Real Tamale United suffers first home defeat

Tamale, Jan. 18, GNA - Visiting Accra Hearts of Oak continued with their winning spree in Tamale on Sunday when they humbled the 'Pride of the North' Real Tamale United (RTU) with a 2-1 home defeat to brighten their chances of winning this year's Glo Premier League championship. Hearts has thus become the first team to defeat RTU on home grounds this season since the commencement of the League some seven weeks ago and have denied RTU the opportunity to occupy the probable first spot on the League table.

The match commenced with supporters of both teams expressing high hopes for their sides with a massive turn-out of the fans who could be seen at the Tamale stadium waving paraphernalia of the teams to urge the players on to put up their best.

Both teams had a good start but the tension of the game coupled with faulty passes and over anxiety of the players denied them of any early goals. Hearts were however the first to be on the offensive from the seventh minute but a misunderstanding between the players denied them an goal when they earned a free-kick near the RTU goal area. The players of both teams entertained the fans with dribbling antics as the match advanced but as and when the RTU lads got to closer to the Hearts' goal area they miscalculated their moves thus allowing their opponents to clear the balls to safety.

Towfic Alolo had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring for RTU in the 14th minute when he beat the Hearts defense but he delayed for the ball to be cleared to safety.

RTU missed a couple of chances in the 20th and the 25th minutes following their dominance of the game but goalkeeper Philemon McCarthy Philemon stood firm as a stumbling block against the RTU onslaught. The dominance of the home team was short-lived with Hearts able to find their rhythm from the 30th minute as they pile pressure but Charles Kipo in goal was able to save RTU from conceding the first goal in the 32nd minute.

Hearts mounted more pressure on RTU and Obed Ansah was gifted with the first goal in the 34th minute when Charles Kipo's brilliant save bounced back into the waiting legs of Ansah who gently tapped in the ball to silence the home fans while the Phobians went on jubilation. The goal ignited the Hearts supporters and players to put in extra effort but RTU almost redeemed the goal immediately but Alhasan Salam fired off target.

RTU sustained the pressure and in the 43rd minute Mohammed Baker was fowled inside the Hearts 18 box and referee Dakuzi Wonder from Ho whistled for a penalty and Sheriff Mohammed made no mistake to convert neatly to cancel the Hearts' lead.

Both teams tried to increase the tally but their shots at goal yielded no result until the referee whistled to bring the first half to an end.

From the recess Hearts again showed total dominance coupled with their rich experience as they were able to increase the lead in the 70th minute also through a spot kick.

The penalty came about when the home team was under intense pressure and the ball was kicked against the hands of one of the defenders in the box and the referee did not hesitate in whistling for a penalty.

Obed Ansah easily converted the kick with keeper Charles Kipo having no answer to ensure that Hearts victory was consolidated. Hearts nearly made it three when they beat an RTU offside trap but the strikers could not utilize the chance as they surprisingly messed up the chance to the wonder of the fans.

All attempts by RTU to redeem the goal or Hearts to increase the tally proved futile until the Ho-based referee brought proceedings to and end.