.. ..we're the famous hearts of Oak
..we never say die
Defending league champions Accra Hearts of Oak retained the league title for a historic sixth time when they hammered Koforidua based Power FC 4-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium in their match.
The emergence of Hearts as the league champions follows the defeat of hot chasers Kumasi Asante Kotoko by Real Tamale United at the Bolga Stadium. Hearts have thereby stretched the four point lead to seven making the outcome last league matches irrelevant. 
Coming back from a difficult two all draw with city rivals Accra Great Olympics the Phobian boys started the game on very determined note as any slip could still postpone their long awaited party for the league title.
Hearts started making dangerous incursions into the territory of their opponents but failed to make use of any of them. The league champions continued to dominate play till the 12 minute when Bernard Don Bortey's free-kick close to the edge of the box zoomed straight into the net with goalkeeper Eric Ampofo having no answer to it to put Hearts ahead. The goal also put him on level terms with Taylor on the goal king chart.
Hearts continued to mount pressure on the electricity boys but the attacking line up made up of Wisdom Abbey, Charles Taylor and Don Bortey failed to find the net on many occasion.
Leading scorer Taylor was the worst victim of near misses when in the 44th minute he beat the defence men of Power including the goalkeeper and had a yawning net before him but messed up the chance to the surprise of all at the stadium.
He again committed the same offence in the 45th minute as he had only the goalkeeper to beat but allowed him to make a save out the situation to end the first half.
Just on resumption, Don Bortey moved swiftly past two defenders and placed ball on the path of Abbey whose kick in the vital area beat the keeper for the second goal. The league champions mounted more pressure on the relegation threatened team in search of more goals but Taylor continued to make near misses including a penalty in the 50th minute.
Power made some efforts to reduce the tally but their efforts were not enough to give them the needed goals as Hearts took complete control on the game. This resulted in a goal when substitute Eddy Copson's pass to Kwame Antwi was relayed to Taylor whose cross was connected by another substitute Awudu Adama for the third goal.
Charles Taylor appeased the fans for his near misses when he connected Bortey's perfect pass in the 88th minute to seal the coffin on the Power boys. The champion continue to probe fro more goals but could secure one till referee T.R.K Attifu whistled for the end of the match with a large number of fans of Hearts trooping into the pitch to celebrate their sixth historic conquest of the domestic league.
Most of the players of the club were carried shoulder high amidst wild jubilation, that travelled deep into the night.
Kotoko’s hopes dashed at Bolga
From Akwasi Ampratum Mensah, BolgaTHE high hopes of Kumasi Asante Kotoko to maintain their chase for the Premier League title, were dashed at the Bolgatanga Park yesterday, when they were subdued by Real Tamale United (RTU) in their penultimate league match, with a lone goal in favour of RTU.
Kotoko’s mishap was occasioned by the inability of their goalie, Osei Boateng, to make a first time save from a powerful free kick taken in the 35th minute by RTU’s midfielder, Kumi Abdul-Aziz.
The homestars, who kicked first under the command of Koforidua based class one referee, John Atikese, never looked back in their determination to let the Fabulous lads swallow a bitter pill, perhaps to atone for their heavy defeat of 4-0 by Kotoko in the first round at the Kumasi Stadium.
Michael Ofosu Appiah zoomed into the net but the goal was disallowed by referee Atikese, in the 20th minute.
Four minutes later, the referee did not hesitate to flash his yellow card in the face of RTU’s winger, Kwame Acheampong, for fouling Kotoko’s Hamza Mohammed but Aziz Ansah’s kick was wasted.
Both sides exhausted their substitution list with RTU replacing Joseph Adjei with Alhassan Mohammed in the 55th minute, while Kwame Acheampong gave way to Philip Amoako in the 62nd minute with Alhassan Weah, replacing Marway Mohammed in the 71st minute.
Kotoko also replaced Nana Arhin-Duah with Ofosu Appiah in the 60th minute, with Kwadwo Poku being replaced by Frank Osei in the 65th minute, while Abedi Sarfo came on for Hamza Mohammed.
B/A BEAT OKWAHU UNITED 1-0
Brong Ahafo United on Wednesday secured a face-saving win over a stubborn Okwahu United side who gave a very good account of themselves at the Sunyani Coronation Park, by beating them 1-0 courtesy, a Kwasi Boateng goal.After a humiliating loss to Berekum Arsenals over the week-end, United who started the game in a whirlwind fashion created many chances but failed to utilise them until the 38th minute when hard working Kwasi Boateng scored what was to become the only goal of the match, after receiving a pass from Kwasi Addai-Owusu.
