Sports
Bechem United to test early Hearts supremacy
Two games with six maximum points in the Ghana Premier League should come as a surprise for fans that joined Accra Hearts of Oak in the last decade.
Within that period, the Phobians have endured the pain of starting their season on a slippery path, either losing or drawing their opening or second games.
There were cases too where they suffered defeats as in the case of Basake Holy Stars who won their maiden Premier League game over Hearts in Accra.
Perhaps, it was the reason why the opening day win of the 2026/27 season was massively celebrated and considered historic because it came as a first opening victory in the last 10 years.
Pleasantly, the Phobians stormed one of the most difficult venues, that is, Bibiani where GoldStars have established themselves as tormentors; yet came out victorious to the surprise of many, including the staunch Phobian faithful.
Now celebrity goalkeeper, Benjamin Asare, whose performance in the penalty shoot-out loss to Asante Kotoko in Kumasi in the season-opening Democracy Cup match was questionable, made the Bibiani feat possible.
He proved his critics wrong by saving a late penalty awarded the home team to hand the Phobians a perfect run. Whatever Coach Bebojsa Kapor is doing with the Phobians seem to be attracting the applause from many quarters, but would what has been seen so far be enough to guarantee them the title this season?
Back to the University of Ghana Stadium in Accra, tomorrow, Hearts would seek to provide answers to those concerns when they welcome Bechem United in a third week Ghana Premier League (GPL) clash.
It would be one game that should attract quite a huge number of their followers to the stadium considering the team’s performance so far. Hearts remain one of just two clubs yet to drop a point. The other is FC Samartex, currently occupying second position with an inferior goal aggregate.
Bechem endured a torrid time in the previous season and survived the drop by a hair’s breadth. They appear to have done a good recruitment this season and are performing better than last season.
Again, Accra has been a difficult place for them although it has often provided some verve to attempt to upset the apple-cart.
But against a highly-spirited Hearts of Oak side inspired by a rejuvenated attack spearheaded by experienced striker John Antwi, Hearts would obviously be too strong for the visitors.
Former coach Didi Dramani’s replacement, Kapor appears to have discovered the team’s mojo, blending both new and old players to grind results that surpassed what were seen from them last season.
It may be early days yet but the urge of players to get the nod of the new manager, culminating in the competition for places in the first team seem to be driving the team to its desired direction.
So far, John Antwi has proven to be a great replacement for Mawuli Wayo who is currently playing in the Egyptian league.
Against Bechem, Hearts face a challenge to prove their doubters wrong by snatching all three points to not just keep the path of perfection but also, drum home the announcement that they are ready to be crowned as champions again.
FC Samartex face a challenge similar to that of the Phobians when they welcome Asante Kotoko at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi in what promises to be a fierce exchange.
Kotoko, just like the Phobians, have also altered the technical direction of the club, bringing in former South Africa international, Eric Tinkler whose first major achievement was the Democracy Cup win over their fierce rivals.
That game-though a glorified or over-hyped friendly, gave him a fair idea of what the fans’ expectations are and what the rivalry means to them.
Just like others, the Porcupine Warriors have done a very good recruitment this season to strengthen the team.
That has seen them annex four points from the two matches played so far.
Beating Heart of Lions last week came with great joy to their followers due to the bad record they have against them. The win, therefore speaks volumes about their intent for the season.
But engaging Samartex away would undoubtedly be a huge task they must confront with care. In the ‘absence’ of the giants, Samartex and other relatively new clubs have shown what they are made up.
It is, therefore understandable the caution with which the Porcupine Warriors are approaching the game. They stand as favourites although a Samartex shock for them would come with little surprise.
New entrants, Port City would engage Berekum Chelsea at the Nana Boamah Darko II Park in Kukurantumi, tomorrow.
The visitors gave an impression that they did not recover well from the previous season’s challenges that nearly got them relegated after losing massively to Hearts of Oak at the UG Stadium.
They, however recovered well to record a 3-1 victory in the second game to bag their first three points in the competition.
Coming up against Port City would be a game of equals but despite playing away, Chelsea must use their rich experience to at least earn a point.
The Nana Agyeman Badu II Park in Dormaa would be another exciting venue to be as Aduana FC welcome Karela United.
Another debutant, Debibi United FC would also host Young Apostles at the Debibi Presby Park while Dreams FC and Basake Holy Stars remain at home against GoldStars and FC AshantiGold, respectively at the Tuba Astro Turf and AAK II Arena, Basake.
Meanwhile, Vision FC and Heart of Lions are expected to kick off the weekend’s games today with dicey clashes against Medeama SC at the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema New Town and Swedru All Blacks at the Kpando Stadium.
