Asante Kotoko cemented their dominance in Ghanaian football by mounting a spirited second-half comeback to beat arch-rivals Hearts of Oak 2-1, securing the 2025 GHALCA President’s Cup at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.
The Porcupine Warriors had to dig deep after falling behind to a first-half goal from Hearts forward Hamza Issah, who capitalized on a goalkeeping blunder by Mohamed Camara. Hearts of Oak dictated the pace in the opening half, taking a deserved lead into the break.
However, the momentum shifted after the restart. Kotoko found the equaliser when Hearts defender Konadu Yiadom inadvertently put the ball into his own net. Just minutes later, Kwame Opoku seized on more poor defending to put Kotoko in front with a composed finish.
Late drama ensued as Hearts of Oak appeared to have equalised, only for their goal to be ruled out for offside. The incident triggered protests from the stands, with some fans throwing missiles onto the pitch. In the dying moments, Emmanuel Amankwah had a chance to send the match to a penalty shootout, but failed to convert from the spot.
The fixture, played in honour of President John Dramani Mahama—who was in attendance—marked Kotoko’s ninth President’s Cup triumph, extending their record in the competition. Hearts of Oak remain on six titles.
Sunday’s encounter was a showcase of resilience and drama, further intensifying the storied rivalry between Ghana’s two most successful clubs.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
