This season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive title races in the history of the Ghana Premier League.

Up to six clubs - Heart of Lions, Bechem United, Nations F.C., GoldStars, Hearts of Oak, and Asante Kotoko, have a chance of winning the title. Three of them, Hearts, Kotoko, and Medeama—have won the league at least once since 2020.

But how did they get here?

Kotoko renaissance

It feels like a century ago but in November 2024, Asante Kotoko was banter material.
The Porcupine Warriors lost four consecutive matches and drew once in a rotten run of form. From Mohammed Camara’s characteristic goalkeeping errors to some rather charitable defending, rivals poked fun at Kotoko regularly.

Not anymore.

Kotoko have climbed up after a perfect month - four wins and a draw. Ogum's team has also scored seven goals and conceded just twice in that time.

Although in sixth with twenty-eight points, Kotoko are just two points behind league leaders Heart of Lions.

They are now firmly in the title race and will likely finish the first round higher on the league table.

New-signing Kwame Poku has scored in consecutive games, despite not playing competitive football for more than eight months. If the striker can score on a regular basis, he may be the difference between another top-five finish like last season, and winning the title in June.

Never say die

At the beginning of the season, Hearts of Oak did not win a match until match day three when they beat Bechem United 2-0 at the University of Ghana Stadium.

They would go another three match days before they beat Young Apostles 2-1 in Wenchi. By that time, Hearts had amassed just eight points from six matches and were a mediocre eighth-placed on the league table.

That was in October.

Ten match days later, Hearts have twenty more points. In the last eight matches, Hearts have managed an impressive nineteen points out of a possible twenty-four.

The Phobians are also the second-best away performers in the league with fourteen points from eight matches.

League leaders, Heart of Lions.

The manner of Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Bechem United left many flummoxed. Lions went into the match as slight favourites, having won seven of their last eight matches. Not because they were significantly better, but because they had the league's best defence and had proven themselves capable of squeezing water out of flint stones.

Until the defeat in Bechem, Bashir Hayford's men had not lost a league match in sixty-four days, in a run stretching back to October 20, 2024.

They had also not conceded more than one goal in a league match, since the 2-2 draw with Dreams F.C. on 23rd September, 2024.

In total, Lions have conceded eight goals in sixteen matches. That is exactly 0.5 goals per game.
At the other end of the pitch, they are less impressive. Nana Opoku, the team's top scorer, has five goals.

Mustapha Yakubu and Christopher Agyenim Boateng have scored two goals each while Kwadwo Obeng Junior, Michellse Sarpong, Kwasi Pong, Ishmael Addo, and Emmanuel Ofori Sakyi have scored a goal each.

The cohesiveness and tactical discipline that has underlined their progress will not be eroded after one bad performance. However, no one knows whether or not the attack will improve to keep Lions in the title race.

Bechem United

To say Bechem United has been impressive would be putting things mildly.

After losing coach Kassim Ocansey to Nations FC, Samuel Osei Kuffour, Emmanuel Annor, Clinton Doudu, Emmanuel Avornyo, Aaron Essel, etc all left the club.
At any other club, that would have been a recipe for disaster.

They did have a poor start and did not win a match until match day four. However, all of that is in the past thanks to a wonderful turnaround.

Sunday’s win over Lions means Bechem United are unbeaten in their last ten league matches – seven wins and three draws.

In terms of goals, the Hunters have scored fifteen goals and have let in just four in the last ten matches. If you thought Lions' defensive numbers were impressive, Bechem United has redefined those terms.

Bechem United are now one point behind Lions and could go two points clear at the summit if they win their outstanding match.

There are Gold Stars and Nations F.C. too. Equally impressive teams who have made this a unique season as far as the title race is concerned.

Post-COVID-19, the league has been won with an average of 62.25 points. Hearts of Oak won the title in 2020/21 with 61 points. Asante Kotoko (67), Medeama (60), and Samartex (61) have won the subsequent titles.

As we speak, Lions, Bechem United, Nations F.C. Hearts of Oak, and Kotoko are all on course to reach half the average number of points required to win a post-COVID-19 league title - 31.125.