By Andrew Nortey
The national U-17 female team, the Black Maidens, have arrived in Rabat from their pre-camp base in Casablanca to begin their campaign at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The team will open their Group C fixtures against Norway on Sunday, October 18, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex. They will then face Brazil on Thursday, October 22, before wrapping up the group stage against Canada on Saturday, October 24.
During their two-week training camp in Casablanca, the technical team tested the squad’s readiness with two international friendlies against China and Kenya.
The Black Maidens are returning to the global showpiece after missing the last edition, aiming to build on a proud record that includes a bronze medal in 2012 and three quarter-final appearances.
The team is expected to hold its first training session in Rabat on Wednesday as it puts finishing touches to preparations for the opener against Norway.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
IN modern football, the final whistle doesn’t signal the end of the show; it signals the intermission.
The Top five European Leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1) have mastered a brutal truth of the digital age: you don’t just sell the match; you sell the marathon.
By weaponising transfer window tension, season reviews, and microscopic highlight reels, they’ve turned 90 minutes of sport into a 24/7/365 content vortex.
Meanwhile, back home, the Ghana Premier League (GPL) is haemorrhaging relevance not because the talent isn’t there but because the storytelling is dead.
The Football Association’s apathy is only rivalled by its hypocrisy.
The European Blueprint: Selling the ‘Appetite’
Why do fans tune into a random mid-table La Liga clash on a Friday night? Because they’ve been primed. Across the summer, broadcasters and clubs drip-feed ‘transfer sagas’ like high-stakes soap operas.
Will the star leave? Who is the mystery medical? This tension creates a parasocial investment that transcends the pitch.
Paired with this are season-review documentaries and hyper-curated game highlights tailored for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. These aren’t just goal clips; they are tactical breakdowns, sideline theatrics, and VAR controversies packaged into digestible and emotional bites.
This strategy has inflated broadcasting rights to astronomical sums (the Premier League’s recent domestic deal hit £6.7 billion).
They know that if you feed the audience year-round, they will binge-watch when it matters.
The GPL Vacuum: No Sponsor, No Story
Now, overlay this blueprint onto the Ghana Premier League. It is a stark, barren contrast.
The league is poorly run, lacking a headline sponsor to give it financial muscle or marketing prestige. Without that corporate backing, the media machine grinds to a halt.
The transfer market, which should be the peak of offseason intrigue, is a ghost town. We hear about signings, but the transfer fee is universally undisclosed.” We only get the contract length.
This kills the narrative. In Europe, a €100 million move generates weeks of debate; in Ghana, a move generates a one-line social media post, devoid of gravity. Fans cannot gauge ambition, nor can they measure a club’s financial muscle.
Most damningly, there are no reviews from the broadcasting rights holders. No glossy season-compilation DVDs. No weekly magazine shows dissecting past campaigns to build hype for the next.
The Broadcasting Right Holders (BRHs) treat the GPL as an obligation to air live, not as an IP to monetize through content. The league goes dormant the moment the trophy is lifted.
And the FA? They seem unconcerned. There is no strategic blue • A scene from the Ghana Premier League print to pump these ‘stuffs’ into the digital ecosystem. They treat the league’s media output like an afterthought, ignoring that a lack of online noise equals a lack of bums on seats.
The Black Stars Paradox: The Hypocrisy of Production
Here is the crushing irony that exposes the FA’s priorities. When the Black Stars assemble for a World Cup qualifier or an AFCON match, the narrative flips overnight.
Suddenly, the budget for proper camera operators and videographers appears from thin air. We get cinematic drone shots, multi-angle slow-motion replays, tunnel cams, and emotional post-match interviews.
Every moment, every tackle, every save, every passionate fan in the stands is captured in vivid, broadcast-ready quality. The national team gets the full ‘European treatment.’
This reveals a devastating double standard. The FA treats the Black Stars as the sole marketable asset, forgetting that the GPL is the engine room that produces these stars.
By diverting all production value to the national team while starving the domestic league of visual prestige, they are cannibalizing their own foundation.
The Verdict
You cannot build a football culture on national team fixtures alone.
Europe thrives because they understand that content is the currency of fandom.
Until the Ghana FA secures a headline sponsor, enforces transparent transfer disclosures (to fuel debate), and mandates that broadcasting partners produce engaging season reviews and highlight packages, the GPL will remain a hidden gem rather than a sparkling crown.
The players are there. The passion is there. But if the FA continues to save its best camera angles for the Black Stars while leaving the Premier League in the dark, they aren’t just failing the clubs; they are starving the very appetite they desperately need to feed
By Leslie Agyemang
