This season's Ghana Premier League record crowd was at the Accra Sports Stadium when Hearts of Oak hosted Asante Kotoko in a Week X fixture.

It was not a giant-screen classic but had controversy, suspicion and intrigue.

Asante Kotoko won 1-0 thanks to a goalkeeping howler by Hearts of Oak's glovesman Abdoulaye Soulama which was the major talking point.

GHANASoccernet.com's Nuhu Adams points out lessons from the first installment of the biggest football rivalry in Ghana for the year 2016.

* Form guide does not count

It's always perceived that form guide doesn't play major role Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko meetings in the league or any other competitions.

Before the stormy clash, Hearts of Oak were talking of their form whilst Asante Kotoko were hitting on history.

Hearts of Oak were 2nd on the league table with only a lose in their last fourteen premier league matches.

Asante Kotoko also lied 11th on the league log with four losses in the current season but were unbeaten against Hearts of Oak in the league in Accra since 2009.

On the day, it was either going to be form guide or history and history won the day for Asante Kotoko.

*Ghana derby is still a graveyard

Derbies or rivalries in the world, make and unmake players or coaches.

Hearts of Oak looked more purposeful in the early exchanges of the game with one of their chances hitting the framework.

Asante Kotoko were tipped to lose the epic encounter when left back Edwin Tuffour Frimpong was sent off before recess.

Kotoko unexpectedly took the lead through a big clanger by experienced goalie Abdoulaye Soulama when he failed to control a straight forward back pass from centre back Richard Akrofi.

The howler by the Hearts of Oak first choice goalkeeper was enough to separate the two sides in the game.

This nightmare or stinker could see the end of the Burkina Faso international's stay at the rainbow club.

* Accra Sports Stadium is Asante Kotoko's adopted home ground

The Accra Sports Stadium is now Asante Kotoko's home anytime they meet bitterest rivals Hearts of Oak at the venue in the league.

Prior to the big game on Monday, the two glamorous sides had met 53 times at the Accra Sports Stadium with Hearts of Oak winning 15 and Asante Kotoko winning 15.

Asante Kotoko approached the game with an unbeaten run of five matches at the Accra Sports Stadium against Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League.

Their last loss at the Accra Sports Stadium to the Phobians was 13th December, 2009.

The Porcupine Warriors pounced on that record to beat Hearts of Oak once again at their favourite Accra Sports Stadium.

*Ghana still boast of top-class referees

The appointment of referee Awal Mohammed raised many doubts and questions about the centre man's abilities and capabilities to handle a derby clash.

Many people called for a FIFA badged referee to officiate the biggest game in Ghana but the authorities stuck to their appointment of the Class One referee.

The Tamale-based proved his worth why he was given such a cracking game.

Neither the losing team nor winning team blamed or faulted the centre man.

Awal Mohammed got many of his decisions correct and unquestionable.

*The capacity crowd a testimony that the Ghana Premier League is revived

Meetings of the two biggest football clubs in Ghana always pull massive crowd to the venue of the match.

Over 38,000 tickets were sold out for the game with many other fans left behind stadium.

The two teams have the most number of teeming fans in country.

The Accra Sports Stadium was 98% full on Monday and it is a signal that the two clubs still have what it takes to pull the crowd.