Sports
Hearts, Kotoko battle for supremacy
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium will come alive tomorrow when the two biggest clubs in Ghana, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko clash in the second leg of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) match week 24 fixture.
For everything positive leaders Kotoko have done so far this season, they start as favourites going into the clash; but most often, games of this nature have been far from just the form of the teams.
The Phobians have managed three wins from their last five games played in the league, amassing 10 points from an available 15, with one draw and a defeat.
Kotoko, on the other hand, have nine points from their last five games (two wins and three draws) and currently 13 points superior to their sworn-rival ahead of tomorrow’s encounter.
In the last league meeting between these two in Accra, defending champions Hearts under Samuel Boadu were held to a disappointing 0-0 by Prosper Ogum’s Kotoko at the Accra Sports Stadium.
With 11 games to climax the 2021/2022 campaign, there is still a lot to play for and if there is a defeat in this game for either of the sides, Hearts will be the team to feel the aftermath effect as it will further complicate their chances of retaining their title.
The Phobians emerged winners of the (GPL) last season but failed to live up to the spark people were looking forward to see this campaign.
This will be the 110th league meeting between these two sides with Hearts winning (37) while Kotoko have made with 35 – 36 games also ending in a stalemate.
Also in the last five meetings at the Accra Sports Stadium in the top-flight, Kotoko have won three with two going the way of Hearts.
It will also provide another platform for the bragging rights. Prior to joining the Porcupine Warriors, Prosper Ogum Narteh faced Samuel Boadu three times as coach of WAFA, won two and conceded one defeat. Boadu suffered a 5-4 loss as head coach of Medeama to WAFA before meeting Narteh twice as gaffer of Hearts.
Today at the Accra Sports Stadium, debutants Accra Lions will welcome Karela United to the Accra Sports Stadium. Lions lost 2-0 to Karela in the first round and again were defeated by the same score last weekend.
They will hope to bounce back and stabilise a spot on the league, while Karela will also hope to deepen the woes of the home team.
Tomorrow at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium, 13th placed AshantiGold SC will host West Africa Soccer Academy (WAFA).
The Miners were 1-0 winners in their last outing with WAFA, a result they hope to replicate as WAFA will be in search of a win to move out of the relegation zone.
Second-placed Bechem United will lock horns with Gold Stars at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park tomorrow.
Battling Kotoko on a hot chase for the title, the Hunters are yet to be defeated in their last five meetings, winning three and two draws.
Gold Stars managed a narrow 1-0 win against the title contenders in December and they must improve on that if they want to outshine the home team.
Tomorrow, an improved Legon Cities will make a trip to the Golden City Park to face Berekum Chelsea.
With 30 points each between the two sides on eighth and ninth positions respectively, both will aim for a victory – having played out a goalless draw in their last meeting.
Struggling Eleven Wonders will travel on Sunday to square off with Dreams at the Dawu Theatre of Dreams Park. It ended a 1-1 draw between the two clubs when they last met in December.
Wonders won 2-0 over Accra Lions on match day 23 while Dreams will hope to bounce back after their 1-0 defeat to Gold Stars.
Bottom-placed Elmina Sharks will be at the Nduom Park tomorrow to welcome King Faisal. The Sharks are keen on deepening the woes of King Faisal who are winless in their last four games.
Former league champions, Aduana Stars will clash with Accra Great Olympics at the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow. Aduana is yet to be defeated in their last seven games – and with four wins and three draws, their quest to hustle Kotoko for the title cannot be written off.
Olympics will also have to improve their output after going without a win in their last three games with one draw and two defeats.
Medeama SC will take on Real Tamale United (RTU) tomorrow at the Tarkwa T&N Park to climax the round of games.
Following their stunning 3-2 victory over Berekum Chelsea away, the premier league returnees will be aiming to improve on their last result, while sixth-placed Medeama will need a win to keep them in the title chase.
BY LINUS SIAW NARTE
Defending Ghana Premier League champions, Bibiani Gold Stars, will chase revenge against Asante Kotoko when they lock horns in a top Match day 19 fixture at the Bibiani Dun’s Park today.
The hosts lost the first-round fixture 2-0; however, they currently sit second on the league table, with a point above the Porcupine Warriors, in fourth place.
Following a pulsating goalless draw with Berekum Chelsea at home last week, a result that sent shockwaves through the Reds’ camp and sparked rumours about the future of Head Coach, Karim Zito, today’s game will serve as a major test for the technical team.
