GLO PREMIER LEAGUE 2011/2012.

                    TOP FOUR BATTLE

The league is getting more exciting as the clock ticks to the end of the season, and as usual teams have already began jostling for the enviable top four competition which offers clubs some sort of relief for the following season, though Kumasi Asante Kotoko have to their disposal the league title some weeks to the end of the league, there is still everything to play for.

With just a match to the end of the season, Seven clubs, Medeama SC, Ashgold FC, Berekum Chelsea, Accra Hearts of Oak, Aduana Stars, New Edubiase United and Liberty Professionals stand the chance of playing in the top four, but this can only be possible if all win their last matches and allow the permutations that always take place to come in, the intensity of the league and the pressure of playing in the top four means some clubs will have to defy all odd and will their last match.

Medeama sc, who are second on the table based on the fact that they have a better head - to – head than Ashgold though they both have the same number of points, they travel all the way to Wa where they face a tough Wa All Stars side who have played some good football at the Wa park losing only one match to Accra Hearts of Oak, interestingly Medeama has only managed two away wins, and this puts them in a tight corner, this entails they pick at least a point from this fixture to say the least and expect favorable results from other matches, what will get Medeama SC going is the fact that, they have not lost any match  in their 9 outings, of the seven team involved, Medeama SC have better head –to –head than clubs like Liberty Professionals, New Edubiase, Ashgold and Berekum Chelsea, having all this in mind, Medeama SC will only expect some poor results from Accra Hearts of Oak and Aduana Stars.

Ashgold are better placed to win the second position of the league considering their opponents relatively poor showing in the second round of the league and more especially as they would be playing home away from home, if Ebusua Dwarfs stops the miners from taking the maximum points, then the Obuasi base club might not be able to be in the top four. Ashgold have better head – to - head only to Accra Hearts of Oak and New Edubiase and are tied with Aduana Stars on Head – to – Head, it is likely Accra Hearts of Oak will win their last match which puts Ashgold on tight position and the only option for them is to win against Ebusua Dwarf.

Berekum Chelsea have their destiny in the hands of Aduana Stars, if they win against Tudu Mighty Jets, they would gather points that will secure them top four but not after Aduana Stars have failed to take maximum points from Liberty Professionals, if Chelsea, Aduana and Hearts of Oak wins their matches, Aduana Stars will go ahead because they have a better head – to – head in terms of goal difference between those teams.

The only prayers that will be on the lips of Accra Hearts of Oak is to see Medeama SC and Aduana Stars fail in their effort at securing maximum points in their last matches, that will be the only respite for the Oak tree, for Hearts of Oak, things must not be the same, because they only have a better head – to – head to Aduana Stars and Medeama SC, but tied with New Edubiase. For them, all teams in the struggle for the top four must lose their last match whilst they win against Berekum Arsenals.

Liberty Professionals and New Edubiase Are under dogs who can only make it through to the lucrative top four position provided all the teams above them lose their last matches and see them win against their opponents, New Edubiase have a relatively easy task playing Bechem United whilst Liberty Professionals travel to Dormaa where they play Aduana Stars.

                                            PREDICTIONS:

From the above analysis, and the rate at which teams win their home matches in the league, Aduana Stars stand tall to pick one of the places for the top four competition, this leaves only two places up for grabs as Asante Kotoko has taken one of the slots, Ashgold could manage a draw with Ebusua Dwarfs which will not be enough to secure them a place in the top four, therefore I expect Medeama SC to fight hard and secure a point in their match at Wa, in this case they will automatically go through ahead of Ashgold and Hearts of Oak, CAF Champions league debutants Berekum Chelsea could occupy the remaining top four place if the mathematics are right.

                          EXPECTED TOP FOUR TEAMS:

Kumasi Asante Kotoko

Aduana Stars

Berekum Chelsea

Medeama SC