Samartex and Hearts of Oak will face off on Sunday at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, with both sides targeting three points as the race for the top of the Ghana Premier League table intensifies.

Hearts of Oak head into the encounter with greater confidence after recording a convincing 3-0 victory over Heart of Lions at the University of Ghana Stadium.

The result kept the Phobians within touching distance of league leaders Medeama, and coach Nebojša Kapor will be hoping his side can maintain their momentum on the road.

Hearts have shown considerable improvement in attack under the Serbian coach, scoring 12 goals and conceding just three in the league so far.

Their performance against Heart of Lions offered another indication of the attacking work being done on the training ground, with well-rehearsed set-piece routines and improved movement creating problems for their opponents.

However, Kapor believes there is still room for improvement, particularly in the team's defensive organisation.

The Hearts coach admitted he was not entirely pleased with his team's tactical approach in the first half against Lions and expects his players to improve.

He also warned that the performance must be backed up with another positive result against Samartex.

The Phobians will, however, be without captain and goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, who has joined the Black Stars for international duty ahead of the Somalia qualifiers. His absence presents an opportunity for backup goalkeeper Sharif Shuaib to step in.

Samartex, meanwhile, will be eager to respond after suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Bechem United last weekend.

The Timber Giants have been particularly strong at home, winning four of their five matches at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena and drawing the other. They will hope that home advantage can help them overcome a Hearts side that has been less convincing on its travels.

Although Hearts sit second in the away standings, they have collected seven points from a possible 15 and suffered a defeat against newly promoted Debibi United in their last away fixture.

Samartex will also miss left-back Isaac Afful, who is away on international duty with Ghana, leaving both teams without important players for Sunday's encounter.

The recent head-to-head record suggests a closely contested fixture. Both sides have recorded two victories in their last six meetings since October 2023, with the other two matches ending in draws.

Their most recent meeting, played on May 17, 2026, ended in a 1-0 victory for Samartex. Both clubs have scored three goals each across those six encounters.

Hearts arrive with confidence after their emphatic win over Heart of Lions, but Samartex's strong home record makes them difficult opponents at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena. With both sides having shown defensive strength this season, a closely fought draw looks a likely outcome.