- Hearts Drop First Points as Kotoko Stay Unbeaten After Tense Ghana Premier League Weekend
Hearts of Oak’s perfect start to the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season ended on Sunday after they were held to a goalless draw by Bechem United, while Asante Kotoko preserved their unbeaten record with a 1-1 draw away to FC Samartex.
The results tightened the early league table after three rounds, leaving Hearts and Samartex level at the top while Kotoko remained close behind.
The weekend also offered an early reminder that the opening weeks of the campaign may be more competitive than the first two rounds suggested.
Hearts entered their meeting with Bechem at the University of Ghana Stadium having won their opening two matches against Berekum Chelsea and Bibiani Gold Stars. Their start had been their best in six years, with the Ghana Football Association noting before the game that the Phobians were also unbeaten in their previous five home league fixtures and had kept four clean sheets during that run.
Confidence was therefore high, with head coach Nebojsa Kapor saying before the match: “Our confidence level is very high because of two victories especially victory against Bibiani.”
That confidence did not translate into a third successive win. Hearts enjoyed long spells of possession and created opportunities, but Bechem defended with discipline and restricted the home side’s ability to convert territorial control into clear goalscoring chances.
The Phobians’ own post-match communication summed up the afternoon simply: “Goalless at the end of the game.”
The draw means Hearts remain unbeaten after three matches, but it also exposes the first attacking frustration of Kapor’s tenure. His side had looked increasingly assured after successive victories, particularly the away success in Bibiani, yet Bechem showed that compact defensive organisation can still slow Hearts when they are forced to break down a deep block.
For a team with ambitions of sustaining a title challenge, that ability to convert possession into goals against organised opposition will become increasingly important as the season develops.
Bechem, meanwhile, will view the point as a significant response after a difficult second round. The Hunters had begun the season with a 1-0 victory over Goldstars before losing 3-1 to Karela United, while their recent away form had also been poor heading into Sunday’s fixture.
Holding the early leaders without conceding therefore represented both a defensive improvement and a valuable away result.
At Samreboi, Kotoko faced a different type of test against a Samartex side that had won both of its opening matches. The Porcupine Warriors travelled to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena knowing that the hosts had a perfect record and a strong recent home run, while coach Eric Tinkler had warned beforehand that the long journey and Samartex’s intensity would make the contest demanding.
“We need to think about focusing on the controllables,” Tinkler said before the match, adding that Kotoko’s “actions will determine the result”.
The game remained tight until the second half, when Kotoko goalkeeper Ibrahim Danlad produced one of the afternoon’s decisive interventions by saving a penalty in the 66th minute. Nine minutes later, former Samartex striker Emmanuel Mamah put Kotoko ahead, rising to meet Walid’s cross and powering a header into the top corner.
The goal appeared to place Kotoko on course for a significant away victory, particularly given Samartex’s strong start and home record.
Samartex responded eight minutes later through Christian Agyenim Boateng, whose equaliser preserved the home side’s unbeaten record and denied Kotoko maximum points. The 1-1 draw left both teams unbeaten after three matches and ensured Samartex remained level on points with Hearts near the top of the standings.
Kotoko, meanwhile, moved to five points and stayed fourth, still searching for an away victory despite avoiding defeat.
For Tinkler, the point offers encouragement but also reinforces the need for greater control once his team moves ahead. Kotoko showed resilience in surviving Samartex’s pressure, particularly after Danlad’s penalty save, and then demonstrated enough quality to take the lead in a difficult venue.
But conceding eight minutes later prevented the Porcupine Warriors from turning a strong away performance into what would have been one of the more significant early wins of the season.
The broader Matchweek Three picture suggests that the early title race is beginning to compress. Hearts have now dropped their first points, Samartex’s perfect record has also ended, and Kotoko remain within touching distance despite having won only once in their opening three matches.
At this stage of the season, small differences in finishing, defensive concentration and game management can quickly reshape the table because so little separates the leading clubs.
Hearts will now travel to Tamale to face Karela United, while Bechem return home to host Dreams FC. Kotoko, meanwhile, will have an opportunity to build momentum when they face Aduana FC at home, while Samartex travel to meet Swedru All Blacks.
Those fixtures will test whether Sunday’s draws were temporary interruptions or the beginning of a more tightly contested pattern among the early leaders.
The first three rounds have already shown contrasting strengths among the contenders. Hearts have combined defensive solidity with a strong opening run, Samartex have demonstrated resilience and home strength, while Kotoko remain unbeaten under Tinkler despite still seeking greater consistency away from Kumasi.
None has yet created meaningful separation, and that may be the most important conclusion from Matchweek Three.
For Hearts, the immediate lesson is that dominance without a breakthrough can quickly turn three expected points into one.
For Kotoko, the draw in Samreboi confirms that they can compete in difficult environments but also that protecting leads will be crucial if they are to move from unbeaten contenders to genuine pace-setters.
With Hearts and Samartex now checked and Kotoko still within range, the early Ghana Premier League race has become tighter rather than clearer.
