Karela United FC

Karela United FC

Full name	Karela United FC
Founded	2013; 12 years ago (2013)
Ground	Crosby Awuah Memorial Park (CAM Park) Aiyinase, Western Region, Ghana
Capacity	5,000
Manager	Evans Adotey
League	Ghana Premier League
2023–24	Ghana Premier League, 12th

Karela United FC is a Ghanaian professional football club based in Aiyinase, Ellembele District, Western Region. The club competed in the 2019 Ghanaian Normalisation Cup Competition. Karela plays their home matches at the CAM Park.

History

The club was founded on Tuesday October 1, 2013, when the former Metropolitan Sporting Club changed its name to Karela United Football Club. Karela initially competed in the Ghana Division One league, off which they emerged as champions and were subsequently promoted into the Ghana Premier League in the year 2017. The first official match was played on Saturday November 23, 2013 against Proud United in a goalless draw at Kasoa.[1]

2018 – present

After the Ghana Premier League was hit by the Anas Number 12 scandal and the 2018 league season was cancelled along with the dissolution of the Ghana Football Association in June 2018, a Normalisation Competition was organised by the GFA normalisation committee to be played in place of the main league as the restructuring of the GFA was being put in place.[2] Karela placed 2nd in group B to qualify for the next stage, beating Ashanti Gold SC at that stage to qualify to the finals to play against Asante Kotoko.[3] Karela lost the finals in a penalty shootout round after the match ended in a 1–1 draw. They lost the bid to represent Ghana at the 2019–20 CAF Champions League and were declared runner-up in the Tier 1 of the competition.[4]

After several distractions to the Ghana premier league from 2017 due to the dissolution of the GFA in June 2018, the 2018 league season was abandoned and the uprising of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic which also caused the 2019–20 league to be cancelled abruptly, the 2020–2021 season started in November 2020.[5]

Further information: 2020–21 Karela United FC season

Rivalry

Karela being a club based in the Nzema enclave of the Ellembele District located in Western Region of Ghana, they developed a fierce rivalry between them and their fellow Nzema enclave team Medeama SC. The rivalry has developed over the years into the Nzema Derby.[6][7][8] They are also rivals with Nzema Kotoko.[9]

Grounds

The team's home games are played at Crosby Awuah Memorial (CAM) Park.[10][11]

Current squad

As of 26 April 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF  GHA Augustine Randolph 3 DF  GHA Emmanuel Anaful 4 DF  GHA Ebenezer Ocran 5 MF  GHA Daniel Paha Kwofie 7 FW  GHA George Amonoo 8 DF  GHA Fatawu Mohammed 9 FW  GHA Richard Berko 10 MF  GHA Brite Andoh 11 FW  GHA Kelvin Andoh 14 MF  GHA Kingsford Frimpong 15 MF  GHA Dafie Humin Mohammed 16 FW  GHA Patrick Mensah 17 FW  GHA Philip Flamini

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 DF  GHA Kwodwo Addae (captain) 19 FW  GHA Evans Adomako 20 MF  GHA Joseph Dinku 21 DF  GHA Abdul-Raman Yaya 27 MF  GHA Isaac Donkor 29 FW  GHA Stephen Akane 30 FW  GHA Samuel Attah Kumi 31 MF  GHA Emmanuel Boakye Owusu 33 FW  GHA Franklin Osei 35 DF  GHA Kweku Osei 36 DF  GHA Mohammed Rashid 42 DF  GHA Solomon Twene 88 GK  GHA Emmanuel Essandoh

[12]

Honours

Domestic

• Ghana Division One League Zone II
  • Champions (1): 2016–17[13]

Club captains

Philip Quarshie (2016–2018)[14][15]

Godfred Saka (2018)[16]

Empem Dacosta (2019)[17][18]

Godfred Agyemang Yeboah (2019 – present)[19]

Managers

Johnson Smith,[20] 2017 – October 2019[21][22]

Evans Adotey,[23] April 2020 – present

References

1. "Brief History". Karela United FC. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
2. "NC Special Cup: Hearts, Kotoko, Ashgold open with wins; WAFA crush Liberty". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2019-03-31. Archived from the original on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
3. Kapoor, Daraja Jr. (2019-06-22). "NC Special Competition Preview – Asante Kotoko vrs Karela United". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
4. "NC Special: Kotoko beat Karela on penalties to win Tier 1 Competition". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2019-06-23. Archived from the original on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
5. "The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21 - MyJoyOnline.com". MyJoyOnline. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
6. "Diawisie Taylor to miss 'Nzema derby' against Medeama". GhanaWeb. 2021-01-28. Archived from the original on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
7. Association, Ghana Football. "Karela United to square off against Medeama SC in Nzema derby – Preview". Ghanafa. Archived from the original on 2021-02-07. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
8. Kapoor, Daraja Jr. (2021-01-31). "REPORT: Karela United 2–0 Medeama SC- Karela claim Nzema derby bragging rights". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
9. Zurek, Kweku (12 January 2021). "Bad Blood: Karela United turn down Nzema Kotoko request to use stadium". Graphic Online. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
10. Association, Ghana Football. "Karela United". Ghanafa. Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
11. Okine, Sammy Heywood (2020-05-04). "New CAM Park -Venue For Karela United FC Almost Complete". News Ghana. Archived from the original on 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
12. "The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21 - MyJoyOnline.com". MyJoyOnline. 13 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
13. "HISTORY – Karela United FC". GhanaSoccernet. 2020-11-13. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
14. "Captain Philip Quarshie Of Karela United Commends Team Mates For Historic Premier League Qualification". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
15. "Any new signing will be embraced by us-Karela skipper Quarshie". Football Made In Ghana. 2017-11-28. Archived from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
16. "Godfred Saka: Experienced defender installed Karela FC captain". GhanaSoccernet. 2018-03-25. Archived from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
17. "REVEALED: Why Empem Dacosta Has Been Thrown Out Of Asante Kotoko". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
18. "OFFICIAL: Ampem Dacosta joins Asante Kotoko - Kickgh.com". kick Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
19. Osman, Abdul Wadudu (2020-11-18). "Karela United appoint Godfred Yeboah as new captain". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the original on 2020-11-18. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
20. "Karela United Coach Johnson Smith Wants Early Start Of Ghana Premier League". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
21. "OFFICIAL: Johnson Smith to assist Zachariassen at Kotoko". Citi Sports Online. 2019-10-12. Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
22. "Kotoko set to appoint Karela United Coach Johnson Smith". Ghana Sports Online. 2019-10-06. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
23. "Karela United appoint Evans Adotey as new head coach of the club". GhanaSoccernet. 2020-04-14. Archived from the original on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-02-08.

External links

• Official website