Asante Kotoko will welcome Dreams FC to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Sunday, May 19, in a pivotal Ghana Premier League Week 31 encounter that could significantly shape the Porcupine Warriors’ bid for domestic glory.
Fresh from booking a place in the MTN FA Cup final with a 1-0 win over Berekum Chelsea, Kotoko will aim to bounce back from recent league struggles. The Reds have managed just one win in their last five league matches (D2, L2), a slump that has seen them drop to fourth place with 51 points from 30 games. Particularly alarming for interim head coach Abdul Karim Zito is the team’s back-to-back defeats without scoring, a poor run that has allowed city rivals Nations FC to overtake them at the top of the table.
Nonetheless, Kotoko have been a dominant force at home. They have won four of their last five league games at the Baba Yara Stadium without conceding, and currently rank as the fifth-best home team in the division. A 12th home victory of the campaign will be crucial if they are to stay in the title race.
In terms of numbers, Kotoko have scored 29 goals and conceded 21 this season, placing them among the joint-fifth highest-scoring teams with one of the league’s stingier defenses.
Dreams FC, meanwhile, have quietly climbed into the top half of the table, currently sitting ninth with 43 points. The Believers have recorded two wins, one draw, and two losses in their last five league outings. Their away form has been a standout feature of their resurgence, having won three of their last five games on the road — a record that ranks them as the fifth-best away side this season.
They’ve netted 23 goals and conceded 24 overall, showcasing a balanced, if not explosive, campaign. However, they face a stern challenge against Kotoko, a team they’ve historically struggled against in Kumasi.
Since the 2020/21 season, Dreams FC have visited the Baba Yara Stadium four times, managing only one win, one draw, and suffering two defeats. Kotoko beat them 3-1 in 2020/21 and 2-0 in 2021/22. Dreams FC earned a goalless draw in 2022/23 and claimed a rare 1-0 win in last season’s meeting.
Sunday’s clash promises to be a tense affair, with Kotoko needing a response to stay in the title picture, while Dreams FC aim to continue their upward momentum.
