The 17th round of Ghana Premier League matches concluded with Aduana Stars maintaining their lead on the table. Hearts of Oak recovered, but Kotoko failed to maintain consistency again, losing to Dreams.
Here are five takeaways from the games.
KOTOKO, HEARTS CONTINUE TO WRESTLE BEHIND ADUANA
The title race remains tight as Aduana Stars continue to lead with Kotoko and Hearts of Oak closely following. Despite the fluctuations in performance from all three teams, Kotoko and Hearts have been consistently trailing behind Aduana. Over the past few weeks, both sides have struggled to maintain their position in the top four due to their inconsistent performances. For example, while Kotoko lost to Dreams FC over the weekend, Hearts managed to secure a 3-1 victory against Medeama. However, Aduana Stars remained in the lead with a draw, sitting four to five points ahead of Kotoko and Hearts.
TIME FOR YORKE TO START?
Benjamin Yorke continued his goal-scoring streak for Hearts of Oak with another strike in their 3-1 win over Berekum Chelsea. This was Yorke’s fourth goal of the season, making him the top scorer for the club in the league. Hearts have faced challenges in finding consistent goal-scoring from their forwards, with Kojo Obeng Jnr and midfielder Gladson Awako ranking second with just two goals each. Yorke, however, has been the most productive scorer, despite mostly coming off the bench. Of his four goals, three were scored as a substitute, and he has only started in three games this season.
NSOATREMAN HOME FORM
Nsoatreman secured their second win in three matches after defeating Olympics 2-1, moving them into the upper half of the league table. In their first season, Nsoatreman have struggled on the road, going winless in eight matches. However, their home form has been strong and they currently have the best home record in terms of wins and points accumulated. They have recorded seven victories and 22 points at the Nana Konamansah Park. While it is uncertain if they will be able to turn their road form around, maintaining consistency at home will be crucial in securing a favourable position in the league.
MEDEAMA BACK ON TRACK?
Tamale City and Medeama SC played to a scoreless draw, but the Tarkwa-based side avoided defeat in three consecutive games for the first time since matchday three of the season. The Yellow and Mauves had struggled since their first three matches [two wins and a draw] of the season, which led to the dismissal of their coach, David Duncan. However, things did not look promising after that decision because they had recently suffered back-to-back defeats, including one at home against Hearts of Oak, which had not done so since 2016.
However, Medeama appears to have recovered slightly after keeping back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season after recording their first consecutive victory since September 2022 in their previous game.
AGYENIM BOATENG KEY TO REVIVING DREAMS’ FORTUNE
Dreams FC defeated Asante Kotoko at Dawu Park on Sunday for their first win in four matches. It was Dreams FC’s fourth victory in nine games. Agyenim Boateng scored a goal in each of those four victories. It also means that the other five games in which Dreams failed to win were ones in which the striker failed to score. Aside from Agyenim Boateng, the team’s other strikers have a total of four goals, one less than Agyenim Boateng’s league goals. Dreams FC could be on the right path if the other strikers step up their game and the likes of David Van Dijk and Dana Blessing, among others, provide support from the middle.