Karela United FC explained
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]
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
[12]
Honours
Domestic
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
Notes and References
- Web site: Brief History. Karela United FC. 3 May 2018. 8 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170908072737/http://karelaunitedfc.com/about/. dead.
- Web site: 2019-03-31. NC Special Cup: Hearts, Kotoko, Ashgold open with wins; WAFA crush Liberty. 2021-02-08. Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. en-US. 2021-02-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20210214011909/https://citinewsroom.com/2019/03/nc-special-cup-hearts-kotoko-ashgold-open-with-wins-wafa-crush-liberty/. live.
- Web site: Kapoor. Daraja Jr.. 2019-06-22. NC Special Competition Preview – Asante Kotoko vrs Karela United. 2021-02-08. Football Made In Ghana. en-US. 2021-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210208014311/https://footballmadeinghana.com/2019/06/22/nc-special-competition-preview-asante-kotoko-vrs-karela-united/. live.
- Web site: 2019-06-23. NC Special: Kotoko beat Karela on penalties to win Tier 1 Competition. 2021-02-08. Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. en-US. 2021-02-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20210214120558/https://citinewsroom.com/2019/06/nc-special-kotoko-beat-karela-on-penalties-to-win-tier-1-competition/. live.
- Web site: The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21 - MyJoyOnline.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210226133652/https://www.myjoyonline.com/the-ultimate-18-team-ghana-premier-league-season-guide-2020-21/ . 2021-02-26 . 2021-01-20 . MyJoyOnline. . 13 November 2020 . en-US.
- Web site: 2021-01-28 . Diawisie Taylor to miss 'Nzema derby' against Medeama . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210202054401/https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Diawisie-Taylor-to-miss-Nzema-derby-against-Medeama-1166011 . 2021-02-02 . 2021-02-07 . GhanaWeb. . en.
- Web site: Association . Ghana Football . Karela United to square off against Medeama SC in Nzema derby – Preview . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210207020853/https://www.ghanafa.org/karela-united-to-square-off-against-medeama-sc-in-nzema-derby-preview . 2021-02-07 . 2021-02-07 . Ghanafa . en.
- Web site: Kapoor. Daraja Jr.. 2021-01-31. REPORT: Karela United 2–0 Medeama SC- Karela claim Nzema derby bragging rights. 2021-02-07. Football Made In Ghana. en-US. 2021-01-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131174125/https://footballmadeinghana.com/2021/01/31/report-karela-united-2-0-medeama-sc-karela-claim-nzema-derby-bragging-rights/. live.
- Web site: Zurek. Kweku. 12 January 2021. Bad Blood: Karela United turn down Nzema Kotoko request to use stadium. 1 September 2021. Graphic Online. en-gb. 1 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210901153612/https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/sports-news/bad-blood-karela-united-turn-down-nzema-kotoko-request-to-use-stadium.html. live.
- Web site: Association . Ghana Football . Karela United . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210125202659/https://www.ghanafa.org/football-club/karela-united . 2021-01-25 . 2021-02-07 . Ghanafa. . en.
- Web site: Okine. Sammy Heywood. 2020-05-04. New CAM Park -Venue For Karela United FC Almost Complete. 2021-02-10. News Ghana. en-US. 2020-05-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20200527035845/https://newsghana.com.gh/new-cam-park-venue-for-karela-united-fc-almost-complete/. live.
- Web site: The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21 - MyJoyOnline.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210226133652/https://www.myjoyonline.com/the-ultimate-18-team-ghana-premier-league-season-guide-2020-21/ . 2021-02-26 . 2021-02-08 . MyJoyOnline. . 13 November 2020 . en-US.
- Web site: 2020-11-13. HISTORY – Karela United FC. 2021-07-01. GhanaSoccernet. en. 2021-07-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183225/https://ghanasoccernet.com/history-karela-united-fc. live.
- Web site: Captain Philip Quarshie Of Karela United Commends Team Mates For Historic Premier League Qualification. 2021-07-15. Modern Ghana. en. 2021-07-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20210715175743/https://www.modernghana.com/sports/800546/captain-philip-quarshie-of-karela-united-commends.html. live.
- Web site: 2017-11-28. Any new signing will be embraced by us-Karela skipper Quarshie. 2021-07-15. Football Made In Ghana. en-US. 2021-07-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20210715175740/https://footballmadeinghana.com/2017/11/28/any-new-signing-will-be-embraced-by-us-karela-skipper-quarshie/. live.
- Web site: 2018-03-25. Godfred Saka: Experienced defender installed Karela FC captain. 2021-07-15. GhanaSoccernet. en. 2021-07-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20210715175741/https://ghanasoccernet.com/godfred-saka-experienced-defender-installed-karela-fc-captain. live.
- Web site: REVEALED: Why Empem Dacosta Has Been Thrown Out Of Asante Kotoko. 2021-03-18. Modern Ghana. en. 2021-07-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20210715175740/https://www.modernghana.com/sports/1029164/revealed-why-empem-dacosta-has-been-thrown-out.html. live.
- Web site: OFFICIAL: Ampem Dacosta joins Asante Kotoko - Kickgh.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210715175744/https://www.kickgh.com/ghana-premier-league/7391-official-ampem-dacosta-joins-asante-kotoko . 2021-07-15 . 2021-03-19 . kick Ghana . en-gb.
- Web site: Osman. Abdul Wadudu. 2020-11-18. Karela United appoint Godfred Yeboah as new captain. 2021-02-07. Football Made In Ghana. en-US. 2020-11-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20201118150329/https://footballmadeinghana.com/2020/11/18/karela-united-appoint-godfred-yeboah-as-new-captain/. live.
- Web site: Karela United Coach Johnson Smith Wants Early Start Of Ghana Premier League. 2021-02-08. Modern Ghana. en. 2021-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210208015658/https://www.modernghana.com/sports/953461/karela-united-coach-johnson-smith-wants-early-star.html. live.
- Web site: 2019-10-12. OFFICIAL: Johnson Smith to assist Zachariassen at Kotoko. 2021-02-08. Citi Sports Online. en-US. 2021-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411180022/https://citisportsonline.com/2019/10/12/official-johnson-smith-to-assist-zachariassen-at-asante-kotoko/. live.
- Web site: 2019-10-06. Kotoko set to appoint Karela United Coach Johnson Smith. 2021-02-08. Ghana Sports Online. en-US. 2021-02-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210208015659/https://ghanasportsonline.com/2019/10/kotoko-set-to-appoint-karela-united-coach-johnson-smith/. live.
- Web site: 2020-04-14. Karela United appoint Evans Adotey as new head coach of the club. 2021-02-08. GhanaSoccernet. en. 2021-02-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20210214123243/https://ghanasoccernet.com/karela-united-appoint-evans-adotey-as-new-head-coach-of-the-club. live.