Hearts of Oak climbed to third place, albeit temporarily, after a goalless draw against Hearts of Lions in the Ghana Premier League on Friday at the Kpando Stadium.

The Phobians, however, will view the result as another setback, with their winless run now stretching to four matches and just one goal scored in that period. With Aduana yet to play, their place in the top three remains under threat heading into the rest of the weekend fixtures.

It was a tight and largely uneventful contest, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances. Hearts of Oak edged possession but failed to translate that control into an attacking threat, as both teams managed just one shot on target across the entire match.

Hearts of Lions, backed by their strong home form, matched Hearts in organisation and intensity, while creating more set-piece pressure, finishing with eight corners compared to the visitors’ two.

The game was played under high temperatures, prompting the referee to introduce a cooling break to manage conditions.

The result lifts the Lions to ninth place with 34 points, although they could still drop depending on other outcomes. Hearts of Oak now turn their focus to a crucial clash against Swedru All Blacks, while Lions will be on the road next as they face Young Apostles.