Hearts drop points at Ohene Djan stadium to Wise

Accra, May 13, GNA - Sekondi Eleven Wise picked a valuable point in their 18th Week Premier League match against Accra Hearts of Oak when they held the league leaders to a two all drawn game at the Ohene Djan Stadium on Wednesday.

The match indeed lived up to its pre-match billings as the two sides sold out an impressive performance to soccer fans at the national stadium.

With their initial 12 points lead facing gradual threat, the Phobians enjoyed a better part of the early exchanges and created two decent chances in the third and 13th minutes of the game, but Eric Gawu failed to convert them. Hearts however remained the side with the determination to open the scores and this materialized in the 23rd minute from Obed Ansha's powerful right footed shot, after he received a well measured cross from Samuel Affum. Ansah, the Premier League's leading goal scorer received a standing ovation for his spectacular non drop shot, which hit the corner of the post before dropping over the goal line to register the opener. The celebration was rather short lived, as Rahim Ayew out-jumped the Hearts defence to head home a corner kick from Ohene Addo in the 26th minute for the equalizer.

With each side aiming for the maximum points, the game swung from one end of the pitch to the other, with Hearts coming closer again, in the 35th minute but Gawu and Affum were unable to make the necessary connections.

Even though there were still indications of a goal coming from any of the sides, it never came till the close of the first half. Hearts on resumption could have increased the tally when Affum, had a perfect opportunity to add to his tally in the 52nd minute but with only keeper Baba Sampane to beat, he only managed to raise the ball over the goal post to deny his side the lead. Wise in their occasional raids into the Hearts defence also missed a scoring opportunity in the 61st minute when substitute Issah Alhassan fired off after penetrating deep into the homesters defence. After intermittent pressure on the defence of Wise, Hearts had a penalty in the 70th minute after Sampane brought down Affum in the 18 yard box.

Ansah converted with the needed perfection to restore his side's lead in the game. As Hearts were cruising to victory with a 2-1 lead, the entire stadium was stunned with a thunderbolt free kick from James Bissiw, which keeper Philemon McCarthy failed to make a first time grab for Hearts reject Nureedeen Yussif to have an easier task of directing the ball into the net for the much needed equalizer. A last minute effort from the Phobians was however not enough for them to regain their leadership status. Hearts however is still in the lead with 10 points ahead of second placed Kumasi King Faisal.