The 2026/27 Ghana Premier League got off to an entertaining start over the weekend, with 19 goals scored across the eight completed matches of Match day One, as Hearts of Oak, Vision FC, Samartex and several other clubs made winning starts to the new campaign.
The opening round produced five victories and three draws, with Hearts of Oak recording the biggest win after dismantling Berekum Chelsea 4-0 at the University of Ghana Stadium. Vision FC also impressed with a 3-0 victory over Young Apostles, while Samartex defeated Karela United 3-1.
Newly promoted Debibi United announced their arrival in the top flight with a spirited 2-2 draw against Asante Kotoko, while fellow newcomers Port City FC shared the spoils with AshantiGold ’04 in a 1-1 draw.
The fixture between Dreams FC and Medeama was postponed because of Medeama’s involvement in the CAF Champions League.
Hearts make the biggest statement
Hearts produced the standout performance of the opening weekend, recording a commanding 4-0 victory over Berekum Chelsea at the University of Ghana Stadium.
Veteran striker John Antwi was the star of the afternoon, marking his league return to the Phobians with a first-half brace. Antwi opened the scoring in the early stages before doubling Hearts’ advantage in the 37th minute.
The hosts maintained control after the break and continued to put pressure on Chelsea’s defense. Mamadou Kourouma added a third goal in the 88th minute before Ali Mohammed completed the rout with a stoppage-time penalty.
The victory gave new Hearts coach Nebojsa Kapor a perfect start to his competitive tenure and immediately placed the Phobians among the early pace-setters.
Vision FC begin with a flourish
Vision FC also made a strong impression on the opening weekend, defeating Young Apostles 3-0 at the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex.
The newly promoted side took the lead through Naziru Alhassan Nyenye, before Setsofia Aqetey took centre stage with a brace.
Aqetey scored his first goal before the interval and added another after the restart to complete a convincing victory for Vision.
The result handed Vision three valuable points and provided an early boost to the club’s ambitions in its first season in the Ghanaian top flight. The performance was particularly impressive given the attacking confidence shown by the young side.
Young Apostles, meanwhile, will have to regroup quickly after failing to score in their opening fixture.
Debibi United hold Kotoko
One of the most entertaining fixtures of Match Day One was played at the Golden City Park, where newly promoted Debibi United held Asante Kotoko to a 2-2 draw.
Kotoko took the lead through Yakubu Dogo, but Debibi responded through Richard Owusu, who eventually scored twice to put the debutants ahead.
The Porcupine Warriors, however, refused to leave empty-handed. Hubert Gyau scored in the 81st minute to restore parity and rescue a point for Kotoko.
The result will be viewed differently by the two clubs. While Kotoko will be disappointed at dropping points after twice taking the lead, Debibi United can take considerable confidence from holding one of Ghana’s biggest clubs on their Premier League debut.
Samartex start strongly
Samartex also enjoyed a positive beginning to the campaign after defeating Karela United 3-1 at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena.
Samartex established their authority with three goals, while Karela managed only a consolation goal in response.
The victory gives Samartex an early three points and puts the club among the sides that have immediately demonstrated their ability to compete at the top level.
Karela, on the other hand, will be hoping for a quick response in Match day two after beginning the season with a defeat.
Bechem United stun Gold Stars
At the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park, Bechem United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Bibiani Gold Stars.
The only goal of the match came from Darlvin Yeboah, whose first-half strike proved decisive.
Gold Stars, who entered the campaign among the teams expected to challenge strongly, were unable to find an equalizer despite their efforts after the interval.
The result therefore gave Bechem United maximum points while handing Gold Stars a difficult start to their campaign. For the defending champions, the opening defeat means they will have to quickly recover if they are to mount a successful title defense.
Holy Stars leave it late
Basake Holy Stars also began their campaign with three points after edging Swedru All Blacks 1-0. The match remained goalless for much of the contest before Francis Oteng Gyetuah broke the deadlock in the second half.
His late strike proved enough to secure victory for Holy Stars and underlined the importance of remaining patient in tightly contested league matches.
Port City and AshantiGold share points
The meeting between fellow newcomers Port City FC and AshantiGold ’04 ended in a 1-1 draw, giving both clubs a point from their opening fixture.
Zak Musah put AshantiGold ahead before Hamza Zakari restored parity for Port City in the second half.
The result represented a respectable beginning for both sides, particularly Port City, who were making their Premier League debut.
Heart of Lions and Aduana settle for stalemate
The only goalless encounter of Match day One came at the Kpando Sports Stadium, where Heart of Lions and Aduana FC played out a 0-0 draw.
Neither side managed to find the decisive breakthrough, meaning both clubs had to settle for one point.
While the result gives both teams something to build on, their attacking performances will need to improve if they are to challenge consistently in the weeks ahead.
With 19 goals scored across eight completed matches, Match day One provided a lively beginning to the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season.
The opening round saw Hearts of Oak and Vision FC record the biggest victories, while Samartex also made a strong attacking statement. At the other end, three matches produced narrow one-goal victories, demonstrating the competitive nature of the league.
The newcomers also provided some of the weekend’s biggest talking points, with Debibi United earning a point against Kotoko and Port City FC holding AshantiGold to a draw.
Although Match Day One is only the beginning of a long campaign, the opening results have already provided plenty of intrigue.
With the postponed Dreams FC-Medeama fixture still to be played, the opening round has laid the foundation for what promises to be another fiercely contested Ghana Premier League season.
By Jesse Otoo
