Hearts of Oak pulled off a stunning victory against their arch-rivals Asante Kotoko in the “Super Clash” on Sunday, February 15, 2026, on Match Day 22 of the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League. Even more impressively, they did it with 10 men for a significant portion of the game!
Here’s a breakdown of the thrilling encounter:
– The Score: Hearts of Oak defeated Asante Kotoko 1-0.
– The Goal: Hearts of Oak’s center-back, Baba Adamu, scored the lone goal in the 14th minute with a looping header, silencing the home crowd at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
– The Red Card: Hearts of Oak were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half when right-back Emmanuel Amankwah received a second yellow card for a foul, leading to his sending off.
– Resilience and Heroics: Despite being a man down, the Phobians (Hearts of Oak’s nickname) showed incredible defensive organization and resilience. Their goalkeeper, Benjamin Asare, was outstanding, making crucial saves and earning the Man of the Match award for his commanding performance.
– Breaking a Drought: This victory was particularly sweet for Hearts of Oak as it marked their first league win over Kotoko in Kumasi since the 2020/21 season. It also ended Asante Kotoko’s home invincibility this season, which had seen them go 10 games unbeaten at home.
– League Implications: The win moved Hearts of Oak to second place in the league, just five points behind leaders Medeama, keeping their title ambitions alive. Meanwhile, Kotoko remained outside the top four.
– Kotoko’s Situation: The Porcupine Warriors (Kotoko’s nickname) went into the match hoping for redemption after a poor run of form, which had seen their head coach Karim Zito resign earlier in the week.
