GhanaFA

Zaytuna qualify for premiership

16 years ago
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Zaytuna FC, formerly Stay Cool Professionals return to Ghana’s elite competition on Saturday after four years in the division one ranks.

Zaytuna ended the three-game Zone III National Middle League qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory on the last day over Seven United at the Legon Park.

The club, formerly known as Stay Cool Professionals, who got relegated from the 16-club premiership campaign during the 2003 managed to amass seven points after picking two wins and a draw from three matches.

A second half penalty converted by Sam Kennedy in the 80th minute ensured that Alhaji Franko’s side made a return to the big league.

In the other game at the El-Wak stadium, disappointment capped Kade Hotspurs’ campaign as Fairpoint Fc condemned their chances of returning to the premiership since their debut in 2005 with a defeat.

Fairpoint, who needed a win to give them any chance of picking the sole ticket had Zaytuna FC lost in the other game managed a 1-0 win but still could not snatch the ticket as their closest contenders won on the day.

Paul Addo soared above the Hotspurs defence men in the 7th minute to head in from a corner kick.

All four clubs, Seven United, Fairpoint – both from Zone 3A together - with Kade Hotspur and Zaytuna FC – from Zone 3b –drawn from Zone 3A and 3B in the Division One League gained selection to vie for the last premiership slot.

This was after the Ghana Football Association picked the 3rd and 4th placed teams on the league table from the two zones, 3A and 3B, after Nania FC, Okwawu United, Great Mariners and Mighty Jets all from the two groups were found guilty by the Disciplinary Committee of the FA for playing out mutually arranged games during the promotion league campaign.

All four clubs were found guilty by the FA’s judicial body after a long drawn out hearing held back by a series of legal suits filed by some of the clubs against the Ghana Football Association.

The four clubs – Mighty Jets, Great Mariners, Okwawu United and Nania FC appeared before the Football Association’s panel in connection with the Zone III fixture results on the final day for promotion to the premiership which produced 59 goals involving the four teams on March 28.

Nania FC topped the group after they had incredibly beaten Okwawu United 31-0 while Great Mariners dished out a 28-0 win over Mighty Jets.

A protracted legal battle was waged by some of the clubs against an earlier decision to reject the results, fines and the ban, a situation which caused the delay in the organisation of another league.