FootyDream

Medeama SC finished the first round of the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League as leaders on the log following a deserving crucial 1–0 victory over Hearts of Oak at the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa on Sunday afternoon.

Midfielder Salim Adams snatched the only on the 74th minutes with a composed close-range finish. The former Hearts Of Oak talisman scored from a brilliant right-wing surge and cut-back from Richard Appiah.

Coach Ibrahim Tanko’s side dominated most part of encounter, testing goalkeeper Solomon Agbasi, whose remakable performance ensured the Phobisns ended the tie with that slim margin.

The victory gives the Yellow and Mauve a two-point lead at the top of the league log, underlying their title credentials.

Medeama have so far gone 14 matches without a defeat in the league, leading the table with 34 points.

Hearts, despite a satisfactory display, completed the first round of the season at fifth with 28 points.

Hohoe United FC have fired the head coach of the side, Bashiru Tijani halfway through the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League season.

The decision comes just a day after the club’s goalless stalemate with regional giants Heart of Lions in a Match-day 17 encounter at the Hohoe Stadium on Friday.

Tijani guided the side through a remarkable start to their maiden top-flight campaign, securing eight points from their first five matches, including an impressive draw against Hearts of Oak on opening day.

In an official statement released on Saturday, the club confirmed that assistant coach Boniface Ayipah has been appointed as interim head coach.

“The board of Hohoe United Football Club and the club’s head coach, Bashiru Tijani, have agreed to part ways. In the Interim, the assistant coach Boniface Ayipah will steer the affairs of the club in an acting capacity until the appointment of a substantive coach,” the statement read.

Hohoe United currently sit 15th on the Ghana Premier League table with 18 points, just one point above the relegation zone, and will host Hearts of Oak in their next league fixture.

Bashiru Tijani has had stints with Hearts Of Oak, Great Olympics, Legon Cities and Young Apostles.

League leaders Medeama SC will look to consolidate their position at the top when they host former champions Hearts of Oak at the Tarkwa and Aboso Stadium on match-day 17 of the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at the Tarkwa TnA Stadium.

The encounter, which kicks off at 3:30 PM, marks the final match of the first round of the Ghanaian top-flight and will also be first game of the new year for both sides.

The fixture carries added significance, as Medeama will be seeking redemption after suffering a 2–0 defeat to Hearts of Oak the last time both sides met at the same venue.

Ibrahim Tanko’s side remain unbeaten in 13 league matches and boast one of the league’s most balanced attacks and defenses.

Hearts of Oak, on the other hand, travel to Tarkwa in solid form, built on the best defensive record in the Premier League and strong away performances.

The Yellow and Mauve occupies the summit of the league table with 31 points, three adrift of the Phobisns who have suffered two defeats and seven draws in the 16 games played so far.

With both sides among the title contenders, this clash promises to be a heavyweight encounter.

With the title race tightening and relegation battles intensifying, clubs across the table will be eager to start the new year on a strong note so as these two giants.

Swedru All Blacks goalkeeper, Clement Aryee, has assured supporters that the team is well prepared ahead of their game against Asante Kotoko in the Ghana Premier League this weekend.

The Black Magicians will host the Porcupine Warriors on Sunday, January 4, for the final game of the first round of the 2025/26 Ghanaian top-flight league campaign.

Speaking in a pre-match interview with the club’s media, Aryee noted that All Blacks will approach the game with enthusiasm, believing that they can defeat Kotoko, though they are big but not big on the field of play.

“We’re well prepared for the Kotoko game because it’s a must-win considering our position on the league table. We failed to win our last home game, but we’ve prepared well for this Kotoko encounter. Kotoko is a big team, but we’ll not give them that respect on the field.

“We disappointed our fans in the Hearts game. They should come in their numbers to support us to beat Kotoko in the last game of the first round.”

He also indicated that he and his charges are not perturbed by Kotoko’s 6-0 victory over Bechem United on match-day 16, noting that they cannot afford to end the round with a defeat or a draw.

All Blacks will be hoping to pick the maximum points from the fixture at the Swedru Sports Stadium after a 1-1 stalemate with Karela United at home.

The epic encounter is scheduled to kickoff at 3:00 pm. It promises to be a tight game as both sides will be hoping to end the round on a high note.

Swedru All Blacks currently occupies the 11th position on the log, while Kotoko are lying in the second position with 30 points, one point adrift of leaders Medeama SC.