Ghana Premier League: Breakdown of the 103 league duels between Kotoko and Hearts

Asante Kotoko have battled Hearts of Oak in 103 occasions in the league, since 1958. Hearts of Oak are leading the pack with 44 victories, whereas Kotoko have won 43 games and 46 of them have ended in draws.

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First ever league encounter
Jackson Park, Kumasi
Match cancelled because it ended abruptly
Kotoko 2-4 Hearts
Replay
Sunday 2nd November, 1958
Kotoko 2-5 Hearts
First ever accepted league clash between Kotoko-Hearts of Oak in Kumasi

Kotoko 2-5 Hearts
2nd November, 1958
Venue: Jackson Park, Kumasi.
This is the first recognised official league game between these sides. Hearts had earlier beaten Kotoko 4-3 in Kumasi in a game that ended abruptly because Moro Gago, a Kotoko defender refused to walk off the pitch, after he had been shown the red card by the centre referee.

In the replay, the Accra invaders demolished their archrivals in the epic encounter by 5-2 at the Jackson Park, Kumasi.

Amofa shot Kotoko into the lead, but Ofei Dodoo drew level for the Phobians in the 22 minute, before Wilberforce Mfum restored Kotoko's lead in the hour mark.

However, Hearts in the late minute did a remarkable comeback by scoring four goals to turn the scales in their favour: Amadu Akuse fetched them the equaliser in the 55 minute and silenced the home fans in the 75 minute. Charles Kumi Gyamfi, who would later coach the Black Stars registered his name on the score sheet to make the score line 4-2 in favour of the visitors, before they got the 5 to earn an awesome victory.

Read more: The last time Hearts celebrated over league title

At Kotoko home grounds (Kumasi and two adopted venues-Nkawkaw and Cape Coast)

The Porcupine Warriors have hosted the Phobians on 49 occasions.

However, two (2) of the clashes happened outside Kumasi: In 1961 Asante Kotoko were suspended from playing at the Kumasi Sports Stadium, so their encounter against Hearts took place at Nkawkaw.

That game ended in a one all draw and also in the 2006/07 season due to the renovation of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kotoko hosted Hearts of Oak in Cape Coast, but lost 0-1.

Tabular form

Kotoko vs Hearts in Kumasi
To look at encounters between Hearts and Kotoko in Kumasi, there is the need to take out the two matches that took place at Nkawkaw and in Cape Coast from the 49 games to get 47 games.

Asante Kotoko in games against Hearts of Oak in Kumasi are trailing their arch-rivals.

Kotoko have won 17, while Hearts of Oak have won 18 games and 13 games have ended in draws.

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Read more: Dwarfs whitewash Asante Kotoko in 5-goal thriller

First game at the Kumasi Sports Stadium
Kotoko 3-1 Hearts
Sunday 17th April, 1960
This was the first match of the season and it was Kotoko's first league game at the newly built Kumasi Sports Stadium. Baba Yara, who would be named after the Kumasi Sports Stadium, several years after his demise: He put up a heroic performance by scoring the first league goal at the newly constructed Kumasi Stadium and in the process recorded a brace on the evening.

Kotoko playing in a relatively bigger stadium that could accommodate huge spectators entertained their teeming fans and edged Hearts of Oak 3-1 to start their campaign on a good note.

Baba Yara, the wizardry dribbler started the scoring in 8 minute, but Aggrey Fyn brought Hearts of Oak into the game with the equaliser two minutes later. However, winger Mohommed Salisu restored Kotoko's lead, before Baba Yara sent the game beyond Hearts of Oak's reach.

Highest score line in Kumasi
Wednesday 28 April, 1982
Kotoko 3-0 Hearts
The disparity between the two giants was glaring prior to the game. Kotoko had beaten Hearts of Oak 3 and drawn 1 of their last 4 league clashes including the 3-0 walloping of the Phobians in Accra in 1980. Also they had reached the pinnacle of their performance, having won the league in 1080, 1981 and would reach the final of the Africa Club Champions Cup, which they lost to Al Ahly in December, but avenged that defeat a year later in the final.

Asante Kotoko made their dominance count as they demolished Hearts of Oak in a game that ended 3-0. The scorers were M.P.K Kusi, who started the massacre in the 16 minute, before Opoku Nti added their names on the scoresheet in the 44 minute and 64 minute, respectively.

Read more: Six most memorable Kotoko-Hearts clashes in Kumasi

Premier League ties between Kotoko and Hearts

The dominance of Hearts of Oak in this fixture became glaring with the inception of the Ghana Premier League in the 1993-94 season. The Phobians have won 15, while Kotoko have won 10 of the 42 engagement since that time and 17 have ended in draws

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Matches at Kotoko's home grounds in the Premier League

Kotoko have celebrated 5 victories against Hearts of Oak, while playing at home in the Ghana Premier League, since the 1993-94 season. Hearts of Oak have enjoyed the lions' share of their engagements, having won 7, whereas 8 games ended without a winner.

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Last ten meetings between Kotoko and Hearts in Kumasi or the 2006 adopted home grounds, Cape Coast

Kotoko have won just two, while Hearts of Oak have won 5, with 3 games ending in draws

2005    Asante Kotoko             3-1 Hearts of Oak

2006/07 Asante Kotoko           0-1 Hearts of Oak
2007/08 Asante Kotoko           3-3 Hearts of Oak
2008/09 Asante Kotoko           1-2 Hearts of Oak
2009/10 Asante Kotoko           0-1 Hearts of Oak
2010/11 Asante Kotoko           0-1 Hearts of Oak
2011/12 Asante Kotoko           2-1 Hearts of Oak
2012/13  Asante Kotoko           0-0 Hearts of Oak
2013/14    Asante Kotoko         0-0 Hearts of Oak
2014-15    Asante Kotoko         0-1 Hearts of Oak
 

 
Last ten clashes between Kotoko and Hearts at all venues in league duels.

Asante Kotoko have won 5 of their last 10 league clashes against Hearts of Oak. The Phobians have won just a game, while 4 games ended in draws

2010/11 Hearts of Oak 0-2 Asante Kotoko        
2011/12     Hearts of Oak 0-0 Asante Kotoko        

                       Kotoko       2-1 Hearts of Oak

2012/13  Asante Kotoko           0-0 Hearts of Oak
                  Hearts of Oak            1-1 Asante Kotoko

2013/14       Hearts of Oak        0-1 Kotoko
                    Asante Kotoko         0-0 Hearts of Oak

2014-15    Asante Kotoko         0-1 Hearts of Oak
                   Hearts of Oak           1-2  Asante Kotoko

2015-16      Hearts of Oak         0-1 Asante Kotoko

July clashes between Kotoko and Hearts
 
It is even between these two sides in the month of July. Asante Kotoko have won two (2), lost two (2) and drawn one (1) against Hearts of Oak.

The clashes between Kotoko and Hearts of Oak which date back to 1958, waited for twenty-one (21) years before it produced a July encounter.

1979
Kotoko 2-1 Hearts
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