Sports
Premier League: Gold Stars go top; Medeama triumph in Western derby to move into top four
Goals from Samuel Atta Kumi and Gideon Anaba gave Gold Stars FC a gritty 2-1 win over Heart of Lions that sent back to the top of the Premier League table on Tuesday April 1, 2025.
The Miners lead 44 points, two points ahead of Asante Kotoko, who have a game in hand having beaten True Democracy at the weekend to reach the MTN FA Cup semi-final.
Samuel Atta Kumi opened the scoring for Gold Stars as early as the 14th minute before Gideon Anaba made it 2-0 to end the first half.
Nana Kwame Oppong pulled a goal back for the visitors but was not enough as they succumbed to their sixth defeat of the season.
Gold Stars have leapfrogged Asante Kotoko at the top of the table while Lions remain in third position despite the defeat on the road.
Derrick Fordjour’s magic steals show for Medeama
Derrick Fordjour produced a last-minute heroics for Medeama SC in their 2-1 comeback win over Basake Holy Stars in an outstanding matchday 21 fixture on Tuesday.
It was an electrifying moment in Tarkwa as the winger scored the decisive goal in the 89th minute to send the fans agog as the home team secured the vital win at the death.
Issah Yakubu put the visitors in front in the 28th minute before Kamaradini Mamudu pulled parity at the end of the first half.
With the derby heading to a stalemate, Derrick Fordjour popped up with the match-winner at the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa.
Medeama defender Yusif Mubarik missed a second half penalty as his side dominated the game, finishing with 66% possession, 28 total shots, and 11 corners, while Holy Stars managed only two shots on target.
The win has catapulted the Mauve and Yellow to fourth in the table 38 points, trailing leaders Gold Stars by just six points.
Basake Holy Stars have slipped to 13th in the table with 27 points from 24 matches.
Ghana will face Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Somalia in Group C of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The draw was held on Tuesday in Cairo, where African nations learned their routes to the continental tournament.
Two teams will qualify from each of the 12 groups of four for the finals. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda — the first East African co-hosting arrangement in the competition’s history.
Ghana head into the qualifiers targeting one of the two slots from Group C after missing out on the previous edition in Morocco.
Qualifying schedule:
Matchdays 1 & 2: September 21 – October 6, 2026
Matchdays 3 & 4: November 9 – 17, 2026
Matchdays 5 & 6: March 22 – 30, 2027
Black Stars assistant coach Roger De Sá says joining Carlos Queiroz’s technical team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a no-brainer.
Speaking on Beyond The Whistle, the South African revealed Queiroz’s call was no surprise given their long-standing relationship and shared ambition.
“The call from Carlos did not surprise me. We have similar dreams and I always want to see him succeed,” De Sá said.
For the experienced coach, Ghana’s pedigree made the decision easy.
“Being called to assist Carlos was not difficult. This is Ghana and it’s the World Cup we are talking about,” he stated.
De Sá recalled the moment Queiroz rang: “It was an exciting 3am call. I told my wife first and, as custom, she said, ‘We are leaving.’ I replied, ‘Let’s go!’”
He praised Queiroz’s collaborative style: “Carlos listens. He doesn’t have to take every opinion, but he welcomes different views.”
Back in Africa, De Sá said the feeling was special. “It’s great to be back. Africa is not a place, it’s a feeling.”
The former Bafana Bafana assistant was full of praise for Ghana’s talent pool.
“There is so much natural talent in Ghana despite limited resources. As an African football lover, the talent here is unbelievable. You guys don’t know what you have with limited facilities and infrastructure,” he said.
Comparing both nations, De Sá noted: “We in South Africa have talent too, but a different kind with all the facilities. Yet we don’t go forward with our talent.”
Ahead of the World Cup, he believes the Black Stars only need unity.
“We are not going to teach them how to play. We have the players. We only have to put them in the right position, with the right frame of mind, and when they put on the jersey, they should perform.”
De Sá assured Ghanaians of the technical team’s commitment.
“We are here to do our best and make Ghanaians happy. If Carlos does his job, there is none better than him,” he said.
“We will pick our targets as they come. If our players play to their abilities, we have a realistic chance to progress,” he concluded.
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