COUNTDOWN: CENTRAL REGION REFEREES WHO HAVE HANDLED MATCHES BETWEEN HEARTS OF OAK AND ASANTE KOTOKO

By: Isaac Amponsah (Dr Ike) and Aaron Kintoh 

Accra Hearts of Oak will welcome their arch-rivals, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, at the Accra Sports Stadium in Week 9 of the 2025-26 season of the Ghana Premier League on Sunday, November 9, 2025. 

The two sides will battle for the three maximum points, supremacy, and bragging rights in the Ghana version of El Clásico.

The Ghana Football Association Referees Committee has announced Central Region referee Reginald Collins Amoah to officiate the big match at the Accra Sports Stadium.

FACTSGH.COM brings you the showdown between the two sides ahead of the super clash on Sunday, November 9, 2025. We'll look into match officials from the Central Region of Ghana who have handled matches between Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, and examine the outcomes and their impact on the rivalry.

• CENTER REFEREE: REGINALD COLLINS AMOAH.

• Referee Reginald Collins Amoah was born on October 23, 1996 (29 years) in Saltpond in the Central Region. He is currently FIFA Referee. 

• Collins completed Saltpond Methodist Senior High School before furthering his education at the University of Education, Winneba.

• The 2025-26 Ghana Premier League Match Day 9 fixture will be his fourth Hearts of Oak-Asante Kotoko game that he has officiated.

• Referee Reginald Collins Amoah's first game officiating in a Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko fixture was when Hearts hosted Kotoko on Sunday, December 10, 2023, in Match Day 14 of the 2023-24 season of the GPL at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, when Kotoko won 3-2 over Hearts.
Sunday, December 10, 2023 (Day 14) [2023-24]
Venue: Baba Yara Sports Stadium 
Hearts of Oak                2-3 Asante Kotoko
Linda Mtange 39', Martin Karikari 90+4'//Isaac Oppong 45+2', Steven Desse Mukwala (brace) 56', 74'

• Sunday, July 6, 2025 (2025 President Cup)
Venue: Accra Sports Stadium 
Hearts of Oak                1-2 Asante Kotoko
Hamza Issah 23'//Konadu Yiadom 52' (OG), Kwame Poku 54'
MVP: Peter Amidu Acquah - Asante Kotoko
NB: Emmanuel Amankwaa of Hearts of Oak missed a penalty. 

• Sunday, August 24, 2025 (2025 Ghalca Top 4) 
Venue: University of Ghana Stadium, Accra
Asante Kotoko              0-2 Hearts of Oak
Frank Duku, Emmanuel Amankwah

• Hearts of Oak have won once and Asante Kotoko have won twice in the games in which Referee Reginald Collins Amoah has officiated.

• Hearts of Oak have scored in each of their games against Asante Kotoko in which Referee Reginald Collins Amoah has officiated (scoring 5 goals in 3 games).

• Let's look at referees based in the Central Region factor since the introduction of the Ghana Premier League on December 18, 1993 in the 1993-94 season.

• April 17, 1996
Hearts of Oak                3-3 Asante Kotoko
Referee Buckman Yanney (Saltpond)
• NB: There were three red cards in the game: Nicholas Addo and Ian Acquah for Hearts, and Yaw Owusu for Kotoko.

• December 1, 1996
Asante Kotoko              1-2 Hearts of Oak  
Referee Buckman Yanney (Saltpond)
• NB: Gordon Ablodey of Hearts of Oak missed a penalty. 

• May 9, 2001
Hearts of Oak                2-1 Asante Kotoko
Referee Joseph Wilson Sey (Saltpond)
• NB: There was a disaster after the game,and 126 persons died.

• November 14, 2001 (Star FA Cup)[Quarter-finals]
Asante Kotoko              1-0 Hearts of Oak 
Referee Samuel Essel Walker (Cape Coast)

• August 31, 2003
Hearts of Oak                1-1 Asante Kotoko
Referee Samuel Essel Walker (Cape Coast)
• NB: Hearts of Oak protested against the referee, Essel Walker, and his assistant, Nicholas Djomoah, after the game for not awarding a foul for goalkeeper Ebenezer Armah 'Dida' after he was fouled by Shilla Alhassan before the ball was put at the back of the net by Yusif Chibsah for the equalizer.

• December 24, 2006
Venue: Robert Mensah Sports Stadium, Cape Coast
Asante Kotoko              0-1 Hearts of Oak 
• NB: Muntala Mohammed of Asante Kotoko was red carded.
Referee Jeffrey William Amamoo (Cape Coast)

• April 10, 2022 (Day 24)
Venue: Baba Yara Sports Stadium
Asante Kotoko              1-0 Hearts of Oak 
• NB: Franck Thierry Etouga Mbella 17' (pen)
Referee Kenny Joseph Padi (Cape Coast)

• Sunday, December 10, 2023 (Day 14) [2023-24] 
Venue: Baba Yara Sports Stadium 
Hearts of Oak                2-3 Asante Kotoko
Linda Mtange 39', Martin Karikari 90+4'//Isaac Oppong 45+2', Steven Desse Mukwala (brace) 56', 74'
Referee Reginald Collins Amoah (Saltpond)

• Sunday, July 6, 2025 (2025 President Cup) 
Venue: Accra Sports Stadium 
Hearts of Oak                1-2 Asante Kotoko
Hamza Issah 23'//Konadu Yiadom 52' (OG), Kwame Poku 54'
MVP: Peter Amidu Acquah - Asante Kotoko
NB: Emmanuel Amankwaa of Hearts of Oak missed penalty. 
Referee Reginald Collins Amoah (Saltpond)

• Sunday, August 24, 2025 (2025 Ghalca Top 4) 
Venue: University of Ghana Stadium, Accra
Asante Kotoko              0-2 Hearts of Oak
Frank Duku, Emmanuel Amankwah
Referee Reginald Collins Amoah (Saltpond)

Total matches played      - 10
Hearts of Oak wins           - 4
Goals scored                     - 9
Asante Kotoko  wins        - 4
Goals scored                     - 13
Drawn games                    - 2

• Match officials for today’s match 
• Center Referee: Reginald Collins Amoah
• Assistance 1: Roland Addy 
• Assistance 2: Theophilus Akugre 
• 4th Referee: Ayaaba Ibrahim 
• MC: Michael Ayeh