Soccer News of Sunday, 13 March 2005

Source: GNA

Dwarfs keeps record intact at Middle League

Kumasi, March 13, GNA - Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs on Saturday kept their unbeaten record in this year's Division One National Middle League intact when they sealed their qualification to the Premier League with a 1-0 win over bottom-placed Wa Real United at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

Dwarfs should blame themselves for not recording a cricket score line against their opponents as they squandered many begging chances apparently being complacent on account of their qualification. The Cape Coast lads scored the only goal of the match in the 48th minute when their danger-man Ekow Ghansah blasted home from a goalmouth melee to give his side the match winner. Wa United who were looking for their first win in the league, mounted series of attacks right from the kick off but the defence of Dwarfs centred around Robert Quansah, Musah Labaran and Emmanuel Arkaifi managed to neutralise most of the attacks and kept their opponents at bay.

In one of their threatening moves, United's skipper, Hassan Adams in the 30th minute surprisingly shot feebly into the goalie's hands after he had rounded up two defenders. Dwarfs at this stage changed their tactics and resorted to long passes which confused their opponents forcing them to adopt a defensive play in the later part of the first half.

The second half began in a vigorous note with Dwarfs still relying on the long passes which paid off for them in the 48th minute when Ghansah struck home a shot in a goalmouth melee. Determined to win convincingly, Dwarfs brought on Ekow Arhin for Douglas Mustapha with Musah Labaran also giving way to Richard Quainoo in the 75th and 80th minutes. This brought more bite to the attack of Dwarfs but United's goalkeeper, Yusif Ali gallantly stood firm to prevent them from recording a cricket score line till class one referee Joe Debrah brought proceedings to an end.