GPL REVIEW: How Yahaya Mohammed finished top scorer in first round

A brace here. A hattrick there. Match-winners here. Game-changers there.

That's been how the re-born Yahaya Mohammed has quietly gone up the scoring charts this season. And he's ended above the pile with 11, two more than the nearest challenger, Liberty's Latif Blessing.

Before the season started, and after Aduana Stars had had a fine number of games to warm up, he had told Joy Sports in an interview of his intentions.

"I am in great condition and the team is also ready for the season. We hope we can keep up on the way we have been playing so far and I personally hope I can score as many as possible to help my team".

But Aduana had a confused start to the season, where internal problems threatened to derail their campaign from the onset. Godfred Saka was stripped of his captaincy, players were reported to be ready to rebel at financial problems. Daniel Darkwah was made captain.

Following three straight losses in the first three games, things started calming down.

"We are happy with this first win. It's not been easy, but this win will help us grow," said the dreadlocked striker on matchday four when his side pipped WAFA in Dormaa.

Yahaya's first goal will come two matchdays later, against Kotoko - his former team. On 55 minutes, Bright Adjei weaved his way through the Reds defence before setting up Yahaya who smashed home from close range to preserve Aduana's unbeaten record at home against Kotoko.

"I feel relieved, yeah. It's always good to score because it boosts your confidence. I hope this is the beginning of more of those!" he told SuperSport after the game.

And, like ketchup, once the goals started, he was hard to stop. He is the only player to have scored against six different teams this season - he and Latif Blessing.

Three came against Hasaacas. Two against Medeama. Liberty got one. Dreams got two. On Sunday, he scored two when Bechem came around (not shown in the table above).

And he even missed the April 10 game against Chelsea in Berekum on matchday 7.

This kind of form is not new to the player. It has once earned him a Black Stars callup several seasons ago - when he had scored 11 goals by December 2013. He never did not make Kwesi Appiah's AFCON's final squad due to injury, however.

But he did make it to the 2014 CHAN team that went to South Africa, where the team reached the final. And he wants another crack at the national team.

“As a striker I dream of winning the goal king as well as a national team call up. I have had the opportunity to represent Ghana a couple of times but I missed out due to injury,” Mohammed told Capital TV.

“I also want to win the league crown with Aduana Stars as the best players in the league all ply their trade here and we are buoyed by the fact that we want to make history,” he added.

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Story by Ghana/Joy Sports/Gary Al-Smith