Zaidan Mohammed scored in the 88th minute to give Karela United a 1-0 win over Hearts of Oak at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale, handing the Phobians their first defeat of the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season.
The match stayed goalless for most of the 90 minutes as both sides struggled to break through. Hearts started strong with early chances. One effort was ruled offside in the 10th minute. Six minutes later, Henry Boateng’s shot, set up by Emmanuel Asmah, was blocked by Karela’s defence.
Karela grew into the game and nearly opened the scoring in the 28th minute, but Hearts goalkeeper Sharif Shuaib made an excellent save to keep the score level. Shuaib was called into action again just after halftime, stopping another attempt in the 49th minute as Karela pressed forward.
Hearts tried to respond with a long-range effort from Dominic Nsobila that went just wide. Kader Mahmoud also had a shot blocked after Boateng created space. Both sides made changes and the goalkeeper Shuaib continued to deny Karela’s attacks.
The breakthrough came late when Zaidan Mohammed struck two minutes before full time. The goal ended Hearts’ unbeaten run after they started the season with two wins and a draw, including a 4-0 victory over Berekum Chelsea and a 2-1 comeback win at Gold Stars.
Karela United bounced back from their 2-1 defeat to Aduana FC in Matchday Three to claim their second home win of the season. The victory puts them in a stronger position as the league heads into its next phase.
Hearts of Oak will look to recover quickly after their first loss. Their strong start showed promise, but this defeat exposes gaps they will need to address if they want to challenge for the title again.
For Karela, the win confirms their ability to compete against top sides away from home, especially after the setback against Aduana FC. The tight match reflected the competitive nature of this season’s league, with both teams pushing hard until the final minutes.
According to 3News.
