GPL matchday 24 wrap: Kotoko holds firm at the summit as Hearts of Oak stumbles

The Ghana Premier League (GPL) Matchday 24 came to a thrilling conclusion, with some mouth-watering clashes that left fans on the edge of their seats.

Asante Kotoko, the league leaders, showed their mettle by fighting back to earn a crucial point against defending champions Samartex in a pulsating encounter at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena.

The Porcupine Warriors found themselves on the back foot when Dramani Awuah unleashed a powerful low drive that left Kotoko’s goalkeeper with no chance, giving Samartex the lead in the 39th minute.

However, newcomer Kwame Opoku, who has been in blistering form, restored parity with a well-taken goal, ensuring that Kotoko remained at the summit of the league table.

Meanwhile, Dreams FC pulled off a stunning upset by securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Hearts of Oak at the University of Ghana Stadium.

Abdul Razak Salifu’s early strike proved to be the decisive blow, as Hearts failed to capitalize on their dominance, especially in the second half.

This defeat marked a significant setback for the Phobians, who dropped to fourth place in the standings.

In another thrilling encounter, Young Apostles returned to winning ways in the GPL following their narrow 1-0 victory over struggling Accra Lions. Issah Hussein netted the only goal, ensuring that the Apostles got back on track.

Sunday’s matches saw GoldStars’ hopes of getting back to the top of the league shattered as Aduana FC defeated them 2-0 at home. Aduana’s Kelvin Obeng scored a brace, avenging their previous loss to GoldStars and keeping their pursuit of survival alive.

Bechem United bounced back from last weekend’s defeat to Medeama by defeating premier league debutants Vision FC 2-0 at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Stadium. The Hunters now occupy 6th position on the league standings with 33 points, maintaining their impressive home record.

Hearts of Lions returned to winning ways with a narrow 1-0 victory over Karela United, thanks to the lone goal from Kwesi Pong. This win propelled the Lions to 3rd place, leapfrogging Hearts of Oak in the process.

Legon Cities, fighting for survival, bounced back to winning ways after defeating Berekum Chelsea 2-0 at the University of Ghana Stadium. Raymond Agyemang’s dying embers goal sealed the win for Legon Cities, who currently sit in 18th position.

The matchday 24 concluded at the Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports Complex, where Nations FC defeated Medeama SC 2-1 in a mouth-watering encounter. Inform defender Razak Simpson, who was named in the Black Stars roster, netted the opener. Although Medeama drew parity thanks to a goal from Mubarik Yussif, league top scorer Faisal Charwetey netted the winner for the Kumasi-based club.

Unfortunately, the match between Holy Stars and Nsoatreman was called off due to the latter’s decision to withdraw from the GPL citing safety concerns for their players.

Full results below: 

Bechem United 2-0 Vision FC

Heart of Lions 1-0 Karela Utd

Nations FC 2-1 Medeama SC

Legon Cities 2-1 Berekum Chelsea

Aduana FC 2-0 Goldstars

Dreams 1-0 Hearts of Oak

Samartex 1-1 Kotoko

Young Apostles 1-0 Accra Lions

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