Legon Cities will look to begin their 2022/23 Ghana Premier League season with a win when they welcome Medeama SC to the El-wak Stadium on Sunday.
The Tarkwa based club, meanwhile, enters the fixture in a fine form after making it to the semi-final of the off-season competition — GHALCA G6 tournament — and they will be hoping to exercise their dominance over the home side.
Medeama SC will be making a trip to the nation's capital with a new coach, David Duncan, who signed a one-year contract with the club few days ago. He took over the coaching role from young enterprising tactician Umar Abdul Rabi, who has been reassigned as assistant coach of the the team.
Coach Maxwell Konadu and his charges will be heading into the fixture with a long unbeaten home streak (11 matches) since January 2022. The last time Legon Cities tasted a defeat at the El-wak Stadium was against Accra Lions.
Legon Cities, having had a good pre-season defeating second-tier and lower-tier sides will be eyeing for resounding victory over Medeama in the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League opening games.
In their last four meetings in the Ghana Premier League, Medeama SC have picked two victories while Legon Cities has recorded only a win with one ending in a stalemate.
However, Legon Cities holds the biggest win record in their last four meetings (3-1) which was the second round of the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season at the El-wak Stadium.
The Royals will be looking for a similar scoreline on Sunday afternoon when the two teams square off in the match-day one of the 2022/23 season.
With the acquisition of sixteen (16) new players, Medeama SC are hoping for a good start of the new Ghana Premier League season after finishing second place on the log last season.
Team News
Legon Cities will be commencing their 2022/23 season without their first-choice goalkeeper Eric Ofori Antwi, who left the club to join Hearts of Oak following the expiration of his contract. Right-back Micheal Ampadu has been ruled out of action for weeks due to injury.
Legon Cities have been handed a major boost with the return of Nicholas Mensah who missed half of their last season's fixtures due to injuries.
Talismanic winger Jonah Attuquaye will be available for selection after returning the club earlier this week from Black Galaxies camp. He played an instrumental role in Ghana's qualification to the next edition of the Championship of African Nations (CHAN).
On the other hand, Medeama SC will begin their campaign without no.1 choice shot-stopper Boris Mandjui. The Ivorian import has not recovered from the career-threatening knee injury, he sustained in their game against Dreams FC last season.
Boris Mandjui featured in 16 games, conceding six goals and keeping an impressive 10 clean sheets.
Also, Vincent Atingah has recovered from the foot injury he picked up at the Black Galaxies final training session for Nigeria clash in Abuja last weekend.
Medeama SC are expected to unleash some of their new players such as Joshua Agyemang, Kofi Mensah, Derrick Fordjour, Frank Boateng and Manuel Martey who were outstanding during the GHALCA G6 tournament.
Notwithstanding, familiar faces such as Rashid Nortey, Kofi Asmah, Darlington Gyan Fosu, Jean Vital Ourega, Benjamin Abaidoo would be seen in Medeama SC line up for this weekend's game.
KICKOFF TIME
15:00 GMT (3:00PM)
By: Gideon Kofi Nyamekye
