Hearts of Oak coach Nebojsa Kapor says his side’s recent victories are generating positive energy among the team and supporters after Friday’s 1-0 win over Basake Holy Stars.

Martin Karikari scored an 82nd-minute winner at the University of Ghana Stadium to secure Hearts’ third consecutive victory and send them temporarily top of the Ghana Premier League.

The Phobians have also beaten Port City FC and Vision FC during their recent winning run, with Friday’s result taking their tally to 17 points after eight matches.

Kapor believes the impact of the victories is evident in the atmosphere surrounding the team, with the players and supporters drawing confidence from their improving results.

“That is very good. You can see it, and you can feel it from the ground. We are really very positive, and that is football,” he said.

“Victories are really building positive energy.”

However, the Hearts coach cautioned that the team must remain composed and manage its emotions despite the growing confidence that comes with winning.

“But in our occupation, we also have to find solutions on how to calm down, how to deal with our emotions, how to handle this, and how to set things up always in our favour,” he added.

The latest victory strengthens Hearts’ position in the title race, although Sunday’s fixtures could alter the standings.

Medeama and Samartex are three points behind the Phobians, with both teams having played one game fewer.

Hearts will aim to preserve their momentum as Kapor continues to build consistency within the squad.

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Berekum Chelsea will be aiming to extend their winning streak in the Ghana Premier League when they host FC Samartex 1996 in a Matchweek Eight encounter at the Golden City Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Bibires head into the fixture in impressive form after securing back-to-back victories over Debibi United and Heart of Lions, scoring five goals without conceding in the two matches.

Their recent performances have strengthened their confidence ahead of Sunday's showdown, with the Berekum-based side hoping to maintain their momentum and secure a third consecutive league victory.

Chelsea will also draw confidence from their impressive home record.

They have gone unbeaten in their last 17 league matches at the Golden City Park, with their last defeat at the venue dating back to October 2025.

However, the hosts face a difficult test against a Samartex side that has enjoyed the upper hand in recent meetings between the two clubs.

Chelsea have failed to beat the Timber Giants in their last five Ghana Premier League encounters, recording two draws and suffering three defeats.

Samartex arrive in Berekum on the back of a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over defending champions Medeama SC in Samreboi.

The win marked a strong response to their first defeat of the campaign and restored confidence within the team ahead of their trip.

Nana Kwaku Agyemang's men will also take encouragement from their recent visits to the Golden City Park, having avoided defeat in their last two league outings at the venue. Both encounters ended in goalless draws.

Despite their impressive recent record against Chelsea, Samartex have experienced mixed fortunes on the road this season, collecting one win, one draw and one defeat in their three away league matches.

The visitors will be determined to extend their unbeaten run against the Bibires, while Chelsea will be eager to end that sequence and capitalise on their strong home form.

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Hearts of Oak coach Nebojsa Kapor has praised the quality of Martin Karikari’s decisive goal after the forward secured a 1-0 victory over Basake Holy Stars in the Ghana Premier League on Friday.

Karikari produced a stunning left-footed finish in the 82nd minute at the University of Ghana Stadium to settle a closely contested Matchday 8 fixture and extend Hearts’ winning run to three matches.

The Phobians had struggled to find a breakthrough despite creating opportunities, with Ransford Mensah’s free-kick striking the crossbar before Holy Stars made a crucial goal-line clearance.

Kapor was pleased with the patience his players showed and, in particular, the quality of the move that eventually delivered all three points.

“We were struggling all game to find a way to put the ball in the net. We really created enough opportunities for an early goal, but I'm happy, especially with how we scored. That was really very good action and very good finishing,” he said.

The Hearts coach also praised his players for maintaining their belief throughout the encounter.

“Congratulations to my players because they believed throughout the game that we could and would win. And also, congratulations to all our fans,” he added.

The victory takes Hearts to 17 points and temporarily to the summit of the league table, three points ahead of Medeama and Samartex, who have a game in hand.

Kapor’s side will now look to build on their latest result as they aim to sustain their challenge for the Ghana Premier League title.

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Martin Karikari struck in the 82nd minute at the University of Ghana Stadium on Friday to settle a tight Ghana Premier League Matchday 8 encounter and extend Hearts’ winning run to three matches.

Holy Stars had defended resolutely for much of the contest but failed to maintain their focus as the hosts pushed for a breakthrough.

“Unfortunately, towards the end of the game, I think it was a matter of concentration,” Gazale said after the match.

“To me, we lost concentration, and then we were punished.”

The defeat came despite Holy Stars’ efforts to limit Hearts’ attacking threat by adopting a medium defensive block and looking for opportunities to counter-attack.

Gazale acknowledged that his side had performed reasonably well defensively but was disappointed by their inability to translate their first-half chances into goals.

The result leaves Holy Stars without a point from their away matches this season, having suffered four defeats on the road.

For Hearts, Karikari’s decisive finish secured another important victory under coach Nebojša Kapor and lifted the Phobians to the top of the league table, at least temporarily.