B/A Line-Up: Ransford Kudjo, Lawrence Kainya, Charles Ampiah, Alex Djanie, Alhaji Abass, Awudu Imoro, Kwasi Boateng, Emml Nkrumah (Nana Adarkwa), Justice Opoku, K. Addai-Owusu, Kwame Andrews
Mine Stars shock Goldfields
Obuasi (Ashanti Region) - Prestea Mine Stars leapt clear of the relegation zone, at least for now when they beat Obuasi Goldfields 2-1 at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium in their uncompromising match.Enterprising Kelvin Asamoah scored in each half to give the visitors a 2-0 lead by the hour mark. Asamoah made hay first, in the 37th minute when he received a pass on top of the box and drove the ball beyond the reach of Abukari Kankani in goal for the homers.
Though Goldfields came into the second a more determined side but they were denied the leveller by the agility of goalkeeper Eric Asamoah as he stood tall and pulled some great saves including a close header from Dauda Seidu.
It was the Prestea lads who benefited from the fierce exchanges as Asamoah dismissed a couple of Goldfields players before planting the ball in the net and registering a brace. With the homers trailing by two unreeled goals on a soggy pitch, they were further hindered by the expulsion of their skipper Yaw Owusu for violently charging Asamoah with 10 minutes remaining.
The woes of Goldfields further deepened when they had to play with nine men as their arrow head Noutsoudje Kossi was carried off after he had collided with the Mine Stars' goalkeeper. This was after they had exhausted their substitution.
They however salvaged a portion of their pride when Kenneth Ababio scored at the stroke of full time to reduce the tally to 2-1 in favour of Mine Stars.
Faisal dent Arsenals
King Faisal beat Berekum Arsenal 2-0 in their match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. Ishaq Debrah set King Faisal on the winning trail with a 16th minute goal after Eric Gawu hit the side net with a terrific shot in the 11th minute. The game then became balanced with play concentrated mainly in mid-field, with occasional break through from Arsenal but they could not level up.
King Faisal raised their tally to two in the 38th minute through Ben Wilson in a goalmouth action. This did not dampen the spirit of the Arsenal lads as they kept on fighting and nearly pulled a goal back in the 41st minute when King Faisal's goalkeeper Samuel Okyere failed to grab a high lob but there was no Arsenal attacker there to finish off.
The Berekum lads kept the pressure on King Faisal and earned a penalty on the stroke of half time when llliasu Shiila brought down Frank Yeboah in the penalty box. However, Francis Bossman's kick hit the side post for King Faisal to clear the ball to safety.
On resumption, Arsenal replaced goalkeeper Justice Quainoo, who complained of dizziness twice in the first half with Anthony Osei and again pulled out Francis Bossman in the 63rd minute for Francis Aggrey.
But it was King Faisal who almost increased their tally in the 72nd minute but faced with only the goalkeeper, Ben Wilson basted off target to leave the score 2-0 in their favour.
Hasaacas pip Dawu
Sekondi Hasaacas defeated visiting Dawu Youngsters 1-0 in their match played at the Sekondi Gyandu Park.The match started about 15 minutes late because according to match officials there were not sufficient uniform Policemen to provide security at the stadium. When Policemen arrived, dark clouds were gathering but referee Charles Dowuona of Accra whistled for the kick-off.
Shortly after the match began around 3.45 pm it started drizzling but the match went on as if nothing was happening. Hasaacas opened attack and taking advantage of home support were in control of the game most of the time and thrilled the spectators with good football but missed scoring chances that came their way.
Dawu organised themselves and faced Hasaacas squarely but they could hardly get the ball beyond the centre line. Hasaacas came on top again making it possible for Ephraim Messey to score the lone goal of the match for his side in the 34th minute.
Dawu redoubled their efforts in the face of intensive pressure from Hasaacas and this was at a time he first half ended. Both sides played aggressively in the second half, which was largely dominated by Dawu but none could find the net.
Maxbees, Olympics share honours
Relegation threatened Suhum Maxbees held Accra Great Olympics to a 1-1 draw in their match played at Koforidua.Maxbees took the lead in the 35th minute when their centre forward, Masawudu Mumuni picked a pass behind the penalty box of Olympics and fired a long range shot which bounced in-front of the post and volleyed over diving Theodore Atsu in the post of Olympics into the goal.
The goal increased the morale of the Maxbees players who pushed the Olympics players to their half and kept the pressure on them till the end of the first half.
After the recess, the Olympics players resumed the second half strongly but the Maxbees defence pivoted around their strongman Emmanuel Osei playing the right half back kept them at bay.
However Olympics came close to pulling the equaliser in the 53rd minute when their left out, Paa Joe Kumah gained an advantage of the ball, when there was a misunderstanding between Samuel Nartey in the post of Maxbees and his defenders but instead of shooting into goal, Kumah lobbed the ball which failed to enter the net and enable Nartey to save the situation.
Olympics finally managed to pull the equaliser in the 83rd minute when they beat an off-side trap set by the Maxbees defenders and Kumah scored to bring the visitors at par.
Other Results
King Faisal 2 Arsenals 0Maxbees 1 Olympics 1
