Hearts of Oak produced a commanding performance to defeat their sworn rivals Asante Kotoko 2-0 in the final round of the 2025 GHALCA Top 4 competition, but it was Bibiani GoldStars who lifted the trophy on head-to-head advantage.
The Phobians, who have endured mixed results against their arch-rivals in recent years, looked determined from the blast of the whistle at the University of Ghana Stadium.
Their quick, free-flowing football unsettled the Porcupine Warriors and yielded early dividends.
Just four minutes into the clash, youngster Frank Duku finished off a brilliant 15-pass build-up by slotting between goalkeeper Ibrahim Mohammed’s legs to open the scoring.
Kotoko tried to fight back but found it difficult to penetrate the Hearts’ compact defensive set-up.
In the second half, the Phobians nearly doubled their lead through Martin Karikari, whose stinging half-volley was acrobatically tipped onto the crossbar by substitute goalkeeper Mohammed Camara.
Hearts eventually made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute when Emmanuel Amankwah rose highest to head home from a corner, sealing a famous win and sending their fans into wild celebrations at Legon.
Despite Hearts’ impressive showing, Bibiani GoldStars were crowned champions of the mini-tournament after edging the standings on head-to-head basis.
The competition has given all four participating clubs a crucial opportunity to assess their squads ahead of the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League campaign.
