Excitement and suspense has certainly reached fever peak in the ongoing Glo Ghanaian Premier League with the league title set to go down to the wire. Already many pundits are suggesting that the 2008/09 football season has been the most exciting in recent years, if not ever. Not only is the competition very keen at the top, the battle to avoid relegation is also very tense with as not less than eight sides all fighting against the drop.

All in a season when the league supposedly lost its charm and has consistently lacked patronage at the various stadia and matches by fans. For several spans during the season, runaway leaders Hearts of Oak seemed destined to claim their 19th title, but a string of poor results has left the door wide open for the chasing pack to close in at the top. Hearts dropped further points when they could only draw 1-1 with visiting Wa All Stars at the Ohene Djan Stadium last Monday.

The result meant Hearts who have now taken just two points from their last possible 18, have seen their lead slashed down to just two by perennial rivals Asante Kotoko, Kotoko, the defending champions have enjoyed a massive renaissance under new helmsman Herbert Addo which has seen them grab five wins and a draw from six games. The latest, a 1-0 win over relegation bound Sporting Mirren was chalked courtesy an 88th minute strike by Alex Asamoah who stretched his Premier League goalking leading tally to 14. "For me the goal meant the team does not give up even when the match is difficult. We are still maintaining that the idea is to qualify for Africa, not to win the league," a very satisfied Herbert Addo said after the game.

With 4 games to go, the competition couldn’t have been tighter at the top. Hearts lead the way on 46 points to the 44 of Kotoko, 43 of 3rd Heart of Lions and 4th placed King Faisal’s 42. It means that all four sides are in with a chance of running away with the league diadem the final Match day. For neutrals and in my case, a supporter of the underdog, there will be no limit to joy when Faisal or Lions manage to upset the odds and end as champions. But that will be very difficult and the battle still lies between the two most glamorous clubs in the history of Ghana football, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko. The battle for survival has also intensified as none from 5th placed Wa All Stars who have 37 points right up to second from bottom Sekondi Hasaacas who boast 31 points, could claim to be safer than certainly relegated Sporting Mirren who trail both Hasaacas and All Blacks by 12 points with just those 12 points to be fought for in the remaining four fixtures. Never has the fight against relegation been this close and fierce in the history of the Ghanaian Premier League. In fact, not even King Faisal and Heart of Lions are mathematically safe from the throngs of the relegation dogfight.

As the first of the league’s last four match days kick off this weekend, the pressure has been upped on Hearts of Oak who have a tougher schedule in the run-in than their perennial rivals Asante Kotoko. Hearts play as guests of Kessben FC in Kumasi all too aware that another slip will offer Kotoko the opportunity to overtake them at the top with victory over Liberty in Accra. Liberty and Kessben both have 33 points and just two points above the drop zone so know that they cannot afford to gain nothing than all three points respectively. The situation promises both games are going to be very competitive and fiercely fought, something that we the fans and neutrals can only be too glad to watch from afar.

The excitement and competition in the league will not be limited to just the Kessben-Hearts and Liberty-Kotoko games however. At the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, it is the battle for third between Heart of Lions and the King Faisal hosts. Lions won the first round clash 3-1 but Alhaji Gruzah and his lads do not want just the revenge, they also want the three points to upstage their opponents, get into third place and enhance their chances of a first ever Premier League crown.

Elsewhere, it is all battles against relegation when 4th from bottom Ashgold host 6th from bottom Eleven Wise in Obuasi, Hasaacas on 31 points host Tema Youth (35) at Sekondi, RTU in 9th place on 34 points visit relegation candidates Sporting Mirren in Accra, Wa All Stars travel to the Brong Ahafo Region as guests of Bechem Chelsea with just two points separating the mid-table clubs and 3rd from bottom All Blacks welcome 6th placed Berekum Arsenals to Swedru. We can only sit back and enjoy the fight for the title as well as the fierce battle to avoid the drop. Is there any doubt that this has been the most exciting Premier League season?

Source: Prince Dornu-Leiku princedornu@yahoo.com