The Ghana Premier League witnessed significant upsets on Matchday 4, as two traditional giants, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, suffered defeats. Medeama SC, the defending champions, claimed their first win of the campaign with a resounding 4-1 victory over Basake Holy Stars in Tarkwa. This win marked a statement performance by Medeama, who had been struggling to find their footing in the early stages of the season.
Hearts of Oak's unbeaten start to the season came to an end in Tamale, where they lost 1-0 to Karela United. The match was a tightly contested affair, with Hearts goalkeeper Sharif Shuaib making several crucial saves to keep his team in the game. However, Mohammed Zaidan's 88th-minute goal sealed the win for Karela United, handing Hearts of Oak their first defeat of the season.
Asante Kotoko also suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 0-2 at home to 10-man Aduana FC at the Baba Yara Stadium. Stephen Amankona opened the scoring in the 7th minute after a goalkeeper error by Ibrahim Danlad. Raymond Agyemang was sent off late in the first half, but Kotoko dominated the second half, however, they were unable to equalize. Seidu Saana sealed the win for Aduana FC on the counter in the 90+6th minute.
In other matches, FC AshantiGold secured a 2-1 win over Debibi United, with Abdul Samed Yakubu and Frederick Twumasi scoring crucial goals. Bechem United also claimed a 1-0 win over Dreams FC, with Derrick Atta Afriyie scoring the only goal of the game. Berekum Chelsea and Vision FC played out a 1-1 draw, while Bibiani Gold Stars lost 0-2 to Port City FC.
The results have had a significant impact on the early table picture, with FC Samartex leading the way with 8 points from 4 games, having remained unbeaten. Hearts of Oak, Port City, AshantiGold, Aduana, and Bechem United are all sitting on 7 points, while Kotoko and Medeama have 5 points each. Dreams FC, on the other hand, remain winless at the bottom of the table.
Medeama's win over Basake Holy Stars was a significant result, with Prince Owusu, Emmanuel Annor, Kelvin Nkrumah, and Kingsley Braye all scoring goals for the defending champions. Patrick Ocran had given Holy Stars the lead in the 14th minute, but Medeama's four-goal blitz before half-time sealed the win.
The Ghana Premier League will continue to heat up as the season progresses, with several teams vying for the top spot. The defending champions, Medeama SC, will look to build on their momentum, while Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko will seek to bounce back from their respective defeats.
Key points
- Medeama SC claimed their first win of the season with a 4-1 victory over Basake Holy Stars.
- Hearts of Oak's unbeaten start to the season came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Karela United.
- Asante Kotoko suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 0-2 at home to 10-man Aduana FC.
