Professional football returns on a full scale this weekend with the start of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League at all the designated venues with sharp focus on Hearts and Kotoko’s readiness to take their rightful places in Ghana football, Medeama SC’s ability to combine continental and local battles as well as the performance of the three new entrants.
Hearts and Kotoko, considered as the nation’s top performers appear to have move far away from that responsibility, exiting the stage for ‘latter day saints’ like Medeama SC, currently the defending champions, Bechem United, Aduana FC, Samartex and the likes.
Despite the efforts, these relatively smaller clubs are putting in to ensure they sustain the gains chalked by the mighty, Ghana football appears to be the biggest sufferers of this Hearts and Kotoko underperformance.
It has reflected greatly in the spaces allotted Ghanaian clubs in continental club competition.
The reason is simple! Getting out of the preliminary stages of these competitions have become a mammoth task for them.
Almost a decade now, the traditional giants have not just been sleeping; they have been lurking in the shadows of the supposed dark horses who are emerging as Ghana’s flag bearers as far as club football in Ghana was concern.
The onset of a new season has revived conversations about Hearts and Kotoko’s abilities to stem the tide this season by showing the fortitude, strength and character to bring the likes of Medeama, Samartex and others under subjection.
That, is however not achieved in studios of radio and television stations, nor on the sports pages of newspapers.
That can only be achieved on the field of play with regularity and consistency for a total of 32 weeks.
Faced with continental challenges, Medeama SC have strengthened in readiness for their participation in the CAF Champions League competition where they are expected to open their campaign with a mouthful encounter against T.P Mazembe at the T&A Stadium in Tarkwa.
That, coupled with high expectation among the fans to defend the Ghana Premier League trophy, would be a strain on the team.
And what might also be of interest to fans as the new season rolls out would be whether the three qualified clubs have what it takes to withstand the fiery darts of the energy-sapping Ghana Premier League.
Port City, Debibi United and FC AshantiGold may have put in splendid performances to come out unscathed from the tough and rugged Division One League (DOL), but one can be exposed badly by the Premier League.
FC AshantiGold may have some experience, having been participants in the past until their transformation under very interesting circumstances.
Previously as Goldfields and later as Ashgold, they saw, they fought and conquered some of the major battles. They saw it all against the Phobians, the Porcupine Warriors, the currently struggling Great Olympics and others.
But Port City and Debibi United clearly lack this experience and would feel the heat more.
But all of these concerns would be unraveled after the first whistle tomorrow at the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema where Vision FC welcome Young Apostles FC.
It has already been tagged as clash of survivors as they nearly suffered the drop last season. They were rescued by a strong second round performance that saw the host turn their venue into a waterloo for most visiting clubs.
With both sides learning useful lessons, they would all be chasing a positive start and in the process turn the clash into an uncompromising exchange.
But the focus would be on Hearts and Kotoko tomorrow when they tackle tricky opponents in their openers.
Hearts of Oak are billed to confront Berekum Chelsea at the University of Ghana Stadium while Kotoko play as guests of Debibi United at the Golden City Park in Berekum.
For the Phobians, it looks like a comfortable home tie because Chelsea has not actually tested or stretch them in games.
The last two seasons were extremely difficult ones for Hearts but they managed to draw the points.
But at the latter stages of last season when their backs were against the wall, Chelsea managed to stretch the Phobians to a drawn encounter at the UG Stadium. That marked the beginning of a short renaissance that ensured their survival.
If that process did continue, then they must be in a very good position to battle it out with the Phobians who appear to be on a war path as they aim to recover the position they feel is a birth right.
On the back of the Democracy Cup feat, Asante Kotoko would be in high spirit when they march onto the field to slug it out against Debibi United.
Their biggest challenge may be the state of the Golden City Park which was seen in a terrible shape last season.
Newly appointed Head Coach, Eric Tinkler, has identified the pitches as serious problems. And in the case where the major stadia are facing similar issues, he must quickly find a way to navigate that storm and find a way to deal with an obvious threat.
Kotoko has beefed up last year’s team with several acquisitions. They put up a dominant performance in the last of their offseason games against Hearts of Oak to win the Democracy Cup via penalty shoot-outs.
The narrative after the game has been impressive, indicating a new management and board bent on bringing some vibrancy into the porcupine family.
If the performance they showed against the Phobians is anything to go by, then fans would surely see a revived Kotoko, fired enough to give their opponents a baptism of fire on the first day.
But Kotoko must also be aware of what the new sides bring on board. Their target would surely be on an upset and that is what Kotoko must guard against.
At the AAK II Sports Arena, Basake Holy Stars would entertain Swedru All Blacks in another game expected to produce a lot of fireworks.
These are two sides that had a taste of last season’s battle with relegation until their fates were defined with some important victories.
Just as the previous season, one expects to see ‘Ozii Ozaa’ boys chase a very good start but Basake Holy Stars would not budge, promising another fireworks.
FC Samartex 1996 would lock horns at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena at Samreboi against Karela United just as Heart of Lions are expected to be comfortable devouring their prey, Aduana FC at their Kpando Stadium den.
A battle of equals is anticipated at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park where home team, Bechem United welcome GoldStars while Port City and FC AshantiGold sort things out at the Nana Boamah Darko II Park in Kukurantumi.
The game between Dreams FC and Medeama SC has been postponed over the latter’s engagement in African club competition.
BY ANDREW NORTEY
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