Friday’s Ghana Premier League fixture between Asante Kotoko and Dreams FC at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium brings together familiar faces, contrasting ambitions and mounting pressure, particularly for the home side.
Kotoko head coach Karim Zito takes on a club that played a defining role in his coaching journey. Before his move to Kumasi last season, Zito built Dreams FC into a competitive force, leading them to FA Cup glory in 2023 and an impressive CAF Confederation Cup semi-final appearance. Standing in the opposite dugout will be Winfred Dormon, a coach who rose under Zito’s mentorship.
The Porcupine Warriors are searching for a spark after failing to win in their last four league outings. A recent setback against Hohoe United has stalled their title push, leaving them five points off the pace. Still, Kotoko can lean on their resilience at home, where they remain unbeaten in six matches this campaign.
Dreams FC travel north with renewed confidence following a win over Bechem United, but their struggles away from Dawu continue to haunt them. They are yet to taste victory on the road this season, drawing blanks in all six away fixtures so far. Past trips to Kumasi have also been unkind, with Dreams recording only one win there in the last five years.
The rivalry between the two sides has been evenly balanced in recent seasons. Of their last six league meetings, Dreams have edged three, Kotoko have claimed two, and one ended level. Their latest encounter, played in May 2025, swung heavily in Kotoko’s favour with a 4-1 win.
In terms of league position, Kotoko occupy fifth place with 21 points from 13 matches, having scored 14 goals and conceded nine. Dreams FC sit closer to the drop zone in 14th, with 14 points from the same number of games, scoring 13 times and shipping 15 goals.
With Kotoko eager to reignite their campaign and Dreams desperate to fix their away-day woes, the Baba Yara Stadium sets the stage for a tense and potentially decisive contest.
