Hearts Recapture Top Spot In Ghana Premier League

ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - Emmanuel Donkor made a great come back, after a serious injury a couple of months ago, when he scored twice in the dying minutes as Hearts trounced Dwarfs 3-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium Sunday.

The victory lifted Hearts back to the top with 18 points above Liberty professionals, who lost 1-3 to Real Tamale United (RTU), who have 16 points.

It was a sweet return to competitive football for Donkor, formerly of Tema Ghapoha, who was completely ruled out of ever playing after falling into a coma during a pre-season cup match.

The win notwithstanding, Dwarfs proved the better of the two sides as they dominated the early exchanges and for a greater part of the second half.

Wingback Amankwa Mireku broke the deadlock in the 47th minute with a 35-metre free kick into the roof of the net for Hearts' opener.

Right winger Kenneth Sarpong failed to increase the tally in the 60th minute for Hearts when he fired off target in front of goal after bulky striker Osumanu Amadu laid on a perfect pass.

Dwarfs' Stephen Owusu fired a thunderbolt from an acute angle, which caught goalkeeper Eben Dida wrong-footed in the 62nd minute for Dwarfs' equaliser.

Then on, Dwarfs took control of the game but were unable to increase the tally until Donkor knocked in two goals in the 83rd and 88th minutes.

Real Tamale United played with determination to spank Liberty Professionals 3-1 in their match at the Tamale Kaladan Park.

RTU scored the opener in the 43rd minute when Abass Iddrisu scored from the spot after inside right Arola Tafawo was whacked down in the penalty area.

Urged on by their home fans, RTU resumed the second half with greater determination and scored their second after Abass Iddrisu's shot was pushed into the path of inside left Alpha Potabawi by goalkeeper Quaynor, for him to tap into the empty net.

RTU's scored their third goal through another penalty in the 88th minute.

Undaunted by the goals, Liberty made a last minute move to redeem their image and were rewarded with a penalty on the stroke of full time which was converted by outside right Albert Neequaye.

Sekondi Hasaacas drew 0-0 with visiting Obuasi Goldfields in their match played at the Sekondi Gyandu Park.

The two sides performed impressively throughout the match, especially during the first half but neither side could find the net.

At Tema, Ghapoha beat visiting Power FC 3-1 in their match played at the Tema Stadium.

It was Ghapoha who snatched the leader in the 18th minute through inside left George Siaw.

Power FC lifted their game and equalised in the 31st minute through centre forward Ebow Mensah.

However, in the 66th minute, inside left Bernard Don-Bortey restored Ghapoha's lead when he headed in a lob from the left flank by centre forward Nana Yaw and added another in the 83rd minute.

A 73rd minute strike by Ernest Boateng, enabled Okwawu United to hold Kumasi Asante Kotoko to a 1-1 draw in their match played at the Kumasi sports stadium.

Troubled Accra Great Olympics wasted a 30th-minute penalty and had to draw 0-0 with Dawu Youngsters in their match played at the Dawu Sports Stadium. The following are the full results:

Accra: Hearts 3 Dwarfs 1

Kumasi: Kotoko 1 Okwawu 1

Tema: Ghapoha 3 Power 1

Sekondi: Hasaacas 0 Goldfields 0

Sunyani: Bofoakwa 1 King Faisal 2

Tamale: RTU 3 Liberty 1

Dawu: Dawu 0 Olympics 0

Asuom: Kwaebibirem 4 B. A. United 2

The following is the league table after seven matches:
Home Away
P W D L F A P W D L F A Pts GD
Hearts 3 3 0 0 11 2 3 3 0 0 8 1 18 '16
Liberty 3 3 0 0 5 0 4 2 1 1 6 5 16 '3
Ghapoha 4 3 1 0 10 4 2 1 0 1 2 2 13 '6
Goldfields 3 3 0 0 5 2 4 1 1 2 3 3 13 '3
RTU 4 3 0 1 5 2 3 1 1 1 2 5 13 '0
King Faisal 3 1 1 1 6 4 4 2 1 1 4 2 11 '3
Bofoakwa 4 2 1 1 4 3 3 1 0 2 2 5 10 -2
Okwawu 3 2 1 0 7 1 4 0 1 3 2 4 8 '2
Power 3 2 1 0 4 0 4 0 1 3 1 5 8 '0
Dwarfs 3 2 0 1 5 3 4 0 2 2 4 8 8 -1
Dawu 4 1 3 0 4 2 3 0 1 2 4 8 7 -2
Hasaacas 4 1 1 2 4 4 3 1 0 2 3 6 7 -4
Kotoko 4 1 1 2 3 4 3 1 0 2 1 5 7 -5
Kwaebibirem 4 2 0 2 5 8 3 0 1 2 2 6 7 -7
B.A. United 3 0 2 1 3 4 4 0 1 3 3 8 3 -6
Olympics 3 0 1 2 2 6 4 0 2 2 1 7 0 -9
(Note: Hearts have one outstanding match with Ghapoha)