Matchday 4 review: Aduana spoil Baba Yara, Zaidan breaks Hearts, Medeama win big
Nine games produced 21 goals, two of the biggest clubs lost, a newly promoted side kept climbing, and the defending champions finally looked like themselves.
Karela United 1–0 Hearts of Oak
Tamale, Saturday. Hearts arrived unbeaten. They left with their first defeat of the campaign after Mohammed Zaidan scored in the 88th minute. It was a tight, low-event game that suited the hosts more than the visitors. Hearts created enough to have taken something; they did not. Karela now have two wins from four and a result that will be replayed in Accra for days.
Asante Kotoko 0–2 Aduana FC
Baba Yara. The result of the round, and the one that closed Eric Tinkler’s brief stay. Aduana played more than 50 minutes with ten men and still won. Stephen Amankona opened the scoring after a goalkeeper error from Ibrahim Danlad. Kotoko dominated the ball after the break and wasted it. Seidu Saana finished a counter in stoppage time. Four league games for Kotoko now read one win, two draws, one loss. Five points. The next press conference will not be about structure.
Medeama SC 4–1 Basake Holy Stars
TNA Stadium, Tarkwa. The champions finally found a first-half explosion. Patrick Ocran put Holy Stars ahead after 15 minutes. Medeama then scored four before the interval through Prince Owusu, Emmanuel Annor, Kelvin Nkrumah and Kingsley Braye. The second half was administration. It was the weekend’s biggest win and the first time Medeama looked like title holders rather than a side still finding its range.
FC AshantiGold 2–1 Debibi United
Len Clay Stadium. Two promoted sides, one home team that needed a response. Abdul Samed Yakubu scored in the 42nd minute. Clement Nketiah equalised before half-time. Frederick Twumasi won it in the 65th minute. AshantiGold stay in the early mix; Debibi drop after a promising opening.
Bechem United 1–0 Dreams FC
Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park. Derrick Atta Afriyie’s first-half header was the only goal. Bechem have two wins and a goalkeeper, Benjamin Asiedu, who already leads the clean-sheet chart. Dreams have four games and no win. That is the story at the bottom already.
Bibiani Gold Stars 0–2 Port City FC
Dun’s Park. Port City, in their first Premier League season, keep looking like they belong. Emmanuel Intori and Robert (Richard) Gyamfi scored in the first half. Gold Stars are already in the relegation conversation. Port City sit among the early leaders despite having played a game fewer than some of the pack.
Berekum Chelsea 1–1 Vision FC
Golden City Park. Abubakari Seidu put Chelsea ahead in the 58th minute. Ruben Quaye equalised in stoppage time. A point each, and a reminder that Vision will keep taking something from games they look like losing.
Swedru All Blacks 1–1 FC Samartex
Samartex remain top, but only just. Mohammed Musah Salifu (Salis Mohammed in some reports) scored after nine minutes. Kweku/Kwaku Owusu levelled early in the second half. Samartex are unbeaten: two wins, two draws, eight points. They have not yet looked like a side that will run away with it.
Young Apostles 1–2 Heart of Lions
Wenchi. Samuel Prempeh scored first. Francis Odoom equalised from the spot in the 55th minute. Lions went down to ten men and still won through Mustapha Yakubu in the last minute. Young Apostles sit with the early strugglers; Lions have their first league win of the season.
Where the table sits
Samartex lead on 8 points from four games. A cluster of sides sit on 7: Hearts of Oak, Port City, AshantiGold, Aduana and Bechem. Kotoko are on 5, level with Medeama’s points total but with a worse goal difference and a coach already gone. Dreams, Young Apostles and Bibiani Gold Stars occupy the early drop zone.
What the weekend actually said
The two traditional powers both lost. The champions scored four. A debutant kept winning. Ten-man Aduana beat Kotoko in Kumasi. That last sentence will travel further than any table graphic.
Matchday 5 starts next week with Kotoko against Karela and Hearts away to Dreams. The season is four games old. It already has a different shape from the one sold in July.