Top 4: Hearts and Kotoko split points

Accra Hearts of Oak on Sunday held Their grip on the top spot of the Coca Cola Top Four Tournament when they held their arch rivals, Kumasi Asante Kotoko to a one all drawn game in the third match of the tournament at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The grip of the top spot by Hearts follows the defeat inflicted on King Faisal by Liberty Professionals at the Kumasi Sports Stadium that places Hearts now with five points while Faisal and Kotoko have four points each.

The first quarter saw a balanced game with both sides making attempts in an effort to get the opener which nearly resulted in a tragedy for the Phobians when their marksman, Ablade Morgan in the third minute collapsed after heading a cross off target from a Lawrence Adjei free kick.

He was however revived by the Red Cross and other health officials after spending some few minutes at the touchline.

After both sides failed to make use of the chances that came their way in the first 15 minutes, it was Kotoko's Charles Taylor who seemed to have re-discovered his fantastic form to go around Amankwah Mireku in the 16th minute before delivering a low cross which unmarked Frank Osei tapped in for the first goal for Kotoko.

Kotoko after the goal, maintained the pressure on Hearts with Taylor being a tough customer for Mireku to handle as he became a constant threat to the Hearts defence creating some decent chances up front but which they failed to untilise.

The technical team of Kotoko was forced to make an early substitution when their inspirational skipper, Aziz Ansah who got injured was replaced by veteran Joe Hendricks in the 23rd minute.

From then on Kwame Adzagba was made to operate from the right flank of the defence with substitute Hendrick strengthening the defence in a mobile posture giving cover and support to hardworking Micheal Asante and Dan Yeboah.

Hearts turned the pressure on Kotoko and succeeded in fetching the equaliser from Agyei's hearder in the 23rd minute, but the goal was disallowed by the referee who ruled it as off side and Hearts followed up with another miss two minutes later when Abdul Samed's shot from the egde of the vital area of Kotoko hit the cross bar.

The two teams remained at each other's throat with Kotoko having a greater part of the game to maintain their lead over the first forty - five minutes.

Kotoko could have easily carried the day on resumption but their new - found striker, William Tierro in the 46th and 48th minutes missed the target on both occasions.

In spite of the near misses, Kotoko remained on top and subjected the defence of Hearts under intense pressure but Dan Quaye and Dan Coleman did well in rebuffing their attack.

Coach Herbert Addo's decision to introduce Nii Nanka Bruce, Prince Tagoe and Osei Milla for Frank Kornu, Samed Abdul and Lawrence Adjei paid off as they substitutes helped to stabilise the Hearts midfield and to return the heat on Kotoko from the 70th minute onwards.

The presence of George Yamoah and Elvis Opoku who came on for Taylor and Kojo Poku however failed to made little impact for the Kotoko team. This resulted in the equaliser in the 74th minute when keeper Alhassan Mohammed in goal for Kotoko fumbled in handling Bortey's header from Quaye's penetrative deep cross.

Hearts from then on piled on more pressure on Kotoko and a few occasions missed begging chances as Tagoe, Morgan and Bortey could not find the net till the game was brought to an end by referee Attifu.

Louis Agyeman of Hearts of Oak emerged as the player of the day and was presented with a ghetto blaster and coca cola products.

 ----      P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts 
 Hearts    3  1  2  0  5  2  5
 Faisal    3  1  1  1  3  3  4
 Kotoko    3  1  1  1  3  3  4
 Liberty   3  1  0  2  1  4  3