Hearts maintain winning ways

Accra Hearts of Oak yesterday solidified their position on top of the Group B log of the ongoing GFA Normalisation Committee (NC) Special Competition with a 3-1 victory over visiting Elmina Sharks at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The homesters took the game to the visitors from the blast of the whistle and came close to finding the opener in the 17th minute during a foray in the Sharks area but forward Manaf Umar  Abdul wasted the scoring opportunity.

In the 23rd minute, Hearts’ Christopher Bonney hit the post after the ball deflected to his side during an onslaught in the Sharks area.

The visitors responded swiftly with an assault of their own, involving an inter- positional play between Benjamin Tweneboah and Benjamin Arthur in the Hearts area, but  their final touch lacked the finesse and finishing power to punish the Phobians.

Hearts found the opener in the 45th minute when  Abdul fetched the ball a distance away from the Sharks area and released  it to Joseph Esso who was lurking around the area, and as he  surged forward  an advancing goalkeeper Joseph Essam clamped him down, causing the referee to point to the spot.

 The resultant kick was beautifully converted by Christopher Bonney for the first goal.

 In the 49th minute Hearts got a free-kick on the right and as William Dankyi’s floated the ball, it found  Abdul  who connected with a  header to double the scores for his side.

The visitors responded five minutes later when a cross from attacker Suraic Ibrahim into the Hearts area was deflected  to Felix Addo who side-footed the ball into the net to reduce the tally .

 Hearts appeared more determined after the goal and laid siege on the Sharks goal area which paid off in the 63rd minute when Fatau Mohammed chanced upon a rebound in the area and released a volley that hit the inside post and bounced into the back of the net for the third goal