Referee Daniel Laryea appointed to officiate Kotoko-Hearts showdown

The biggest game in Ghana’s domestic football calendar has been handed to one of the country’s most trusted referees. The Ghana Football Association has appointed Daniel Laryea as centre referee for this weekend’s Super Clash between Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, a fixture widely regarded as the most intense rivalry in the Ghana Premier League.

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The high-stakes encounter is scheduled for the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, where tens of thousands of supporters are expected to pack the stands and millions more will follow across television and digital platforms. In matches of this magnitude, the spotlight rarely shines only on the players.

Every decision, a penalty shout, a red card, a late free kick, can decide the outcome and spark heated debate long after the final whistle.

It is exactly why Laryea’s name stands out.Calm, firm and widely respected among players and officials, the FIFA-listed referee has built a reputation as one of Ghana’s most dependable match controllers.

Over the years, he has handled several top-flight domestic fixtures and high-profile continental assignments, earning praise for his composure and consistency.For the GFA, the appointment is as much about trust as it is about competence.

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The Super Clash is not a game for experimentation; it demands authority, experience and a referee who can manage both the tempo of the match and the emotions in the stands.Laryea fits that description.

Kotoko versus Hearts is never an ordinary league game. It is history, pride and identity wrapped into 90 minutes. From Accra to Kumasi, families, workplaces and entire communities split along club lines. Old stories are retold, past victories remembered and bragging rights fiercely defended. Even players new to the rivalry quickly understand its weight.

Kotoko will look to use home advantage to assert dominance and strengthen their push up the table. Hearts, equally motivated, arrive determined to spoil the party and claim a statement win away from home.Form often matters little in this contest. Passion usually takes over.

For Laryea, Sunday will not simply be another assignment on the calendar. It will mean walking into a roaring stadium, knowing that every call will be scrutinised by thousands in red and purple.

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It will mean staying calm amid protests, keeping control when tackles fly in and ensuring the game is decided by football, not controversy.Refereeing Ghana’s biggest rivalry is both an honour and a test of character.

When the teams line up and the noise rises in Kumasi, all eyes will not only be on the stars with the ball, but also on the man in black at the centre circle, tasked with keeping order in one of African football’s fiercest battles.