1968: Oly equal Kotokos record

For the fourth consecutive season the league was abridged and, once more, Asante Kotoko were declared champions. There were as many as nine more matches to the end of the competition.

A statement issued by the working committee of the GFA presided over by Mr H.P Nyemitei said: The league has been abridged in view of the present deplorable conditions of our roads and the unpredictable nature of the rains which have rendered travelling to league centres almost impossible.

The GFA came under attack from the media and some league clubs. the soccer governing body was accused of inconsistency.

Earlier, the GFA had issued a statement that it was determined to complete the league so as to determine the strongest club of Ghana on merit.

On the eve of the Black Stars departure to the Mexico Olympiad, the GFA said it had given special dispensation to Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, each of which had more than four players in the Black Star group. The two clubs were given the option to continue in the league on competitive basis or stay out until the return of the Black Stars from Mexico when they could clear their outstanding matches. the Ghanaians soccer world considered this arrangement bogus and the GFA came under heavy attack nation wide.

Cape Coast Venomous Vipers were the most vocal. Club Chairman, Mr. K.A Sarpong issued a statement saying GFA should by then been able to evolve a means to make it unnecessary to subordinate its local programmes to its international engagements. The abridgement since 1964 did not only breed some degree of unfairness to clubs in the lower strata, but does not also reflect the true championship form of the club so declared the statement added.

It had been a lively competition from the start and by the end of the first round Kotoko were leading with 33 points, followed by Olympics 30, Dwarfs 29, Great Olympics 28, B.A United 27, Hearts 26 in that order.

The start of the second round on July 14 provided some sparkling results in Accra and Kumasi. In Accra, Hearts staged a dramatic second-half rally to beat Great Olympics 4-2 after trailing 0-2 at half time. Abeka Ankrah (2), George Alhassan and Amusa Gbadamoshi scored for Hearts.

In Kumasi, Asante Kotoko routed Akim United by eleven goals to nothing. Abukari Gariba 5, Osei Kofi 3, Sammy Stephens, Yaw Sam and Malik were the scores. Kotoko did not, however, jubilate for long; a week after humiliating Akim United they were beaten 3-1 by Sekondi Hasaacas at the Gyandu Park after taking a 13th minute lead.

A few incidents characterised this round before it was abridged on September 20. In the match between Corners and Vipers at the Kumasi Stadium on August 4, Corners 18-year old forward player, Amadu Salatu, collapsed on the pitch in the second-half and died later in hospital.

On August 24 Asante Kotoko were stranded on their way to Ho for their match against Sunset, owing to the flooding of River Anum at mile 26 near Konongo which rendered the Kumasi -Accra road impassable.

When Cape Coast Dwarfs lost heavily - 6 -0 to Rovers at Koforidua, they complained bitterly of the absence of four key players on national assignment.
---Kotoko Express

League table

TEAMS        P        W        D        L        F          A        PTS
Kotoko       27        22       3        2        54        22        47
Hearts       27        17       7        3        54        19        41
Dwarfs       28        16       8        4        42        26        40
B.A. Utd.    29        15       9        5        56        25        39
Olympics     29        13      11        5        53        33        37
Corners      29        12      11        6        39        31        35
Gt. Ash      28        15       4        9        50        40        34
Wise         27        15       4        9        50        40        34
Vipers       28        11       7        10       49        37        29
Hurri        29        10       8        11       38        40        28
Adansi       26        9        7        10       43        45        25
Hasaacas     26        6        8        12       35        43        24
Fankobaa     19        6        8        14       32        51        20
Rovers       28        5       10        13       34        47        20
Standfast    28        7        5        16       31        47        20
Eagles       27        6        6        15       38        52        18
Akim Utd     27        4        5        18       30        71        13
Bofoakwa     28        4        4        20       37        78        12
Ho Sunset    28        3        3        22       18        74        9