Nations FC close in on historic league title

Nations FC surged closer to their first-ever Ghana Premier League title with a convincing 3-0 victory over reigning champions FC Samartex 1996 yesterday.

The win, played out in front of a jubilant home crowd, marked a pivotal moment in the title race, pushing Nations FC three points clear at the top of the table with just two matches remaining.

After a tightly contested first half, Nations FC found their rhythm after the break. Emmanuel Annor broke the deadlock in the 61st minute, igniting celebrations among the home supporters.

Faisal Charwatey doubled the advantage in the 75th minute, before Kelvin Ampofo capped off a dominant display with a third goal in the 83rd.

The victory lifts Nations FC to 60 points, opening a crucial three-point cushion over second-placed Gold Stars FC. For Samartex, the loss deals a heavy blow to their hopes of retaining the title, as they slip to 7th place in the standings.

Elsewhere, Gold Stars FC missed a golden opportunity to keep pace with the league leaders, playing out a goalless draw with Asante Kotoko at Dun’s Park. 

Despite creating several chances, both teams failed to convert, leaving Gold Stars on 57 points and needing a slip from Nations FC to revive their title ambitions.

At the other end of the table, the relegation fight intensified. Young Apostles secured a vital 3-1 win over Heart of Lions, with three quickfire goals from Samuel Prempeh, Sakitey Foster, and Hussein Issah inside the opening 20 minutes. 

The win propels the Apostles to 12th with 40 points, while Heart of Lions drop to fourth and are all but out of the title race.

Vision FC also boosted their survival hopes with a narrow 1-0 win over Karela United. Edward Agyemang’s 7th-minute goal proved decisive, as Vision climbed to 13th with 39 points. 

Karela, meanwhile, are now just one spot above the relegation zone with 35 points from 32 matches.

Aduana FC enjoyed a dominant afternoon, thrashing already-relegated Legon Cities 4-0 at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park. Goals from Gideon Boateng, Elvis Addo, Kelvin Obeng, and Aled Boakye sealed an emphatic win that lifts Aduana to 10th place in the table.

Dreams FC left it late to secure all three points against Berekum Chelsea, with Joseph Esso netting a dramatic 96th-minute winner at the Tuba AstroTurf. The result sees Dreams climb to 8th, while Chelsea drop to 11th.

Meanwhile, Basake Holy Stars fought hard to earn a goalless draw away at Bechem United. The point keeps the league debutants narrowly above the relegation zone as the season approaches its climax.