Black Stars midfielder bemoans Tema Youth’s GPL return failure

• Kotoku Royals defiled the odds to qualify from Zone 3

Genk and Black Stars midfielder Joseph Paintsil bomoans his former club’s failure to return into the Ghana Premier League after losing the competition to Kotoku Royals.

They were hopeful of making a return to the top-flight in the 2021/22 season but had their hopes shattered on the last day of the season after they failed to beat Kotoku Royals whiles Liberty also drew goalless with Susubiribi.

The results on the final day meant, Kotoku Royals earned promotion, finishing top of Zone 3 with 63 points, Liberty had 62 points while Tema Youth ended the season with 61 points.

Paintsil who made his Ghana Premier League debut with Tema Youth in 2017 expressed worries over the team’s GPL promotion failure whiles speaking in an interview with Accra-based Original Tv on the Sports Punch Show.

“It is very painful. They came close last season. I think they are all disappointed for not making it.

“It is so sad but in football it happens. They should make sure of putting things together to comeback strongly next season.”

Tema Youth competed in the 2017 Ghanaian Premier League, but got relegated at the end of the season.

Heading into the final day of the GPL 2016/2017 season, as many as seven Premier league clubs were in danger of being relegated but majority of those teams managed to stay afloat with wins, leaving Olympics and Tema Youth who failed to conjure a last minute escape.