Olympic lose to Hearts in premiership farewell match

Accra. July 6, GNA - Relegated Accra Great Olympics again failed to put the smiles on the faces of their 'indignant' fans after they suffered a lone goal defeat to city archrivals Hearts of Oak in the ultimate match of the 2007/2008 Onetouch Premier League on Sunday at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, Accra.

Olympics, who had already secured the ticket to Division One prior to the final game as they perched at the bottom of the table, played like they did all season but lacked the cutting edge upfront only for substitute Ebo Sam to give Hearts the match winner after 75 minutes. Watch by a handful of supporters, most of them on the side of Hearts, it was Olympics who started on an impressive note signalling positive signals to their die-hard fans, the most agitated throughout the season.

But the closest the 'Wonder Club' came to breaking the deadlock was on the 35th minute mark but Bilal Ahmed's pile drive was dealt with Hearts goalie Collins Addo who was the busier in the opening minutes. Prior to that Oly's Michael Annan had kept an eagle eye on Hearts of Oak's returnee, Charles Taylor whose day was cut short after sustaining a knock ten minutes from half time after a collision with an opponent.

Taylor who shuttled positions from the right to the left consistently failed to glitter as he was given no breather by his markers before he was replaced by youngster Edward Adjaglo. The introduction of Adjaglo brought some bite into the Hearts attack but all their efforts at goal was blasted off by Samuel Affum and Benjamin Boateng.

Hearts resumed the second half more purposeful but Boateng, the worst culprit on the day saw his glancing header missing target by inches.

Despite Hearts dominance in ball possession, Olympics had the fair share anytime the pendulum swung in their favour but were never serious at goal.

Fifteen minutes to full time, Hearts were gifted with the opener after Olympics goalkeeper Ben Mensah collided with his defender Sulley Nuru in an aerial tussle, leaving an unmarked Sam, who had replaced Francis Boateng on the hour mark to slot home into the yawning net. The goal further dampened the spirit of the Olympics supporters who had anticipated a positive farewell to Division One but substitute Michael Asante wiped off their only hope of a draw by blasting wide from close range in the dying embers of the game. This is the second time in three years that the Wonder Club had bid farewell to the elite division.

After the match, some supporters of Hearts started waving handkerchiefs and shouting "Olympics - Bye, Bye amid jeers while the Phobian Ladies danced to brass music.