League day 21: Kotoko & Hearts Win

Hearts 4 Dawu 2
Kotoko 2 Berekum Arsenals 0
Power FC 0-0 Olympics
Bofoakwa 1-1 Okwawu United
Mines Stars 1-0 Hasaacas
Liberty - Maxbees
Goldfields 2-1 King Faisal
RTU 5-2 B/A United
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Fabulous Kumasi Asante Kotoko, in their hot pursuit of league leaders, Accra Hearts of Oak, calmed the nerves of their supporters with a 2-0 win over visiting Berekum Arsenals in their league match encounter at the Kumasi Stadium yesterday.

Skipper Godwin Ablordey and substitute Frank Osei scored Kotoko’s goals in the 61st and 67th minutes respectively. It was an encounter, which many considered a mismatch for Kotoko and expected a goal harvest but the first half of the game ended goalless.

Kotoko blazed all guns and showed early signs of determination to carry the day when the match got underway by making numerous incursions into the visitors’ goal area.

Defender Fuseini Adams was the first to make an early attempt at goal two minutes into play but he delayed on the ball in the goal area and allowed the Arsenals defence to clear the ball.

Nimble footed Stephen Oduro followed suit a minute later but with only goalkeeper Justice Quarcoo in post for Arsenals, he shot feebly into his hands. Abedi Sarfo also missed the goal post by inches in the 15th minute with a header.

Arsenals made a few counter attacks with former Hearts of Oak player George Eranio serving as a thorn in the flesh of the Kotoko defence but his efforts could not give his side a goal.

Kotoko, guided by Ian Potterfield, returned in the second half with a transformed side with Shilla Alhassan and Frank Osei coming on for Nana Frimpong and Abedi Sarfo.

They earned a penalty in the 61st minute when an Arsenal defender handled the ball in the goal area after a Godfred Yeboah’s thunderbolt at goal.

Yeboah, who elected himself for the spot kick, converted it beautifully to earn the first goal for his side.

Six minutes later, substitute Frank Osei made it two for Kotoko when he also delivered another thunderbolt in an aerial tussel that sent goalkeeper Justice Quarcoo running for cover.

Hearts back on track

Accra Hearts of Oak yesterday struggled to beat visiting Dawu Youngsters 4-2 in their premier league clash at the Accra Stadium.

Hearts, after suffering two successive defeats prior to yesterday’s encounter, opened the scores through slippery striker Don Bortey, who wasted no time in utilising his pace to announce his presence to give his side a sense of hope to win the day.

Hearts were on target again in the 20th minute when Bortey cut through Dawu’s defence to register a magnificent second, shortly after skipper and playmaker Charles Taylor had missed a spot kick in the 12th minute. Hearts’ celebration, however, was short-lived in the 25th minute when Dawu managed to reduce the tally through Kwame Amadou who connected home beautifully, Ben Addo’s cross from the left flank.

Dawu, who were determined not to concede defeat, kept the pressure on Hearts and managed to threaten the Phobians defence with dangerous moves in their vital area to make goalkeeper James Nanor wobble in his post.

But, Hearts, who were more determined to end their poor record lately, took advantage of Dawu’s lack of ideas upfront to quickly launch a counter attack in the 35th minute and in the process, snatched the third goal through Taylor who tapped home the rebound of Edmund Copson’s free kick after goalkeeper Abdulai Sulemana had failed to make a firm save.

Not deterred by the danger posed by Hearts prolific attackers, Dawu quickly recovered from their shock of the early goals and intensified their play to add a second through Mohammed Polo who capitalised on Nanor’s poor marking to head the ball home in the 37th minute.

In the second half, Hearts changed the pattern of the game and managed to dominate the greater part of the proceedings but good defensive work from Dawu denied them the chance to widen the goal margin until Copson finally succeeded in securing victory for the Phobians with a powerful free kick which displaced goalkeeper Sulemana in the 70th minute.

Okwawu hold Bofoakwa

Visiting Okwawu United and Bofoakwa Tano shared honours when they drew 1-1 in their Premier League encounter played at the Sunyani Coronation Park yesterday.

Bofoakwa dominated the first half but could not translate their superiority into goal, thus ending the first half goalless.
Bofoakwa, who were bent on winning the day, opened the scores in the 48th minute when Alhaji Iddrissu beat Okwawu’s goalkeeper, Joseph Aryeetey, during a goalmouth melee.
Okwawu redoubled their efforts and got the equaliser in the 58th minute through Akwasi Soaley after keeper Abukari Damba fumbled with a feeble shot.
The poor show by Damba made the Bofoakwa technical bench to substitute him with Mohammed Alhassan. Bofoakwa made two more changes in this half while Okwawu made three changes but no more goals were scored until full time.