How Assin Fosu residents prevented Hearts of Oak from performing rituals ahead of a GPL match

Accra Hearts of Oak’s alleged practice of performing a ritual before every away match suffered a devastating setback when club officials and players were attacked before and during a match against Soccer Missionaries in the 1990s.

Hearts of Oak legend, Samuel Ablade Kumah, has recounted how their usual rituals before away games landed the team officials and players at the mercy of the away fans.

Kumah said Hearts suffered the beating of their lives before and during the game.

He stated that the beaten was divided into two sections, one for the team leaders on the riverbank and one for the players on the field.

Hearts, according to Ablade Kumah, are used to performing rituals by the riverside at the entrance to a town whenever they visit as away side. But, in Assin Fosu, things did not go as planned when the leaders were abused by Soccer Missionaries' fans while performing the rituals.

"We couldn't end that game. Before you enter the Fosu town there is a river or lagoon there and Hearts of Oak as usual we had to do rituals. Not knowing fans had seen us, they ambushed us and gave us a hell of beating. One of our leaders was pushed into the river. For the players, we were on the bus so is the leaders who were beaten. We had our share on the field. What our leaders couldn't do what they intended to do. My brother Shamo and I hid because for we were there to play football," he told Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV.

Although he failed to disclose what led to the fight on the field, he added that the players had a fair share of the beating during the match.

"So we went to lodge at the place we were supposed to and played the match. (During the game) they beat us again. There was a fight, even the referee got injured how can he continue and officiate the match."

Samuel Ablade Kumah played for Hearts of Oak between 1987 and 1993 before joining Al Shabab FC and later Al-Ittihad Club.

He was a member of Ghana's Olympics team that won bronze during the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

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