2026-27 GHANA PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW: ACCRA HEARTS OF OAK VS BECHEM UNITED IN A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MATCHDAY 3 FIXTURE

• By: Isaac Amponsah (Dr Ike) 

Predictions: Home win/draw

• Accra Hearts of Oak will welcome Bechem United in a highly anticipated Matchday 3 encounter of the Ghana Premier League at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on Sunday, September 20, 2026.

• Hearts of Oak are in fine form as they have won their last three consecutive Ghana Premier League games:
• 24/05/26 Hearts of Oak 4-2 Medeama SC (Day 34) [2025-26]
• 06/09/26 Hearts of Oak 4-0 Berekum Chelsea (Day 1) [2026-27]
• 13/09/26 Bibiani Gold Stars 1-2 Hearts of Oak (Day 2) [2026-27]

• The stage is set for a cracker of a match in this week's fixture on Sunday football afternoon.

• Three points separate the two sides on the league table, with Hearts of Oak having two wins, while Bechem United has one win and one loss after two matches played in the campaign. Hearts of Oak are unbeaten in the 2026-27 league, and the Phobians are aiming to win their 22nd Ghana League title.

• Bechem United have the upper hand over Hearts of Oak in their last three meetings in the Ghana Premier League (1 win and 2 draws).

 • The 2026-27 season of the Ghana League is the 64th edition since the competition started in 1956, but the 30th edition since the inception of the Ghana Premier League on December 18, 1993, in the 1993-94 season. Meanwhile, this marks the 64th appearance for Hearts of Oak and the 12th appearance for Bechem United.

• The 2026-27 season is the 13th time that Ghana's elite competition has been played with 18 clubs, and below are the winners in those seasons:
• 1962-63 Accra Real Republicans
• 1963-64 Kumasi Asante Kotoko 
• 1975 Kumasi Asante Kotoko 
• 1978 Accra Hearts of Oak 
• 1979 Accra Hearts of Oak 
• 1980 Kumasi Asante Kotoko 
• 2020-21 Accra Hearts of Oak 
• 2021-22 Kumasi Asante Kotoko 
• 2022-23 Tarkwa Medeama SC 
• 2023-24 Samreboi FC Samartex 1996
• 2024-25 Bibiani Gold Stars 
• 2025-26 Tarkwa Medeama SC 

• Since the inception of Ghana League, 109 new clubs have featured since 1956 and only fourteen (14) clubs have won the title so far with Kumasi Asante Kotoko been the most successful club with 24, followed by Accra Hearts of Oak (21), Obuasi Ashanti Gold [Goldfields] (4), Accra Great Olympics (2), Dormaa Aduana FC (2), Tarkwa Medeama SC (2), Sekondi Eleven Wise (1), Accra Real Republicans (1), Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs (1) Sekondi Hasaacas (1) Berekum Chelsea (1), Legon Cities [Wa All-Stars] (1), Samreboi FC Samartex (1) and Bibiani Gold Stars (1).

• The defending champions are Tarkwa Medeama SC, who won the 2025-26 Ghana Premier League trophy with 62 points.

• Head-to-Head since the 2011-12 season. 

• Their first league game was played on January 11, 2012, in a Matchday 14 fixture in the 2011-12 season at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park, and it ended goalless.

• 2011-12 season
Bechem United         0-0 Hearts of Oak
Hearts of Oak           0-0 Bechem United

• 2013-14 season
Bechem United         0-1 Hearts of Oak ***
Hearts of Oak           2-1 Bechem United

• 2014-15 season
Bechem United         1-0 Hearts of Oak
Hearts of Oak           1-0 Bechem United

• 2015-16 season
Hearts of Oak           3-1 Bechem United
Bechem United         3-1 Hearts of Oak

• 2017 season
Hearts of Oak           4-2 Bechem United
Bechem United         1-0 Hearts of Oak 

• 2020-21 season
Saturday, January 2, 2021 (Day 7)
Hearts of Oak           6-1 Bechem United
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 (Day 24)
Bechem United         0-1 Hearts of Oak 

• 2021-22 season
Sunday, January 2, 2022 (Day 11)
Hearts of Oak           0-0 Bechem United
Saturday, May 7, 2022 (Day 28)
Bechem United         1-1 Hearts of Oak

