Asante Kotoko bounced back in emphatic fashion, overpowering Karela United 4-2 in an action packed Ghana Premier League (GPL) encounter at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday, November 2.
The Porcupine Warriors, eager to respond after their CAF (Confederation of African Football) Confederation Cup disappointment, produced a dominant attacking display despite missing key forward Albert Amoah, who recently completed a move to Al Ahli Benghazi in Libya. Midfielder Hubert Gyau emerged as the hero with a brace that set the tone for Kotoko’s victory.
Gyau opened the scoring in the sixth minute, blasting home an early goal before Bless Ege levelled for Karela. The midfielder struck again with a thunderous effort from distance to restore Kotoko’s advantage, prompting the Ghana Premier League’s official social media account to post a video of the strike with the caption asking what Hubert Gyau was doing and calling it an absolute stunner.
Seth Kwadwo extended the lead with a powerful header just before halftime, giving Kotoko a comfortable cushion heading into the break. In the second half, Peter Amidu Acquah added a fourth from close range to seal the victory. Karela managed a second goal through an unidentified scorer, but it proved too little too late as Kotoko controlled proceedings.
The victory comes as a welcome relief for Kotoko, who were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup following a humiliating 6-1 aggregate defeat to Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the second preliminary round. The Porcupine Warriors had turned their full attention to the domestic league campaign, and the convincing win suggests renewed focus and determination.
Before the match, Gyau had assured supporters that the team prepared well for the encounter. Speaking to AKSC Media in a pre match interview, he admitted the upcoming match would be tough but expressed optimism in Kotoko’s ability to secure all three points. The midfielder’s performance on the pitch validated his pre match confidence.
Kotoko were forced to navigate the fixture without influential captain Ndongani Samba O’Neil, who was suspended due to yellow card accumulation. The 25 year old centre back had picked consecutive yellow cards in the Ghanaian top flight, making him unavailable for the Karela showdown. However, the team received a major injury boost with the return of key players Baba Yahaya and Saaka Dauda to full training ahead of the match.
The victory moves Kotoko to eighth position on the league log with 11 points from five matches played, though they have three outstanding fixtures that could see them climb the table. Karela United sit ahead with 12 points but will be disappointed after failing to capitalize on their opponent’s recent continental struggles.
Up next for Kotoko is the highly anticipated Super Clash against rivals Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium, a fixture that promises to be one of the season’s most watched encounters. The Porcupine Warriors will be hoping to carry the momentum from this convincing performance into the derby clash.
Karela United, meanwhile, will host Dreams FC in Tamale as they look to bounce back from the defeat and maintain their position in the upper half of the table. The loss ends what had been a solid start to their campaign and serves as a reminder of the challenges facing teams visiting the intimidating Baba Yara Stadium.
The match was played as part of Matchweek 8 of the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League season, with kickoff scheduled at 3:00 p.m. local time. The six goal thriller provided entertainment for fans who had been eager to see how Kotoko would respond to their continental exit.