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Salphoda, Exchequers, and Army Shine in Week 7 of Salphoda Hockey League
Week 7 of the ongoing Salphoda Hockey League delivered action packed fixtures across all divisions, despite a few match postponements and intense draws.
The opening match between Police and Arkmen was postponed due to technical issues. However, the rest of the weekend offered fans much to cheer for.
In the Development Division, University of Ghana faced off with Ark Ladies in a tightly contested match that ended in a goalless draw. Both sides struggled to find the back of the net, with defences dominating the game.
The Women’s Division featured the rescheduled Week 6 clash between Extinguishers and Army, a game that lived up to its high expectations. Army had nearly seven penalty corners but failed to convert, thanks to the exceptional defensive display from Extinguishers’ goalkeeper Precious Osei and captain Joanita Korwu.
After the match, Joanita Korwu commented, "we've worked hard for this game and made sure we play according to the pattern. Even though there were lapses in our defence that gave them a lot of penalty corners, they couldn't score. We would have beaten them on the said date for the game, but whatever may, we are happy with the draw."
Army’s Owusuwaa Margaret expressed her disappointment, stating, "we were looking to continue our win chain to boost us. We've been in the league for about 4 years and are hoping to get our first trophy this year, which is our target. Look at the number of penalty corners that we had and couldn’t score. But we will go back to the drawing board and come back stronger."
In the Masters Division, league sponsors Salphoda outclassed Golden Sticks in an impressive performance. Samuel Marfo netted his first-ever hat-trick, scoring in both the first and last quarters, with Sogah Nathaniel adding a fourth. Golden Sticks could not find a response, as Salphoda ran away with a 4–0 victory.
Exchequers continued their dominant run, brushing aside Legonknights with a 3–0 scoreline. Goals from Kofi Okyere Quagraine, Tetteh Lartey Francis, and Ebenezer Nortey sealed another convincing win and solidified their place at the top of the table.
In the final match of the weekend, Army Men defeated Reformers 3–1 to grab their second win of the season. Goals from Abdul Malik, David Sarfo, and Dzotsi Eric powered them to victory, with Samuel Apekne netting a consolation goal for the Reformers.
Reformers captain Yeboah Sarpong reflected on the defeat; "we are disappointed with the results. We worked hard and were hoping for our first win, but it didn’t go as planned. We hope for the best in our next game."
Army captain Asamoah Ofusu Stephen credited his team’s strategy for the win; "from the blast of the whistle, we stamped our authority to win the game. We were quicker with the ball and made good use of our chances. We didn’t play according to their game plan, we used more area balls and pace, but there is still more room for improvement."
As the league heats up, teams are beginning to find their rhythm, and with each passing week, the title chase grows more intense.
Photo by; Cookie
By; Victoria Kwofie
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