• 2022-23 season
Monday, January 2, 2023 (Day 10)
Hearts of Oak           1-2 Bechem United 
Saturday, April 22, 2023 (Day 27)
Bechem United         1-0 Hearts of Oak 

• 2023-24 season 
December 31, 2023 (Day 17)
Hearts of Oak           1-0 Bechem United 
Martin Karikari 90+8'
NB: Salifu Ibrahim (Hearts of Oak) missed penalty 
NB: Aaron Essel (Bechem United) was sent off 
MVP: Richard Attah - Hearts of Oak 
June 16, 2024 (Day 34)
Bechem United         2-3 Hearts of Oak 
Emmanuel Owusu 30', Bismark Edjeodji 59'//Kofi Agbesimah 33', Kelvin Osei Asibey 70', Yaw Amankwah Baafi 74'

• 2024-25 season 
September 22, 2024 (Day 3)
Hearts of Oak           2-0 Bechem United
 Ransford Mensah 51', Hamza Issah 75'
MVP: Hussein Mohammed - Hearts of Oak 
March 19, 2025 (Day 20)
Bechem United         1-0 Hearts of Oak 
Kofi Tompuo 52'
MVP: Kofi Tompuo - Bechem United 

• 2025-26 season 
Friday, October 3, 2025 (Day 4)
Bechem United         0-0 Hearts of Oak 
Sunday, February 1, 2026 (Day 21)
Hearts of Oak           0-0 Bechem United 

Total matches played       - 22
Hearts of Oak wins           - 10
Goals scored                      - 27    
 Bechem United wins         - 6
Goals scored                      - 15 
Drawn games                     - 6

• Both Hearts of Oak and Bechem United's 2011-12 and 2025-26 season home and Away games all ended in goalless draws. 

• Bechem United have won once in their eleven visits to Hearts of Oak's home ground in the Ghana Premier League since the 2011-12 season.
W1  D3  L7   GF7    GA30

• The last time Bechem United won at Hearts of Oak's home Grounds in the Ghana Premier League was on January 2, 2023, in Matchday 10 of the 2022-23 season, with a score of 1-2.

• Other competitive games

• 2018 Season (truncated)
Hearts of Oak                1-1 Bechem United
Patrick Razark//Hafiz Wontah Konkoni
MVP: Hafiz Wontah Konkoni - Bechem United

• 2019-20 season (Canceled)
Hearts of Oak                3-2 Bechem United
Kofi Kordzi (brace), Fatawu Mohammed //Prince Kwabena Adu, Hafiz Wontah Konkoni 
MVP: Kofi Kordzi - Hearts of Oak

• Current Form:

• Hearts of Oak are unbeaten in their last three (3) GPL games: (W3 GF10 GA3).
• 24/05/26 Hearts of Oak       4-2 Medeama SC (Day 34) [2025-26] 
• 06/09/26 Hearts of Oak 4-0 Berekum Chelsea (Day 1) [2026-27]
• 13/09/26 Bibiani Gold Stars 1-2 Hearts of Oak (Day 2) [2026-27]

• The last time Hearts of Oak lost a game in the competition was May 17, 2026, in matchday 33 of the 2025-26 season against FC Samartex (1-0).

• Bechem United have won once in their last three (3) games in the GPL (W1 L2 GF4 GA6).
• 24/05/26 Berekum Chelsea 3-2 Bechem United (Day 34) [2025-26]
• 06/09/26 Bechem United 1-0 Bibiani Gold Stars (Day 1) [2026-27]
• 13/09/26 Karela United 3-1 Bechem United (Day 2) [2026-27]
         
• Match Facts:

• Hearts of Oak are unbeaten in their previous Day 3 Home games in the GPL since the 1999 season.
1999      Hearts of Oak 2-0 Liberty Professionals 
2002      Hearts of Oak 2-0 Great Olympics 
2004      Hearts of Oak 4-2 Heart of Lions 
2005      Hearts of Oak 2-2 Power FC 
2007-08 Hearts of Oak 2-0 Sekondi Hasaacas 
2009-10 Hearts of Oak 1-0 Kessben 
2011-12 Hearts of Oak 0-0 Berekum Chelsea 
2014-15 Hearts of Oak 2-2 Medeama SC 
2021-22 Hearts of Oak 1-1 Aduana FC
2024-25 Hearts of Oak 2-0 Bechem United 
2025-26 Hearts of Oak 1-0 Eleven Wonders
W7 D4 GF19 GA7

