Hearts beat Liberty Professionals 2-0

Accra (Greater Accra), 15 Feb Hearts of Oak beat Liberty Professionals, 2-0 in their third week ABC premier football league encounter at the El Wak Sports Stadium yesterday.

Mid fielder, Charles Allotey shot the Phobians ahead in the fifth minute before substitute, Ishmael Addo made it two in the 49th minute. Hearts took the ball straight to the opponents goal area immediately class one referee J.A. Agbeko of Kumasi signalled them into action, and created lots of anxious moments for the unsettled Liberty defence.

In one of such moves, Hearts' were awarded a free kick when slippery winger Emmanuel Yartey was brought down by Liberty's right full back Addoquaye Pappoe.

Skipper Robert Sabah effected the kick and Allotey out jumped the Liberty defence to head home Hearts' first goal as goalkeeper, Louis Quainoo stood ball watching.

The Phobians kept the pressure on their opponents creating some goal-scoring chances in the ninth, 11th and 13th minutes but inside right Joe Fameyeh and centre forward Osmanu Amadu fumbled and missed in succession.

The Liberty defence, who were finding it hard to keep the Hearts forwards at bay resorted to rough play. Right winger Albert Neequaye was booked for fouling Hearts' right half back, Justice Ampah while Hearts=92 left full back Edmund Copson got his name into the referee's book for stamping Addoquaye Pappoe of Liberty.

Liberty nearly found the net in the 33rd minute but centre forward Asamoah Dzifa blasted off target a good pass from Pappoe.

Addo, who had come on for Sabah during the recess got the second goal. He took a pass from Osmanu in the penalty box and shot at the blind side of goalkeeper Quainoo.

The Phobians faded out of the game after the goal but Asamoah Dzifa, Eugene Commodore, and Pappoe squandered several opportunities that came their way.

In the 60th minute, Liberty's substitute Dan Neequaye, who had come on for left winger Nii Aryee Armah was sent off for hitting Addo in an off-the-ball incident.

The Phobians could not exploit their numerical advantage as gaps were opened in the defence Liberty the boys.

Hearts brought on Desmond Amoah and Lukeman Olaya for the injured Emmanuel

Yartey and Osamanu Amadu in the 80th and 85th minutes respectively. Olaya's first touch of the ball in the dying minutes nearly resulted= in a goal but he fumbled for goalkeeper Quainoo to save his feeble shot.