The 2023/24 Ghana Premier League ended on 16th June 2024. Three teams, two from Zone 1 and one from Zone 2, were relegated after earning the lowest points, placing them 16th, 17th, and 18th in the league table at the end of the season.
Three teams were saved on the last day of the season. Great Olympics needed to win their match and hoped that Hearts of Oak would drop points, or that Karela United and Heart of Lions would lose their games against Medeama SC and Berekum Chelsea, respectively.
Great Olympics’ opponent, RTU, failed to show up, so after 30 minutes, in accordance with FIFA regulations, Great Olympics were awarded 3 points and a 3-0 victory. Meanwhile, Heart of Lions were trailing 2-0 to Berekum Chelsea in the first half, with Stephen Amankona scoring a consolation goal. However, they staged a strong comeback in the second half, with captain Emmanuel Abban scoring in the 55th and 90+3′ minutes to cancel out the deficit. The draw secured their safety.
Tarkwa was another venue that drew the attention of the fans, as Karela United needed only a draw to secure their Premier League status. In the 83rd minute, Abdul Basit struck to give Karela United a win that exceeded their requirements for survival.
The most dramatic game was between Bechem United and Hearts of Oak. Bechem United took the lead in the 29th minute through Emmanuel Owusu, but Hearts of Oak responded three minutes later through Kofi Agbesimah, ending the first half in a 1-1 tie. Bismark Edjeodji restored Bechem United’s lead in the 59th minute. Hearts of Oak needed a win, and substitute Kelvin Asibey brought hope to the team by equalizing in the 71st minute, making it 2-2. Yaw Amankwa Baafi finally gave Hearts of Oak the win they needed, putting them ahead 3-2. Bechem United tried to equalize, but their efforts were unsuccessful, and the game ended 3-2 in favor of the Phobian family.
This confirmed that RTU, Bofoakwa United, and Great Olympics are relegated to the Access Bank Division One League next season.
The final match day of the Ghana Premier League (match day 34) saw some thrilling encounters. Here are the results:
Great Olympics 3-0 Real Tamale United
Bechem United 2-3 Hearts of Oak
Berekum Chelsea 2-2 Heart of Lions
Legon Cities 1-1 Gold Stars
Medeama SC 0-1 Karela United
Nsoatreman United 1-0 Nations FC
Samartex 2-0 Accra Lions
Dreams FC 2-1 Aduana Stars
Asante Kotoko 3-1 Bofoakwa United
