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Kotoko 2-5 Hearts

2nd November, 1958

This is the first recognised official league game between these sides. Hearts had earlier beaten Kotoko 4-3 in Kumasi in a game that ended abruptly because Moro Gago, a Kotoko defender refused to walk off the pitch, after he had been shown the red card by the centre referee.

In the replay, the Accra invaders demolished their archrivals in the epic encounter by 5-2 at the Jackson Park, Kumasi.

Amofa shot Kotoko into the lead, but Ofei Dodoo drew level for the Phobians in the 22 minute, before Wilberforce Mfum restored Kotoko’s lead in the hour mark.

However, Hearts in the late minute did a remarkable comeback by scoring four goals to turn the scales in their favour: Amadu Akuse fetched them the equaliser in the 55 minute and silenced the home fans in the 75 minute. Charles Kumi Gyamfi, who would later coach the Black Stars registered his name on the score sheet to make the score line 4-2 in favour of the visitors, before they got the 5 to earn an awesome victory.

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Kotoko 3-1 Hearts

Sunday 17th April, 1960

This was the first match of the season and it was Kotoko’s first league game at the newly built Kumasi Sports Stadium. Baba Yara, who would be named after the Kumasi Sports Stadium, several years after his demise: He put up a heroic performance by scoring the first league goal at the newly constructed Kumasi Stadium and in the process recorded a brace on the evening.

Kotoko playing in a relatively bigger stadium that could accommodate huge spectators entertained their teeming fans and edged Hearts of Oak 3-1 to start their campaign on a good note.

Baba Yara, the wizardry dribbler started the scoring in 8 minute, but Aggrey Fyn brought Hearts of Oak into the game with the equaliser two minutes later. However, winger Mohommed Salisu restored Kotoko’s lead, before Baba Yara sent the game beyond Hearts of Oak’s reach.

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Wednesday May 3, 1978

Asante Kotoko  1-2 Hearts of Oak

Hearts broke the deadlock in the 15th minute through a goal from Bismark Odoi, but Victor Sereboe got the edqualiser for the Porcupine Warriors in the 53rd

Kotoko's equalizer didn't go well with the Hearts players, thus vehemently protested and in the midst of the confusion booted down referee Bah Alhassan, so after 10 minutes hold up he sacked Seth Ampadu and skipper Robert Hammond for challenging his decision.

Nine-man Hearts of Oak team shook Kumasi by netting the winning goal through the foot of Douglas Tagoe with two minutes to end proceedings.

16 soccer fans lost their lives and several others injured in a stampede after the match.

This was the first major disaster between these two bitterest rivals and after 23 years another disaster struck Ghana football, which resulted in the death of 127 souls on May 9th 2001 in this same fixture.

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Wednesday 28 April, 1982

Kotoko 3-0 Hearts

The disparity between the two giants was glaring prior to the game. Kotoko had beaten Hearts of Oak 3 and drawn 1 of their last 4 league clashes including the 3-0 walloping of the Phobians in Accra in 1980. Also they had reached the pinnacle of their performance, having won the league in 1080, 1981 and would reach the final of the Africa Club Champions Cup, which they lost to Al Ahly in December, but avenged that defeat a year later in the final.

Asante Kotoko made their dominance count as they demolished Hearts of Oak in a game that ended 3-0. The scorers were M.P.K Kusi, who started the massacre in the 16 minute, before Opoku Nti added their names on the scoresheet in the 44 minute and 64 minute, respectively.

Kotoko 3-4 Hearts

Sunday 7 August, 1983

Hearts of Oak finally broke, the Kotoko hoodoo in the 1980’s. Hears of Oak ahead of this clash had failed to beat Kotoko in 7 consecutive league ties, since 1980, having lost 5 and drawn two, so they were hungrier for success.

The Kumasi fans, who taught that the tradition of inflicting defeat on their bitterest rivals, were left in disbelief when they saw their idol club trailing 3 goals by half time break: Emmanuel Botchwey fetched Hearts of Oak the opener in the 9 minute and doubled his side’s lead in the 32 minute, before Sam Yeboah scored the third in the 40 minute.

Back from recess, the Porcupine Warriors, woke up from their slumber and marshalled an all attacking play and in the course of that Opoku Nti did what would forever remain in the memories of Ghanaian football lovers. Nti scored the fastest hat-trick in the history of the league: 54 minute, 55 minute and 60 minute to draw Kotoko level.

However,Hearts of Oak who were destined to carry the day got the match winner from an unusual, source of goal, Hesse Odamtten, a defender in the 76 minute.

Kotoko 2-0 Hearts

Sunday 16 September, 2001

Asante Kotoko longest wait for a win against Hearts of Oak was from 1997 to September, 2001. In 8 league games Hearts of Oak had won 4 and drawn 4, including the 4-0 humiliating score line in Accra, which stands as the heaviest defeat suffered in their clashes. Moreover, Kotoko had lost to Hearts in a controversial manner in the first round at the Accra Sports in a game that led to the death of 126 sporting fans due to a stampede

Kotoko were determined than ever and it was seen in the song played at the stadium as a tool to enable them break the Hearts of Oak jinx in the league for barely four years. They played and sang, the popular gospel song by Cindy Tompson, Awurade Kasa, which literally means God speak.

Kotoko achieved their expectation and that of the fans by beating Hearts of Oak 2-0. The goals came from the foot of Joe Okyere in the 64 minute and Stephen Oduro in the 74 minute.