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Sport AfricaBriefFootball Checked story Published 1 November 2026 · Updated 1 Nov, 23:23 UTC

Debibi United 1–0 Hearts of Oak: debutants end the Phobians' winning streak in the Ghana Premier League

Ghana Premier League debutants Debibi United beat Hearts of Oak 1–0 at Debibi Presby Park on Sunday 1 November 2026, in Matchday 9 of the Ghana Premier League. Sarkodie Demetrous scored the only goal in the 51st minute, ending Hearts' three-match winning streak, handing the debutants a valuable victory that lifts them out of the relegation zone, and dropping Hearts to third in the standings — per the Ghana Football Association's own matchday report, read directly for this page, and Joy Online's report of the same result.

A stand at the Accra Sports Stadium, home of Hearts of Oak (file photo)
Photo: PeterMohr22 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · (File photo — not from this match)
Verified Debibi United beat Hearts of Oak 1–0 at Debibi Presby Park on Sunday 1 November 2026 in Ghana Premier League Matchday 9 (0–0 at half-time): Sarkodie Demetrous scored the only goal in the 51st minute.

Key points

  • Final: Debibi United 1, Hearts of Oak 0 — Ghana Premier League Matchday 9, Debibi Presby Park, Sunday 1 November 2026 (0–0 at half-time) — the GFA's own report, Joy Online and the match record agree.
  • Scorer: Sarkodie Demetrous, 51st minute — the only goal, per the Ghana Football Association.
  • Hearts' three-match winning streak is over and they drop to third; the debutants climb out of the relegation zone.
  • Medeama stay top on 18 points, level with Samartex, after drawing 1–1 at Kotoko.
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What happened

Debibi United are playing their first season in Ghana's top flight, and this is the result that announces them: one of the country's biggest clubs came to Presby Park on a three-match winning run and left with nothing.

For Hearts, the defeat is a stumble, not a collapse — third place, with Medeama and Samartex setting the early pace — but it is exactly the kind of away result that decides Ghana Premier League titles by May.

Both sides, in their own words

Both sides heard. Neither believed for free. Publishing a side's version is not endorsing it — the claim checks below are where verdicts live.

Side A · Debibi United

  • The debutants did it with one goal and a clean sheet: Sarkodie Demetrous struck on 51 minutes and Hearts never found a reply.
  • The win lifts Debibi out of the relegation zone — a first top-flight season already has its famous scalp.

Side B · Hearts of Oak

  • One defeat does not end a title challenge: Hearts sit third, still in touch with Medeama and Samartex at the top.
  • The streak had to end somewhere — the test now is the response against Heart of Lions next.

Independently verified

Debibi United beat Hearts of Oak 1–0 at Debibi Presby Park on Sunday 1 November 2026 in Ghana Premier League Matchday 9 (0–0 at half-time): Sarkodie Demetrous scored the only goal in the 51st minute. The result ended Hearts of Oak's three-match winning streak and dropped them to third in the standings; it lifted debutants Debibi United out of the relegation zone. At the top of the table, Medeama SC stayed at the summit on 18 points, level with FC Samartex 1996, after a 1–1 draw with Asante Kotoko in Kumasi (Safianu 42'; Hamzarat 55').

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  • VerifiedWest Ham United confirmed on Tuesday 3 November 2026 that men's first-team head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has left his position with immediate effect. The club said: 'Following a thorough review of the start to the EFL Championship season, the board of directors believe that a change is necessary at this time in order to ensure that the club's objectives and expectations remain on track.'
  • VerifiedAssistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa have also departed. The process of recruiting a new head coach is already under way; Mark Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville will take temporary charge of squad preparations ahead of Wednesday evening's EFL Championship fixture at Cardiff City, and the club will make no further comment until the appointment of the new head coach is confirmed.
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3 verified· 0 disputed· 1 not yet verified· 0 corrected
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  • VerifiedThe National Sports Commission confirmed on Monday 2 November 2026 that the Super Falcons' players have received — and begun receiving — the naira equivalent of President Bola Tinubu's $100,000-per-player reward pledge, with members of the technical crew receiving the equivalent of $50,000 each, completing the cash component of the reward package for the team's 10th WAFCON title.
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  • VerifiedNSC chairman Shehu Dikko said: 'The Super Falcons made Nigeria proud, and Mr President has honoured his commitment to them in full,' adding that some Nigerian sports heroes had endured years of waiting for promised rewards; team captain Rasheedat Ajibade thanked President Tinubu for keeping his word, describing the payment as recognition of the team's achievement.
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  • VerifiedAlverca matched Benfica's six shots on target: the team statistics read 61% possession to Benfica and 17 shots to 9 overall, but 6 shots on target each, with Benfica goalkeeper Samuel Soares making six saves and Alverca's Matheus Mendes five.
  • VerifiedThe breakthrough came six minutes after a half-time change: Claudio Echeverri replaced Andreas Schjelderup at the start of the second half, and Pavlidis's penalty followed in the 51st minute.
3 verified· 0 disputed· 0 not yet verified· 0 corrected
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