Hearts have now collected 17 points, three more than Medeama and Samartex, who have played one game fewer.

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Basake Holy Stars coach Abdulai Gazale has rued his side’s poor attacking performance after their 1-0 defeat to Hearts of Oak in Friday’s Ghana Premier League Matchday 8 encounter.

Martin Karikari scored an 82nd-minute winner at the University of Ghana Stadium to hand the Phobians their third consecutive victory and send them temporarily top of the league table.

Gazale admitted his team failed to make the most of their opportunities, particularly in the first half, when they struggled to threaten consistently in the attacking third.

“I think we didn't play well in terms of our attack, especially in the first half. We had so many chances to take the lead. Unfortunately, my team were not looking positive in the attacking third,” he said.

The Holy Stars coach was more satisfied with his side’s defensive organisation, explaining that they attempted to contain Hearts before launching counter-attacks.

“In terms of defence, we did well. We went on to sit in a medium block and see how best we could get the ball and go on a counter-attack,” he added.

However, Karikari’s late strike proved decisive, leaving Holy Stars empty-handed despite their defensive efforts for much of the contest.

The defeat was also their fourth away loss of the campaign, extending their wait for a point on the road.

Hearts, meanwhile, moved to 17 points, three ahead of Medeama and Samartex, who have a game in hand.

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Accra Hearts of Oak center-back Kelvin Osei Asibey has declared his absolute readiness to represent the Ghana national team ahead of the Black Stars' upcoming 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Somalia.

The 25-year-old defender, who has been in sensational form, emphasized that wearing the national colors is an unconditional civic duty he is fully prepared to embrace whenever called upon by the technical team.

Asibey’s declaration comes on the heels of a defensive masterclass in the ongoing 2026/27 Ghana Premier League campaign.

The commanding center-back has anchored a resolute Hearts of Oak defense that conceded just two goals across an eight-game stretch, propelling the Phobians to the summit of the league table.

His exceptional reading of the game and aerial dominance recently earned him a rare feat for a defender: winning three consecutive NASCO Man of the Match awards against Vision FC, Port City FC, and Basake Holy Stars.

"As long as l am a citizen of the republic of Ghana, whenever the nation needs my services, l am raady,” Asibey said after their win over Holy Stars on Friday night.

Hearts of Oak manager Nebojsa Kapor has strongly backed his star player, publicly stating that the defender possesses the elite tactical discipline and mental fortitude required to excel on the international stage.

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Ghana’s Black Starlets finished fourth at the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship after losing 2-0 to hosts Burkina Faso in the third-place play-off.

The defeat ended Ghana’s campaign without a podium finish after they missed out on the final following a 1-0 semi-final loss to Côte d’Ivoire.

The Black Starlets had impressed in the group stage, finishing top of Group A unbeaten with seven points from three matches.

They opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Togo before beating Benin 3-1 and drawing 0-0 with Burkina Faso.

However, they were unable to carry that form into the knockout stage, suffering consecutive defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

The fourth-place finish adds to a disappointing end to the campaign for Ghana, who had hoped to secure a place at the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

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The attacking midfielder produced the decisive moment at the University of Ghana Stadium, finding space with a pair of clever shimmies before striking a superb volley beyond the goalkeeper.

The result extended Hearts of Oak’s winning run to three matches, following earlier victories over FC Port City and Vision FC. They are now three points clear at the top of the table, with the remaining Matchday 8 fixtures to be played on Sunday.

Hearts controlled much of the contest and created the better opportunities, finishing with 17 shots – 10 more than Basake Holy Stars.

Despite that pressure, the visitors defended with organisation and discipline. Basake Holy Stars remained compact, frustrating the hosts and attempting to exploit openings on the counterattack.

Hearts were denied an earlier breakthrough when Ransford Mensah’s powerful free-kick struck the post. The effort left the hosts frustrated as they continued to search for a way through a stubborn defence.

Karikari eventually settled the contest with a moment of individual quality. After using his footwork to create room, he unleashed a stunning volley that gave the goalkeeper no chance and secured all three points for Hearts of Oak.

The victory keeps the Phobians’ early-season title challenge on track and sent the home supporters into celebration at the final whistle.

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The squad worked at the tournament training facility in Baku on Friday, with the technical team overseeing an intensive programme of drills, ball work and tactical exercises.

The session formed part of Ghana’s final preparations for the group stage, with the players working to sharpen both their technical performance and tactical understanding before the competition begins this weekend.

Ghana have been placed in Group W alongside Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Guam, Bahamas and Kazakhstan.

Their campaign will begin against Uzbekistan on Saturday, October 24. They will then face Myanmar and Guam on Sunday before completing the group phase against Bahamas and Kazakhstan on Monday, October 26, 2026.

The FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival is being staged as part of FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme. The programme is supported by Qatar Airways, Lenovo, Aramco and Adidas under the banner #U15WC and “Give Every Talent A Chance”.

Ghana’s team are in high spirits as they prepare to represent the country in the tournament.

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