In Tema, Vision FC will test the mettle of league leaders, Medeama SC, when they welcome them to the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex.
Having opened a five-point gap at the summit of the log, Medeama is looking to extend their lead with a victory today.
Ibrahim Tanko acknowledges the challenge in Tema will be different, but trusts his ‘lieutenants’ to do a good job.
After playing out a goalless draw with Asante Kotoko last week, Coach Samuel Boadu’s Berekum Chelsea will return to their Golden City Park base to host Swedru All Blacks in what locals have dubbed a ‘must-win’ game.
Lying 16th on the league log with 19 points, fans of the ‘Bibires’ are hoping their resurgence begins as they fight to climb the table.
In other games, Karela United will remain at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium to host Samartex FC, while the Dr Kwame Kyei Sports Complex host the clash between Nations FC and Aduana FC.
Bottom-placed Eleven Wonders will visit the Kpando Stadium as guests of eighth-placed Heart of Lions; Young Apostles would be at Wenchi Sports Stadium to play host to relegation-threatened Hohoe United, while Basake Holy Stars welcome Bechem United to the Ampain AAK II Sports Arena.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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Despite the absence of Ghana at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, the country featured in conversations around the tournament from start to finish; or at least the semifinal stage.
Interestingly, not many of the countries that participated in the championship did enjoy that leverage.
Surfing either traditional, social or new media, Ghana’s name has featured prominently in several conversations, courtesy of an intense rivalry between Ghana and brothers, Nigeria.
This is because fans of the two countries have attempted to give reasons to support qualification or otherwise to AFCON.
Ghana’s failure to qualify for the AFCON was attributed to weakness, and the fact that the Black Stars have not been good enough.
Ghanaian fans, however, responded by placing bigger premium on the FIFA World Cup 2026 which Nigeria Super Eagles has failed to qualify.
So, for followers of the Black Stars, The World Cup is for the ‘big boys’, a category too strong for the Super Eagles.
This interesting ‘banter’ has dominated a few sports shows on both local and international networks with Ghanaians openly declaring support for opponents of the Super Eagles in the 2025 AFCON.
Personally, I asked a few for their reasons and the response was quite humorous. “If Nigeria wins the AFCON, Ghanaians would be dead on social media,” one said.
A Nigerian blogger also warned: “If Nigeria wins AFCON, Ghanaian soccer fans would run away from TikTok.”
At this point, one was forced to accept the social media war between soccer fans of Ghana and Naija.
A few Nigerian bloggers and content creators even reminded Ghanaian fans of their ‘brotherliness’ and the need to support each other as West Africans to keep the trophy in the face of the North African challenge.
Interestingly, the Ghana-Nigeria rivalry has transcended beyond sports and ventured into areas of hospitality where both countries are claiming to be better than the other as far as preparation of ‘jollof’ was concerned.
In an attempt to win over Ghanaian fans, a few bloggers posted videos admitting for the sake of peace, that Ghana ‘jollof’ was better.
But the protest by fans over the appointment of Ghana’s Daniel Laryea as the referee gave a new dimension to the relationship between the two sets of sporting rivals.
It started with concerns why a West African referee was appointed for such crucial tie between a West African nation and a North African opposition.
That subject changed to the assumption that since Ghanaian fans were against the Super Eagles, Referee Daniel Laryea could do their bidding by giving Nigeria a raw deal.
However, Daniel Laryea made the entire nation of Ghana proud with a solid performance in the match watched across the globe.
Many factors contributed to make the game a tensed one; host nation performing in front of thousands of home fans plus a hungry Nigerian side that was bent on causing the biggest upset of the competition.
Definitely, these circumstance could extend to affect the match officials. That notwithstanding, Daniel Laryea proved to the whole world he has what it takes to occupy the same office with some of the top referees in football.
He commanded discipline among the players; there was calm on both benches despite a few disagreement over decisions – but football is like that.
Every sincere fan that watched the game closely would admit that Daniel Laryea’s performance was one of the best in the competition and must be commended rather than condemned.
Clearly, Laryea settled the ‘jollof’ rivalry with a commanding display. What is left now is how the Black Stars keep the ‘jollof’ title delivered by Laryea in Ghana with a fine performance at the World Cup because the Nigerian fans would be following closer than they think.
By Andrew Nortey
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