Real Tamale United have beaten Berekum Chelsea 3-2 in the Ghana Premier League game played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Monday.
The fixture was RTU’s home game but had to be played away from “home” due to the ban imposed on the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium by the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association due to assault on the match officials when RTU played against Aduana Stars in Tamale some weeks ago.
It is the team’s first victory in a long time at least since week twelfth of the Ghana Premier League season when they won 2-0 against Bibiani Gold Stars.
Goals from Issah Kukah, Mohammed Sadat from the penalty spot and Baba Kushibo deep in added time ensured that coach Shaibu Ibrahim Tanko’s side have brought back some hopes of survival in the premier division. Berekum Chelsea also missed a penalty when Kelvin Obeng failed to convert in the closing stages of regulation time. Berekum Chelsea’s goals were scored by Henry Ansu and Emmanuel Sarpong.
Before this game, RTU had gone nine games without a win. Drawing four and losing five, the last of which was a 4-0 defeat in Obuasi at the hands of Ashantigold.
After the match, Coach Shaibu Ibrahim Tanko said he was impressed with the team’s performance judging from the difficult situation they are coming from.
When asked about the fact that the team was supposed to have played at home but because of the ban they have to travel around, Coach Shaibu Ibrahim Tanko said, “Surely we have the feel of the punishment because, I mean apart from the travel, there is so much stress on the players. I mean we don’t really care about the supporters because whether they watch premier division matches live or not, we don’t really care about them. But the situation is about the players, the travelling up and down is too much.”
He also emphasized that they have to work hard to survive the relegation battle and stay in the premier division.
RTU will next trek to Tarkwa to play against Medeama SC on Sunday.
