Accra Hearts of Oak began their quest for their 22nd Ghana Premier League (GPL) title with a pulsating goalless draw with debutant, Hohoe United, at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday.
The clash heralded the start of the 2025/26 league season. In attendance was the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, who took the ceremonial kick-off.
Highly motivated going into the game on the back of their offseason form, the Phobians were favoured to start the season on a clean note.
Hearts set out to exorcise the unfavourable results that has plagued their opening-day games since the 2017 league season; a period that has seen them go winless.
They have lost five and drawn three during that spell.
The last of such pain was inflicted by Basake Holy Stars, another debutant. Hearts needed a win badly to deal with its psychological effect.
The game started with the Phobians dominant; however, that was not transformed into any scoring opportunities as the defensive of the visitors stood firm.
However, it was Hohoe United that nearly shocked the host in the 26th minute when goalkeeper Benjamin Asare parried over the bar a header from Ganiu Abass from Kwadwo Boamah’s cross.
Hohoe United defender, Solomon Adomako, received his first yellow card in the 34th minute for hacking down Mohammed Hussein on the edge of the box but the resultant kick was wasted.
Enjoying the lion’s share of the possession, Hearts came back in the second half with the intention to break the defensive fortitude of Hohoe United, but the attacking force was too lethargic for that task.
On the 54th minute mark, Asare was called into action again to save a strike from William Oduro, while the backline marshalled around skipper Safian Usman and Kwame Paul kept the Phobians at bay.
Adomako received his marching off orders from referee Daniel Laryea on 67 minutes after fouling Hamza Issah, however the Phobians failed to take advantage of the numerical strength as they ended the game with no shot on target.
Hearts will next trek to the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon to face Dreams FC, while Hohoe United welcome Young Apostles to the Hohoe Stadium for their first Premier League game.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
🔗 Follow Ghanaian Times WhatsApp Channel today.
🌍 Trusted News. Real Stories. Anytime, Anywhere.
