FootyDream

Matchday 3 of the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League did not disappoint with drama and goals witnessed by all over the weekend across the venues.

Hearts of Oak avoided defeat against Asante Kotoko in the Super Clash on Sunday thanks to Caleb Amankwah’s goal in the 88th minute.

Kotoko were by far the superior team, and Yusif Mubarik gave them a well-deserved lead in the 57th minute. But two minutes left in regulation, defender Amankwah equalised.

Kotoko have themselves to blame for failing to win this match because they had several chances to win comfortably at home but failed to take them, with striker Steven Mukwala and Isaac Oppong both guilty of costly misses.

Referee Selorm Yao Bless will face harsh criticism from Kotoko fans for denying them at least two penalties.

Hearts are still without a win this season, with two draws and a loss after three games, while Kotoko have earned a point after just one.

Because of their African campaign, which ended last weekend with a penalty shootout loss to RC Kadiogo, Kotoko’s first two matches had to be rescheduled.

Great Olympics lead the table after a 1-0 victory over King Faisal in Accra. Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu was named man of the match.

Aduana Stars battled back to earn a point against Samartex. Aduana were two goals down at halftime, but an impressive second-half performance saw them keep their unbeaten start to the season and move up to second place.

Accra Lions defeated Tamale City 1-0, Real Tamale United lost 1-0 at home to Legon Cities, Kotoku Royals and Nsoatreman played out a goalless draw, and Bibiani Gold Stars earned their first win of the season against Bechem United.

Scores at a glance:

Friday

ACCRA: Accra Lions 1-0 Tamale City

Scorer: Dominic Nsobila

Man of the match: Dominic Nsobila (Accra Lions)

Saturday

ACCRA: Great Olympics 1-0 King Faisal

Scorer: Emmanuel Mensah

Man of the match: Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Olympics)

Sunday

KUMASI: Asante Kotoko 1-1 Hearts Of Oak

Scorers: Yussif Mubarik || Caleb Amankwa

Man of the match: Yussif Mubarik (Asante Kotoko)

DORMAA: Aduana Stars 2-2 FC Samartex

Scorers: Sam Adams, Kwame Frimpong || Emmanuel Keyekeh, Abubakari Seidu

Man of the match: Kwame Adom Frimpong(Aduana Stars)

BIBIANI: Gold Stars 1-0 Bechem United

Scorer: Michael Enu

Man of the match: Michael Enu (Gold Stars)

ANYINASE: Karela United 2-0 Dreams FC

Scorers: Kelvin Andoh, Enoch Agblenyo

Man of the match: Kwadwo Addai (Karela United)

CAPE COAST: Kotoku Royals 0-0 Nsoatreman

Man of the match: Yaw Owusu Ansah – GK (Nsoatreman FC)

TAMALE: RTU 0-1 Legon Cities

Scorer: Nasiro Imoro

Man of the match: Jonah Attuquaye (Legon Cities)

Monday

DORMAA: Berekum Chelsea 1-0 Medeama

Scorer: Prince Anane

Man of the Match: Prince Anane

TOP SCORERS CHART

Bright Adjei (Aduana Stars) – 2
Kofi Asmah (Medeama) – 2
Kwesi Donsu (Medeama) – 2
Issah Kuka (RTU) – 2
Merzack Afriyie (Berekum Chelsea) – 2
Kwame Adom Frimpong (Aduana Stars ) – 2
Enoch Agblenyo (Karela United) – 2
Abubakar Seidu (FC Samartex) – 2

LEAGUE TABLE

Hearts of Oak had to rely on a last-gasp goal from defender Caleb Amankwah to manage a 1-1 draw against Asante Kotoko at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Matchday 3 of the Ghana Premier League.

Watch highlights of the game in the video below;

https://youtu.be/1o0bcO3_8Wk

Caleb Amankwah scored late to give Hearts of Oak a point against Asante Kotoko in the first Super Clash of the season on Sunday at the Baba Yara Stadium.

Kotoko thought they had won all three points minutes to the end, but Amankwah stunned them with a goal in the 88th minute to save the day for the Phobians, who clearly were second best on the afternoon in Kumasi.

Kotoko will be disappointed, but they must blame themselves for not winning because they were wasteful, squandering many great opportunities, with Steven Mukwala being the worst offender.

In the first half, Kotoko were the superior team. They dominated and should have led at the break, but their attackers were wasteful.

Kotoko thought they had won a penalty twice in the first half when their players were bundled in the box, but referee Selorm Yao Bless ruled otherwise.

After the break, Kotoko kept coming, with striker Steven Mukwala wasting a glorious opportunity, but it didn’t take long for Kotoko to take a deserved lead.

In the 57th minute, Yussif Mubarik reacted quickly in the box to scramble home to give Kotoko the lead.

Another penalty shout was ignored by the referee before Hearts snatched a late equaliser through Caleb Amankwah.

Hearts are without a win three games into the season while Kotoko have one point after their first game.

Hearts Of Oak coach, Samuel Boadu has named his starting lineup for Asante Kotoko game in the Ghana Premier League this afternoon.

The matchday 3 encounter kicks off at 3pm.

Surprisingly, Boadu picked Richmond Ayi ahead of Eric Ofori Antwi who has kept the posts in the first two games of the season.

Below is the starting XI of the Phobians:

Asante Kotoko coach, Seydou Zerbo has named his starting lineup for Hearts Of Oak game in the Ghana Premier League this afternoon.

The matchday 3 encounter kicks off at 3pm.

Below is the starting XI of the Porcupine Warriors:

Danlad, Boadu, Agyapong, Morrison, Mubarik, Sherif, Amankona, Mukwala, Oppong, Tedeku, Zeze

King Faisal are winless after the first three matches of the new Ghana Premier League season following a 1-0 defeat to Great Olympics on Saturday afternoon.

The Kumasi-based club started the 2022/23 Ghanaian top-flight league campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Berekum Chelsea.

Subsequently, on matchday 2 last weekend, King Faisal did put up a fight against Aduana Stars, but the team lost 3-2 at the end of the exciting contest.

Today at the Accra Sports Stadium, King Faisal played as a guest of the Great Olympics.

Although the struggling team put up a fine performance, it was not enough to merit a win.

Great Olympics have secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a strike from Emmanuel Mensah in the 64^th minute to bag the maximum three points.

The third consecutive defeat leaves King Faisal at the bottom of the Ghana Premier League table.

Meanwhile, the unbeaten Great Olympics have climbed to the top of the league standings temporarily with 7 points.