action, with Medeama Sporting Club having most goals scoring opportunities coming our way, hitting the crossbar and forcing Lions goalie to pull incredible saves to deny substitute Prince Owusu several goal-scoring long range shots especially in last 15 minutes to end proceedings.

Match Overview:

Coach Kapor made some changes to his team, bring Central Defender Nurudeen into his squad and pushing make-shift center back, Michael Enu to his natural defensive midfield role and dropping Dzapkasu, who started against Holy Stars to the bench.

New signing left-footed midfielder, Prince Owusu was introduced to the Matchday squad for the first time to push Quaison out of the squad.

First Half:

The first half of the under-floodlight match was too close to call with neither sides recording decent goal-scoring opportunities but more of a midfield battle and a clamour for possession right, bring out good skills, accurate passing and quality technical and tactical display from both managers and a showpiece of tactical discipline by the players.

Second Half:

The tempo of the match kept rising as the home supporters sat in cheers awaiting what could be the breakthrough for Medeama Sporting Club, who were chasing their 4th conservative win in the league but all efforts to break Coach Bashiru Hayford’s side proved impossible every passing minute.

Coach Kapor made his change at in the game, bringing on a better ball progressor in Manuel Mantey for regressor, Michael Enu in a quest to see more of the balls pushed up-field which was countered with some changes from his opposite number.

Prince Owusu was handed his GPL debut, coming on along with Boison in a double change for Nana Kofi Babil and Bernardino Tetteh respectively to change the face of the game and pile more pressure on the visitors in anticipation to break the jinx. The introduction of the duo improved Medeama’s attacking threats especially Prince Owusu, who came in with several on-target long range drives but equally dealt with by resolute Lions. Godknows Dzapkasu was introduced to replace Prosper Boakye to shift more men forward but no amount of pressure could melt down the visitors, who occasionally had decent counter breaks and chances of their own but also could not make any count.

After all was said and done, the game ended with both sides maintaining their unbeaten run, Medeama SC dropping their first points of the season and failing to score for the first time in the season. Medeama still leads the GPL table on 10 points out of 12 maximum 12 and are billed to face the GPL defending Champions on Wednesday at home under floodlights to complete the first five rounds of matches.

Medeama’s Nurudeen Abdulai, who had his season debut was adjudged the Man of the Match and presented with his MVP by the Venue Media Officer.

Coach Kapor’s reaction:

The manager was disappointed with the points dropped but loved the energy, resilience and desires on the field to break their opponents particularly in the business end of the second half.

Nurudeen Abdulai’s reactions:

According to the MVP of the game, the players are down for not giving the supporters the needed win to occasion their massive presence at the stadium but called on them to continue supporting the team and players as they are committed to always giving them the needed smiles and victories. He however cautioned that, they (players) are ready to fight for the badge and go for every three points that come their way, yet not all matches will reward their efforts and desires.

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