Santasi and Bantama have grabbed the remaining two slots in the quarter finals of the 2024 MTN Ashantifest Inter Community Soccer tournament after upstaging former champions, Tafo as well as Mamponteng in Zone D.
First to take the field when competition in the final section of this year’s group phase landed at the Sofoline Alignment AstroTurf on Thursday 4 July, Santasi and 10-man Bantama battled to a 1-1 share of the spoils despite the sending off of Chaves of Bantama.
Following another 1-1 draw in the second match of the day between Tafo and Mamponteng, Santasi made sure they went home the happiest following a 3-0 spanking of Tafo in the third and final game of match day one.
Tafo who won this tournament in 2022, went out at the group stage last year and were hoping to make amends in 2024 but it was not to be as their goalless draw with Bantama in their final game was not enough to secure a top 2 spot and thus eliminated again at the first hurdle.
Bantama instead took the runner-up spot after Henry Opoku ‘Pogba’ struck twice to ensure a comfortable 2-0 conquest of Mamponteng in the first match when the tournament resumed on Friday.
Santasi rubbed more salt into the wounds of Mampongteng via a comprehensive 3-0 drubbing in match 5 to top the zone on 7 points, two more than Bantama.
Mamponteng finished rock bottom on a solitary point gained in the opening draw with 3rd placed and also eliminated Tafo of course.
Meanwhile, the quarter finals of the 2-month long competition organised by communication giants, MTN to celebrate and reward their teeming customers in the Ashanti Region, commences straight away this wekend when all 8 qualified sides slug it out at the Dichemso Otumfuor Park for semi final tickets.
Defending champions, Ejisu lead the way after edging Zone A ahead of runner-ups Adoato, Atonsu and Tech from Zone B, Abrepo and Amakom representing Zone C and of course Santasi and Bantama complete the last 8 line-up.
Ejisu again will be first out against Tech in quarter-final 1 on Thursday, July 11, same day Atonsu battle debutants Adoato in the second tie.
On Friday, maiden MTN Ashantifest Community Soccer champions, Abrepo continue their quest for a second title against Bantama in quarter-final 3 before Santasi versus Amakom decides who gets the final spot in next week’s last 4 ahead of the grand finale on July 28.
2024 MTN Ashantifest Community Soccer- Zone D
Table GP W D L GF GA GD PTS
1. Santasi 3 2 1 0 7 1 +6 7
2. Bantama 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 5
3. Tafo 3 0 2 1 1 4 -3 2
4. Mamponteng 3 0 1 2 1 6 -5 1
*Santasi and Bantama are through to the quarter-final stage.
Top Scorers
1. Yusif Alhassan Chibsah – 2 (Santasi)
2. Israel – 2 ( Santasi)
3. Kofi Junior – 2 (Santasi)
4. Henry Opoku ‘Pogba’ – 2 (Bantama)
5. Shaibu Jnr – 1 ( Santasi)
6. Emmanuel Sarpong ‘Agogo’ – 1 ( Bantama)
7. Listowel – 1 (Tafo)
8. Michael Oppong Aboagye ‘McCarthy’ – 1 ( Mamponteng)
Red card: ♦️ – Chaves ( Bantama)
