Division Two League Preview : Yendi Zone A Under Focus.
Since the 2017/2018 league season, the third tier football has not been in action following the Anass exposee in 2018 and the covid-19 pandemic last year.
The Division Two League draw was made last Saturday by the Northern Regional Division Two League Committee during the Ordinary Congress at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.
The date for the resumption of the season was scheduled for 19th June, 2021.
With 70 clubs participating in the competition this year, the clubs were divided into 12 zones with only one team to qualify to the Division One League.
There have been some mouth watering groups in the zones with our focus now on Yendi zone A, which comprises Great Amphibians, Sankara Nationals, Yendi Soccer Heroes, Yelzoli FC and Kuga Soccer Professionals.
It is a group that many have tipped to be the most difficult among all the other groups. Many of those teams have been very well known in the Region and their performances in the last competition were awesome.
Great Amphibians, formed in September 2011, led by Coach Yakubu Whyte has been a regular participant in the competition. They are also one of the three Division Two Clubs to have taking part in this year’s MTN FA Cup.
Though they were beaten 10-0 by division one league giants Steadfast Fc, the experience they gained from that game will have a significant impact on their performance in the Division Two league.
Coach Yakubu Whyte strongly believes his team has worked out the negatives from their defeat to Steadfast FC in the MTN FA Cup, and expects a positive comeback from his boys when the league starts.
Kuga Soccer Professionals, their performance in 2018 was unique, and with that experience, it could go a long way to boosting their chances of launching a strong contest in the competition.,
Their new coach Lassana Diara has not lost a game in his five matches played since taking over the club, and his unbeaten record will also be of good help to them.
Yelzoli FC, a club based in Zabzugu and boost of talented young footballers will be a team to watch out for when the league begins.
They have been traveling to several towns just to engaged with teams of different qualities.
Coach Sadiq in our last encounter with him promised to making a good fight to help his side qualify to the division one next season.
His teams last visit to Yendi for their usual pre-season tour was a 2-2 draw against Yendi Soccer Heroes, with majority of his players being his junior team, it speaks volumes of the quality this team possesses and could replicate on the field of play when the league finally kickstart on Saturday 19th June,2021.
Yendi Soccer Heroes, a team boosted by talents and one of the prominent and most successful clubs in the Eastern Corridor Zone, has been doing well in their friendly games, they have won about eight trophies since the formation of the club in 1999, and their squad depth is something that always motivates and spread fear in their opponents.
They are one of the favourites in the region to qualify to division one next season, and arguably could make it out from the tough group.
Just last week they travelled to Savelugu and recorded a 1-2 victory against fellow Division Two side Yoo FC.
They battled for a draw against division one league giants Steadfast FC during their pre-season tour to Tamale
Yendi Sankara Nationals SC formed in 2015, has the experience and the quality needed to make their way out of the group, they were one of the four finalists in the 2018 edition, they also took part in the MTN FA Cup and even moved to the round of 64 stage before being eliminated by RTU.
The death of their founder and coach Bannerman, was a shock to the football fraternity in the Region and it could have a negative effect on the teams performances considering how good he was when it comes to coaching and in football administration.
But none the less, they could still do it for the late Coach as qualifying to the Division One was his main target this season.
They were the winners of the “Thank you tournament” in February this year and has played eleven consecutive friendly games without a defeat.
During their pre-season tour to Tamale, they battled for a draw against Real Tamale United and even beat Tamale Utrecht Football Academy.
With all this rich history about this teams and many more, all eyes will be on this group as the teams battle their way to showcasing their supremacy over another.
The rivalry,the bragging rights and the quest to qualify for the ultimate shall make Yendi the centre and specifically Zone A the center of attraction.
A team that will progress in this tough group, will have a greater chance of making it to the final stage.
The league is scheduled to begin on 19th June,2021 with Yendi SHS Park, Na- Yakubu JHS Park and the Islamic No.1 Park being selected as the match venues.
By Saaka Yakubu Issah