Newbies Basake Holy Stars will start their first topflight campaign with a visit to the capital to take on giants Hearts of Oak in an epic clash at the Ohene Gyan Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The 'Phobians' flirted around relegation for number of weeks last season until finally getting a final day win to survive and will this time look to please their fans with a consistent top-notch performances this time.
Holy Stars, in their debut GPL season, will definitely be looking forward to a great start against the 21-time champions in quest to stating their mainstay ambitions in the topflight very clear.
MATCH PREVIEW
The Rainbow Club have been into a massive rebuilding process in the just-closed window with some additions and omissions and also had a very busy pre-season.
It all started with a painful loss to bitter rivals Asante Kotoko in the maiden Democracy Cup but redeemed themselves subsequently with a penalty shootouts win over Kpando Heart of Lions to lift the Gbese Mantse Homowo Charity Cup weeks later.
The 'Phobians' continued with their off-season tour in Togo where they had series of training sessions and also engaged in friendlies against topflight side AC Semassi FC and the Togo U-20 national team having recorded a 1-3 and 1-1 scoreline respectively in these matches.
To climax their preseason, they got held by Dreams FC to a goalless draw in the midweek- signifying Hearts of Oak really tested themselves with some difficult oppositions making them very poised and ready for the new season.
However, Basake Holy Stars have really improved as a club looking at where they were five years ago and finally defied all odds to qualify into the Premier League last season ahead of New Edubiase FC, Ebusua Dwarfs and PAC Academy in Division One zone II.
The Green-Blacks since securing the qualification have made signings including some experience figures to help them set up a balanced side in order to be able to compete very well in the top division.
The Nzema-based side had majority of their pre-season in the Western Region and played series of friendlies to warm themselves up but was much more excited when they wrapped up with a penalty shootouts win over Medeama SC to clinch the maiden Apinto Memorial Cup after a pulsating 1-1 stalemate in regulation time.
TEAM NEWS
Having lost players like Ibrahim Salifu, goalkeeper Richard Attah, Dennis Korsah, Kassim Cisse, etc, the 'Phobians' have introduced befitting players to fill the vaccum.
Coach Aboubakar Ouattara despite having these new players is ensuring they all gel quickly and acclimatize early to his game plan as he's made his possessive football style heading into the new campaign very clear.
They are currently without center-back David Oppong Afrane who sustained an injury in their last game.
Basake on the other hand, also hired a new coach in the person of Abdulai Gazale who has so much experience in the local game and has already admitted it won't be easy but they will do all they could to conquer the challenge ahead.
PROBABLE XI
Hearts of Oak: Benjamin Asare, Yahaya Dramani, Ransford Mensah, Michael Awuah Mensah, Samuel Amofa, Salim Adams, Ramzy Yussif, Martin Karikari, Mawuli Wayo, Kwabena Boateng, Asamoah Boateng Afriyie.
Holy Stars: Abdul Wahab, Asante Francis, Emmanuel Brace, Moses Arthur, Enis Boadi, Sadat Zumah, Francis Oteng, Issah Yakubu, Stephen Baffour Awuah, Dawuda Ben Sidibi, Prince Tweneboa
PREDICTION
We say Hearts of Oak 1-0 Basake Holy Stars
CHANNEL: Metro TV Ghana
KICKOFF: 15:00GMT (3:00pm)
By: Iddriss Abdul Rahim
