Hearts turn on the style
Accra Hearts of Oak ended the first round of the Premier League season in style with an emphatic 3-0 win over city-rivals Liberty Professionals at the Carl Reindorf Park at Dansoman.
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The massive away win, courtesy Leonard Tawiah, Cosmos Dauda and Thomas Abbey enabled the Phobians to hold on tight to the third position of the league log with 26 points, six points shy of leaders WAFA.
WAFA finished the first round on top after defeating Inter Allies at Sogakope to take a two-point lead of closest rivals, Aduana Stars, who earned a point away after holding Bechem United 1-1.
The Phobians looked a resurgent side as they stretched their unbeaten run to six consecutive games, but the manner of yesterday’s win against the scientific Soccer lads was so emphatic. Both teams created scoring chances until Leonard Tawiah put the visitors ahead in the 40th minutes when he capitalised on a miscommunication between Liberty goalie Fatau Alhassan and his defenders.
Liberty responded a few minutes later as they mounted an attack but their striking duo of Papa Arko and Gerard Arkson were denied a goal by Hearts goal stopper Samuel Akurugu.
From recess, Liberty came back strong matching the Phobians boot for boot and attacking from all angles but resolute defending by Hearts prevented them from scoring, including a 65th minute save by Akurugu who prevented a goal-bound free kick by Baba Zakari.
In the 73rd minute, striker Cosmos Dauda, who had just replaced Kwame Kizito, became an instant hero as he added his name to the scoresheet a minute after entering the pitch, capitalising on a goalmouth melee to fire home the ball on the blind side of goalkeeper Fatau Alhassan.
Two minutes to end the game, Thomas Abbey put a stamp of authority on the game by scoring Hearts third goal with a volley after a howler by the Liberty goalie.
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Meanwhile, Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s troubled season continued yesterday as they were held to a scoreless draw by a determined Tema Youth side at the Baba Yara Stadium. It took Kotoko’s winless run to eight Premier League matches as the Porcupine Warriors ended the first round of the league in the seventh position, writes Donald Ato Dapatem.
The result was yet another bitter pill for the Kotoko faithful to swallow as some angry Kotoko supporters hurled insults at the Kotoko players as the team bus was leaving the stadium.
The Harbour City lads played to a well-rehearsed strategy with beautiful possession football and strong defending to deny the home side a goal.
In fact, the visiting team blew away a fine opportunity in the 43rd minute when Joseph Paintsil dribbled past two Kotoko defenders including goalkeeper Ernest Sowah but his final connection missed the target by inches with the empty posts at his mercy.
However, Kotoko came close to scoring on a number of occasions but poor marksmanship denied them, with Tema Youth goalkeeper Christian Addai standing between the Kotoko attack and goals, including saving a goal-bound header by centre-back Abeiku Ainooson.
Two minutes into the second half, Sowah came to his side’s rescue with a double save from James Akaminko, as the Tema lads dominate the exchanges immediately after recess until the tide changed in favour of Kotoko, who had their fourth coach of the season, Steven Polack, directing affairs from his technical area.
Polack brought on Ashittey Ollenu for Baba Mahama, but could not change the course of the game as his side were left ruing their fourth straight draw at home.