The 2009/2010 Ghana Premier League season was seen as yet another battle between Ghana’s two biggest clubs, Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak.
Since the turn of the century, Hearts and Kotoko had split the league titles, with the Phobians claiming six to Kotoko’s three.
Funnily enough, after Hearts’ three wins to kick-off the decade, the Phobians and the Porcupine Warriors took turns at the summit of Ghana football for the next six seasons.
The 09/10 season was expected to be another campaign of dominance for either the Kumasi club or the Accra-based side.
How wrong everyone was.
Neither Hearts nor Kotoko won their opening matches that season, with Hearts losing 2-0 at Hearts of Lions while Kotoko were held to a 1-1 draw by Olympics.
Eventual champions, Aduana Stars, who had been promoted to the Ghanaian top-flight that season, also endured a disastrous start to their campaign drawing their first two and losing their third.
Their first win of the season came against Hearts of Lions in the fourth round of matches.
Despite a 1-0 win over Hearts of Oak, Aduana’s results were very much inconsistent as a draw with King Faisal and a loss to Hasaacas stalled their momentum.
A four-game unbeaten run was then ended by a 1-0 loss to Asante Kotoko but they responded brilliantly, going unbeaten in their next five games (they dropped points in only one of them).
Aduana got their revenge against Kotoko with their own 1-0 win but they were beaten in their reverse match against Hearts of Oak.
The matches against runners-up, Ashgold were particularly crucial as they beat them at home and held them to a goalless draw away from home.
Aduana finished level on points with Ashgold, winning the league due to their superior record in the encounters between the two sides that season.
One amazing thing to note about Aduana’s magical title-winning season was the fact that they were the league’s lowest scorers. The 19 goals they netted was less than the tallies of all the teams that were relegated.
They were also the league’s best defence, only conceding 10 goals all season.
Aduana became the first newly-promoted side to win the Premier League title.
Top 4
P GF-GA Pts 1.Aduana Stars 30 19-10 53 2.AshantiGold SC 30 36-22 53 3.Hearts of Oak SC 30 39-30 47 4.Heart of Lions FC 30 38-34 46
