Match report: Nations FC beat Samartex to secure first Premier League victory

Nations FC recovered from their opening day defeat to overcome FC Samartex 1996 in their first home game of the Ghana Premier League at the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese on Sunday afternoon.

The newly-promoted side needed a goal in each half of the match to ensure they picked the maximum points with a first-ever victory in the Ghanaian top-flight and in front of home fans.

Nations gaffer Kassim Mingle Ocansey made a few changes to the team that lost narrowly to Dreams FC in the midweek with Japheth Norvienyo being preferred in the posts.

Captain Emmanuel Boahene started from the bench as Victor Oduro was handed a full debut in the game.

Samartex coach Nurudeen Amadu, on the other hand, made only one alteration to the squad that pipped Aduana Stars in the first league match. Dauda Yussif Seidu got his first start of the season in place of Emmanuel Adu Siaw.

Following a promising start in the game, a brilliant attempt from Nations forced Samartex goalkeeper Lawrence Ansah to make a superb save in the 10th minute.

Ten minutes later, the Premiership newbies had their dominance paid off after Barimah Baah fired home a nice effort to score Nations’ first-ever topflight goal.

Ivorian midfielder Amidou Diarra rounded off the victory for Nations in the 66th minute, having benefited from a James Sewornu mistake as they continued to dominate the match in the second period.