A second half strike from Kwadwo Obeng Jnr gave Accra Hearts of Oak the maximum points in their Match day nine betPawa Ghana Premier League (GPL) game against Nsoatreman FC at the Nana Kronmansah Park yesterday.
Obeng Jnr benefitted from an error by Nsoatreman FC’s goalkeeper Daniel Afadzwu in the 54th minute to tap into an empty net for the only game of the match.
The win catapulted the Phobians to the second position on the league table behind Aduana ahead of the rest of the matches for the week.
The Phobians, who went into the World Cup break unbeaten in their last four games, continued with their impressive form under new coach Slavko Matic to grind a win against a very resolute Nsoatreman side.
The newly promoted side was hoping to end Hearts’ enviable run as they dominated the early minutes in an attempt to unsettle their opponents.
Nsoatreman’s dominance nearly resulted in an early goal by Nurudeen Abdulai but Robert Addo cleared his lines in the 17th minute.
The host followed with another scare but this time, Mohammed Yakubu’s indecision in the final third denied them.
Hearts, however, maintained a very compact midfield and defence as they grew stronger into the game in the dying minutes of the first half.
The visitors had a couple of corners but Eric Esso and Obeng Jnr could not convert Salifu Ibrahim’s exquisite crosses.
Hearts appeared more purposeful in the second half as they took the game to their opponents in search of a goal with the likes of Samuel Inkoom and Isaac Mensah making runs into the area of Nsoatreman.
The host were now forced to sit deep and defend as Hearts pressed for a goal.
In one of the ensuing melees, Afadzwu ran into his own player, leaving the ball behind for Obeng Jnr to tap home.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
