Yaw Arnol made the headlines when he struck twice to give Bechem United their maiden FA Cup title at the newly built Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Sunday.
It was a final with everything involved a colourful opening ceremony and a good duel from the opposing teams in their quest to lay their hands on the prestigious trophy.
Okwawu United supporters trooped to the stadium in their numbers to support their idol club become the second lower division side to win the FA Cup- Nania FC made history in 2011 when they piped Kotoko in the finals.
However, Bechem United, who were well motivated for the final made nonsense of the huge support base of Okwawu United and in the end won the game- scored in each half of the game to deny the 1986 champions of a chance to represent Ghana in Africa.
Abednego Tetteh, the marksman for Okwawu United, although didn’t score his presence was well felt, as he gave the Okwawu United defence difficult times and had a hand in the championship winning goal.
Bechem United were in the form of their life before the final- they had won their last four Ghana Premier League games
playBechem United beat Okwawu to win historic title
Bechem United enjoyed plenty of the possession, but Okwawu United created the majority of the clear goal scoring chances in the first half.
The GN Bank Division One League campaigners scared the Premier League side, when they struck the woodwork in the early stages of the games and Maclean Ampadu also wasted an opportunity when he was picked up by a ball from the midfield, yet he missed the target with just Prince Asempa to beat in the Bechem United post.
The talisman for Bechem United, Abednego Tetteh was not given the breathing space to advance, as the Okwawu United defencemen kept close eyes on him and closed him down any time he was with the ball. It gave an opportunity for Yaw Arnol to have enough space to dazzle his opponents and really combined effectively with Abotsi in the process to give the defencemen of Okwawu United torrid moments.
The Bechem lads in the final 15 minutes of the first half seized play and in a space of 5 minutes had three free kicks and after wasting the first two they almost found the opener with the third attempt, but Alfred Nelson’s ball hit the crossbar.
Okwawu United doubled up their effort after the half time break- Abednego Tetteh came into the party in the second half as he operated from the left side of attack for Bechem United to destabilise Okwawu United. A great cross from Tetteh found Yaw Arnol and with only the goalkeeper to beat he shot the ball over the crossbar to give Okwawu United a big sigh of relief.
However, Yaw Arnol made amends a minute later when he robbed a defender of the ball and dribbled past two defenders before he struck powerfully into the net from outside the 18-yard box to put the ball on the blind side of goalkeeper Abass Mohammed in the post for Okwawu United in the 53rd minute.
Akoto Danso in the 62nd minute restored parity for Okwawu United- Ernest Asare beat his marker after he was fetched with a long ball and his sweet cross was tapped in nicely by Danso to give his side the much-needed equaliser in the 62nd minute.
Okwawu United took over possession after the equaliser and created some decent opportunities in the goal area of their opponent, yet it was Bechem United who found the match winner against the run of play.
Abednego Tetteh robbed a defender of the ball and put Yaw Arnol through and he made no mistake as he finished off perfectly to win the day for the Bechem boys in the 74th minute.
Tetteh should have made it 3-1 for his side when a defender gifted him a pass in the 18-yard box, yet his strike went over the crossbar.
Okwawu United couldn’t respond, since Bechem United, following the second goal made it difficult for the Soccer Mountaineers to find space in their defence.
The winners were handed a dummy check of GHC 40,000, while the runners-up were presented with a dummy check to the tune of GHC 15,000
Bechem United will get the chance to represent Ghana in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.
Comments 90