Lions beat Hearts in an eleven-goal thriller

Accra, May 12, GNA - Kpando Heart of Lions ended the season on a good note when they chalked a 6-5 victory over Accra Hearts of Oak in the Premier league match on Wednesday at the Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra.

The result, incidentally the biggest score line of the 2009/2010 Glo Premier League, ensured Lions finished among the top four clubs to earn them a berth in the annual Top Four competition.

Three players grabbed a hat-trick each in the match through the Lions duo of Osei Banahene and Kofi Nti Boakye and Hearts of Oak's forward Samuel Afum.

Hearts were outplayed by their guests as their half-strength team failed to match up to the Lions, who fielded their regular set up. When the game began it was Banahene who broke the deadlock on three minutes with a spectacular shot that beat Hearts goalie Joshua Opoku but for Alhaji Alhassan to level up for the Phobians six minutes later. Nti Boakye restored Lions' lead on 23 minutes with Banahene making it 3-1 on the stroke of half time.

Lions resumed the second half on the same momentum and Nti Boakye scored his second of the day two minutes from the recess. Afum reduced the deficit for the Phobians from the spot on 51 minutes with Samuel Ayisi also scoring for the host later in the 66th minute. The pacy forward Afum kept the tie even on 73 minutes to give his side some respite from the near disaster play of the Phobians. Nti Boakye and Banahene sealed their hat-tricks with solo efforts in the closing stages of the game whilst Afum netted his personal third and fifth for Hearts a minute to full time.