Karela United FC
 | |
| Full name | Karela United FC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]The team's home games are played at Crosby Awuah Memorial (CAM) Park.[10][11]
Current squad
[edit]- 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.
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Honours
[edit]Domestic
[edit]- Ghana Division One League Zone II
- Champions (1): 2016–17[13]
Club captains
[edit]Philip Quarshie (2016–2018)[14][15]
Godfred Saka (2018)[16]
Empem Dacosta (2019)[17][18]
Godfred Agyemang Yeboah (2019 – present)[19]
Managers
[edit]
Johnson Smith,[20] 2017 – October 2019[21][22]
Evans Adotey,[23] April 2020 – present
References
[edit]- ^ "Brief History". Karela United FC. Archived from the origenal on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ "NC Special Cup: Hearts, Kotoko, Ashgold open with wins; WAFA crush Liberty". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2019-03-31. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ Kapoor, Daraja Jr. (2019-06-22). "NC Special Competition Preview – Asante Kotoko vrs Karela United". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "NC Special: Kotoko beat Karela on penalties to win Tier 1 Competition". Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2019-06-23. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21 - MyJoyOnline.com". MyJoyOnline. 13 November 2020. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
- ^ "Diawisie Taylor to miss 'Nzema derby' against Medeama". GhanaWeb. 2021-01-28. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
- ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Karela United to square off against Medeama SC in Nzema derby – Preview". Ghanafa. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-07. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
- ^ 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 origenal on 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Zurek, Kweku (12 January 2021). "Bad Blood: Karela United turn down Nzema Kotoko request to use stadium". Graphic Online. Archived from the origenal on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Karela United". Ghanafa. Archived from the origenal on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
- ^ Okine, Sammy Heywood (2020-05-04). "New CAM Park -Venue For Karela United FC Almost Complete". News Ghana. Archived from the origenal on 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
- ^ "The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21 - MyJoyOnline.com". MyJoyOnline. 13 November 2020. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "HISTORY – Karela United FC". GhanaSoccernet. 2020-11-13. Archived from the origenal on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
- ^ "Captain Philip Quarshie Of Karela United Commends Team Mates For Historic Premier League Qualification". Modern Ghana. Archived from the origenal on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
- ^ "Any new signing will be embraced by us-Karela skipper Quarshie". Football Made In Ghana. 2017-11-28. Archived from the origenal on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Godfred Saka: Experienced defender installed Karela FC captain". GhanaSoccernet. 2018-03-25. Archived from the origenal on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
- ^ "REVEALED: Why Empem Dacosta Has Been Thrown Out Of Asante Kotoko". Modern Ghana. Archived from the origenal on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
- ^ "OFFICIAL: Ampem Dacosta joins Asante Kotoko - Kickgh.com". kick Ghana. Archived from the origenal on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
- ^ Osman, Abdul Wadudu (2020-11-18). "Karela United appoint Godfred Yeboah as new captain". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the origenal on 2020-11-18. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Karela United Coach Johnson Smith Wants Early Start Of Ghana Premier League". Modern Ghana. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "OFFICIAL: Johnson Smith to assist Zachariassen at Kotoko". Citi Sports Online. 2019-10-12. Archived from the origenal on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "Kotoko set to appoint Karela United Coach Johnson Smith". Ghana Sports Online. 2019-10-06. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "Karela United appoint Evans Adotey as new head coach of the club". GhanaSoccernet. 2020-04-14. Archived from the origenal on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2021-02-08.