Sports
Premier League: Kotoko back to winning ways; Vision stun Gold Stars; Karela United and Legon Cities in relegation trouble
Asante Kotoko closed the gap at the top of the Ghana Premier League to just three points after edging past Aduana FC 1-0 in an entertaining encounter at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
Kwame Poku’s 26th-minute strike proved decisive as the Porcupine Warriors secured a hard-fought victory. Despite remaining in fourth place, Kotoko have reignited their title ambitions, now trailing leaders Gold Stars by only three points with five matches left in the season. Aduana FC, meanwhile, sit 11th with 38 points after 29 games.
At the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex, league leaders Gold Stars suffered a major setback, falling 2-0 to Vision FC. Edward Agyemang (55’) and Edmond Asante (86’) scored to secure a vital win for the hosts, lifting Vision FC to 14th — four points clear of the relegation zone. Gold Stars, however, remain atop the standings with 53 points.
Second-placed Nations FC missed an opportunity to capitalize, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat at Berekum Chelsea. Stephen Amankona’s 29th-minute penalty was enough for Chelsea, who now move up to 8th, while Nations FC stay just two points behind the summit.
Defending champions FC Samartex 1996 maintained their strong finish to the season with a commanding 3-0 home victory over Basake Holy Stars. An early goal from Baba Musah Hamadu and a brace from Emmanuel Mammah sealed the win at the Nsenkyire Arena. Samartex sit 5th with 45 points, while Holy Stars continue to struggle in 12th position, hovering dangerously close to the relegation scrap.
Legon Cities’ survival hopes took another blow after a 1-0 home defeat to title-chasing Heart of Lions. Christian Agyenim Boateng’s first-half strike consigned Cities to their 18th loss of the season. With just 25 points, Cities are firmly rooted in the bottom three and staring relegation in the face. Lions, meanwhile, are tied on points with Kotoko in third and remain firmly in the title race, only three points off the top.
Karela United’s woes deepened with a 2-1 home loss to Dreams FC at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium. First-half goals from Abdul Razak Salifu and Joseph Esso gave Dreams a comfortable cushion before Malik Abubakar pulled one back for Karela. However, the hosts couldn’t find an equalizer and remain mired in the relegation zone, while Dreams solidify their mid-table position
With only five games remaining, the race for the title and the battle for survival are both set for a thrilling climax.
The unbeaten away run of Accra Hearts of Oak will be put to the test tomorrow when they visit the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to play as guests of Karela United. Described as one of the top-liners of the weekend games, the match will pitch one of the best home teams against the best away team, with their records on the line.
After playing a pulsating 2-2 draw with Kumasi Asante Kotoko last week, league leaders Medeama SC return to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to welcome Berekum Chelsea FC in a clash of former league winners. Medeama have struggled in recent times to hold their own against the ‘Bibires’, losing their last four games both home and away.
However, according to Head Coach of Medeama, Tanko Ibrahim, that sequence of results will come to an end tomorrow as they look to crawl out of the claws of their opponents with victory. Eleven points separate the sides, with Berekum Chelsea lying a distant 14th position on the log. They have been a pale shadow of themselves this season, and it remains to be seen if Coach Samuel Boadu’s side can keep the bragging rights over the Yellow and Mauves in what has been described as one of their worse starts to a league season.
Today, second-placed Kpando Heart of Lions will trek to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese to play as guests of struggling Nations FC. Having suffered a 1-0 away loss to Basake Holy Stars in their last game, Nations FC would look to pick all three points to better their current 12th position.
In other games, the Hohoe Sports Stadium will come alive as new boys Hohoe United FC welcome Kumasi Asante Kotoko. The Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema will host the Vision FC versus Young Apostles FC game, the Tuba Astro Turf will host the Dreams FC versus Bechem United FC clash, while the Nsenkyire Sports Arena will host the Samartex FC versus Bibiani Gold Stars game. High-riding Aduana FC will sort things out with Basake Holy Stars at the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa.
By Raymond Ackumey
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When the international friendly match between Ghana’s Black Queens and the Lionesses of England was announced, it was received with mixed feelings. For the faint-hearted, lining up such a high-profile friendly against the European champions was an audacious move. Fans who aligned with this school of thought were guided by what has earned a place in Ghana’s football history as the ‘Bochum Disaster,’ recorded on April 14, 1993.
It was a disaster, although there was no loss of life. On that cold evening in Bochum, the Black Stars suffered a 6-1 humiliation from the German national team in an international friendly. It came as a shock to soccer fans across the globe, coming just a year after Abedi Ayew Pele skippered the Black Stars to dominate the continent, culminating in an AFCON final in the 1992 edition held in Senegal. In a final against the Elephants of La Cote d’Ivoire, the game went to extra time, with the eventual winner decided after a marathon penalty shoot-out. Ghana’s strength on the continent at the time was considered second best.
Fast forward to April, Ghana faced Germany again, needing a high-profile friendly to commence USA ‘94 World Cup qualifying. What followed was a battering that no follower of the team would want to remember—a 6-1 defeat for the team that had previously brought honour to the nation. Guided by this history, nervous fans had reason to doubt the Black Queens’ ability to share the field with the European champions, currently the top-ranked female team in the world, and come out unscathed.
However, there were fans who remained optimistic that the Black Queens would perform well. Despite losing the game 2-0, fans expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance, as many had anticipated a worse outcome than the Bochum disaster. The English coach had changed the team that had thrashed China 8-0 just four days earlier, which gave some hope to Ghana supporters.
The Black Queens defended well for 90 minutes, aided by some profligacy from the English in front of goal and an excellent performance from Ghana’s goalkeeper, Cynthia Konlan Findib. England captain Alessia Russo praised Ghana’s performance, stating, “Ghana provided the type of test we wanted… We want to test ourselves against different playing styles, and we definitely got that tonight.”
Despite the defeat, the match proved to be a valuable exercise for the team as they prepare for the next AFCON. It highlighted improvements in both the playing staff and the technical direction of the team. Coach Kim Lars scored full marks for knowing the strengths of his team and adopting strategies they were comfortable with. While some fans disapproved of the defensive approach, as long as it proves effective, it must be encouraged to achieve results rather than merely entertain the crowd.
By Andrew Nortey
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