Head Coach of Aduana Stars FC, Bessa Ben Zola, seem to have given up the chase of competitor, Asante Kotoko for the Ghana Premier League (GPL) title and has tipped them to win the championship with a few games to spare.
Zola’s declaration has come in the wake of Aduana Stars failure to beat the Porcupine Warriors in their match day 28 clash at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday.
The game ended 1-1 and dashed any hope of narrowing the 14-point gap between the Porcupine Warriors with 56 points and Aduana in sixth position with 42 points.
Kotoko’s closest followers are second placed Bechem United with 47 points; trailing with nine points with a possible 18 points to fight for in the last six games remaining.
Speaking with the Times Sports in an interview, Ben Zola, described any mission to dislodge Kotoko from the top asa ‘mission impossible’ because he does not see them dropping too many points.
In his view, the only driving factors in the competition are the struggle for places in the top four race and the one to survive relegation at the end of the season.
“As for me, I can confidently say it is a done deal for Kotoko; it is firmly in their hands.”
“It looks impossible for any club trying to catch up with Kotoko. That is not to say they have been excellent but they have done well enough to garner the points. Secondly; those doing the chasing have not been consistent enough with the results.”
“I know a lot of people with disagree with me but that appears the truth. It is true football can be dramatic sometimes but Kotoko are not losing games. In their difficult moment, they manage to escape with at least a point.”
“Usually, it is the defending champions, Hearts of Oak that are able to mount a sustained challenge but they have not been consistent this season and even look like a side that have given up on second place.
“Bechem have also been impressive so far so there will be a tough race for top four but the top of the table is sorted.”
Commenting on the FA Cup loss to Bechem United over the weekend in the FA Cup competition at the Golden City Park in Berekum, Coach Zola expressed Aduana Stars disappointment for not making it to the finals.
But he noted the defeat was not the end for the club, adding that, Aduana Stars was focused on the rest of the challenge for the final stretch of the league.
“At sixth position on the league table, Aduana Stars will trying to finish the season on a very competitive note because we want to end in the top four to play in its curtain raiser competition that precedes the season.”
BY EMMANUEL ASANTE