The Ghana Premier League title race took a dramatic twist yesterday as league leaders Nations FC abandoned their penultimate fixture against Basake Holy Stars following a heated protest over officiating decisions.

The incident unfolded at the Crosby Awuah Memorial Stadium, with Holy Stars leading 1-0 midway through the second half. The hosts had taken the lead in the 32nd minute through a controversial penalty decision, which was calmly converted.

The tensions escalated after the referee awarded a second penalty to Holy Stars in the second half — a decision that sparked outrage from the Nations FC bench and players. 

The protest quickly turned chaotic, forcing security personnel to step in to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.

Despite efforts by match officials to resume the game, Nations FC players and technical staff refused to continue, walking off the pitch in a move that stunned spectators and halted the high-stakes clash.

Title race in jeopardy

Nations FC entered the fixture four points clear at the top of the table and were within reach of securing a historic first Premier League title with two wins from their final two matches.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) is now expected to launch an investigation and make a ruling on the outcome of the abandoned match — a decision that could have major implications for the title race and the club’s future.

The GFA has yet to issue an official statement, but disciplinary proceedings are likely to be initiated under the association’s regulations, which could see Nations FC forfeit the match, face points deductions, or suffer other punitive sanctions.