• Bechem United are winless in their previous Day 3 Away games in the GPL since the 2011-12 season.
2014-15 Wa All Stars          2-0 Bechem United 
2017     Asante Kotoko        1-0 Bechem United 
2020-21 Aduana FC             0-0 Bechem United 
2022-23 Bibiani Gold Stars 1-0 Bechem United 
2023-24 FC Samartex          4-1 Bechem United 
2024-25 Hearts of Oak        2-0 Bechem United 
2025-26 Heart of Lions       1-0 Bechem United
D1 L6 GF1 GA11

• Hearts of Oak Home matches in the month of SEPTEMBER in the GPL since the 1999 season.
19/09/99 Hearts of Oak     3-0 Swedru All Blacks
25/09/99 Hearts of Oak     0-1 Ebusua Dwarfs ***
17/09/00 Hearts of Oak     1-1 Okwawu United
12/09/01 Hearts of Oak     3-0 Goldfields
30/09/01 Hearts of Oak     2-0 Ghapoha Readers
25/09/02 Hearts of Oak     2-0 Sekondi Hasaacas
07/09/03 Hearts of Oak     1-0 Heart of Lions
21/09/03 Hearts of Oak     1-0 Okwawu United
28/09/03 Hearts of Oak     2-1 Great Olympics 
22/09/04 Hearts of Oak     1-2 Real Sportive ***
21/09/05 Hearts of Oak     1-0 Liberty Professionals 
02/09/06 Hearts of Oak     1-0 Swedru All Blacks
23/09/06 Hearts of Oak     0-0 King Faisal
05/09/10 Hearts of Oak     1-0 King Faisal
26/09/10 Hearts of Oak     0-1 New Edubiase United ***
22/09/13 Hearts of Oak     0-1 Asante Kotoko ***
06/09/15 Hearts of Oak     3-2 Berekum Chelsea
11/09/16 Hearts of Oak     1-0 Ebusua Dwarfs
14/09/16 Hearts of Oak     0-1 Medeama SC ***
18/09/22 Hearts of Oak     1-1 Great Olympics
24/09/23 Hearts of Oak     1-0 Nsoateman FC
08/09/24 Hearts of Oak     0-1 Basake Holy Stars *** 
22/09/24 Hearts of Oak     2-0 Bechem United
12/09/25 Hearts of Oak     0-0 Hohoe United 
26/09/25 Hearts of Oak     1-0 Eleven Wonders 
06/09/26 Hearts of Oak     4-0 Berekum Chelsea 
W16   D4    L6    GF32    GA12

• Bechem United are winless in their previous Away matches in September in the GPL since the 2011-12 season.
22/09/13 Medeama SC        1-1 Bechem United
10/09/22 Great Olympics     1-0 Bechem United 
25/09/22 Bibiani Gold Stars 1-0 Bechem United 
17/09/23 Nsoatreman FC     2-0 Bechem United 
08/09/24 Nations FC            0-0 Bechem United 
22/09/24 Hearts of Oak        2-0 Bechem United 
13/09/25 Bibiani Gold Stars 2-1 Bechem United 
28/09/25 Heart of Lions       1-0 Bechem United 
13/09/26 Karela United         3-1 Bechem United
D2 L7 GF3 GA13

• The last away team to prevent Hearts of Oak from scoring at home in the Ghana Premier League was Aduana FC, who secured a goalless draw on May 10, 2026, in Matchday 32 of the 2025-26 season.

• Hearts of Oak, on the other hand, have kept 316 clean sheets in 728 GPL games since the 1999 season.

• Bechem United has kept 135 clean sheets in 341 games played in the Ghana Premier League since the 2011-12 season.

• Hearts of Oak have won the Ghana Premier League title 21 times since the competition started in the 1956 season.
   
• Bechem United's best finish in the Ghana Premier League since the 2011-12 season has been 3rd place on two occasions, in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, with 54 points in both seasons.

• Hearts of Oak's worst performance in the Ghana Premier League since its inception in 1956 was finishing 14th with 45 points in the 2023-24 season.
   
• Bechem United's worst finish in the Ghana Premier League since the 2011-12 season is 15th place with 29 points, and they were relegated in the 2011-12 season.                 

• Hearts of Oak are currently 1st with 6 points after Matchday 2 games, while Bechem United are 9th with 3 points on the Ghanaian top-flight log.