Apostles Beat Karela United 2-1 in GPL Match
Young Apostles secured a vital 2-1 victory over Karela United at the Wenchi Sports Stadium on Sunday, returning to winning form in the Ghana Premier League.
Goals in either half from Abdul Ganiyu and Issah Nyabilla were enough to hand Abdul Hanan’s side all three points in a closely contested encounter.
Coach Abu Abdul Hanan named both Abdul Ganiyu and Richmond Opoku in the starting line-up following their recovery from injury. Upfront, Kingsford partnered with Issah Hussine in search of goals.
Karela United, under the tutelage of Nurudeen Amadu, began brightly, creating an early scare in the 8th minute when a ball into the Apostles’ area caused confusion, ultimately requiring a clearance from the hosts.
The Apostles absorbed the early pressure. By the 15th minute, they were under the cosh, but Joseph Quansah proved resolute in defence, heading clear a dangerous cross from the right flank.
The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute through a moment of brilliance from Abdul Ganiyu, who unleashed a powerful strike into the top right corner after receiving a perfectly weighted pass from Issah Hussine.
However, Karela United responded well, increasing their intensity. Ali Alhassan was booked on the half-hour mark for a cynical challenge as they looked to gain control in midfield.
Their efforts paid dividends in the 36th minute. Felix Mortu leveled the scoreline, cancelling out Ganiyu’s opener and ensuring the sides went into the break tied at 1-1.
The second half saw Young Apostles regain the lead just four minutes after the restart. Following a scramble in the Karela penalty area – which included protests for a foul from Abdul Ganiyu – Issah Nyabilla, affectionately called “The Rock of Bolgatanga”, prodded the ball home.
As the game intensified, tensions rose. Joseph Quansah received a yellow card for unsporting behaviour, and both teams made a series of tactical substitutions.
Young Apostles replaced Richmond Opoku and Kingsford Agyemang with Richard Ampong and reintroduced Abdul Ganiyu, respectively. Karela responded by bringing on Gideon Boateng for Hafiz Abdulai, Jibril Nurudeen for Zakaria Abdulai, and Phillip Adom for Eric Antwi.
Karela nearly snatched a late equaliser in the 85th minute. With a curling free kick taken from 39 yards, Bless Ege tested the Apostles’ goalkeeper, who made a smart save to tip the effort away.
Despite continued pressure, Young Apostles held firm, showcasing defensive discipline and maturity to see out the remainder of the match. The final whistle blew, confirming a 2-1 victory for the home side.
The win, secured through goals from Abdul Ganiyu and Issah Nyabilla, marks a return to form for Young Apostles and represents a hard-fought three points at the Wenchi Sports Stadium.
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