Soccer-Oly and Hearts split points

Champion club, Accra Hearts of Oak's dream of avenging a 0-1 defeat by city rivals Great Olympics in the first round of the ABC Golden Lager premier football league was dashed as they struggled to draw 2-2 with Oly in their tension-packed match at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Newly-signed on Kwame Ali struck twice in the fourth and 16th minutes for Oly to unsettle the Phobians. He nearly had a hat-trick on the stroke of the first half but headed off target from close range.

Oly lost control of the game soon after kick-off when Hearts' Emmanuel Adjogu intercepted a pass and raced with the ball into Oly's vital area but he fumbled in front of goal.

While Hearts were still in control of the game, Oly's midfielder Billy Sulley collected a loose ball from the centre circle, side stepped his markers, and laid on a good pass for Ali to place the ball into the far right corner of the post, beating international goalkeeper Sammy Adjei.

That early goal unsettled and confused the Hearts' defence as they started to commit serious blunders.

Oly kept their cool with Sulley foiling most of the dangerous midfield moves by the Phobians. In the 16th minute Sulley sent a long pass to Ali in the Hearts penalty area.

Ali over-powered defender Sani Wahab in a mid-air tussle and saw his first attempt at goal deflecting on the body of goalkeeper Adjei but he managed to fire the rebound into the roof of the net for Oly's second goal.

Hearts quickly replaced goalkeeper Adjei who has not been active after the World under-20 soccer championship in Nigeria with Eben Dida.

In the 22nd minute, Oly's central defender Philip Kutsu scooped striker Joe Fameyeh's goal-bound shot from the goal-line but he could not do the same six minutes later as Dan Quaye's long drive went off his body into the net for

Hearts first goal.

Osumanu Amadu levelled up for Hearts in the 38th minute when he collected Fameyeh's through ball and delivered a left-footer shot into the roof.

Oly brought on Amui Quaye and Razak Pimpong for Samuel Monnie and injured Sulley at the commencement of the second half while Hearts sent in "Wonder boy" Ishmael Addo for Amadu.

After that explosive first half, many fans thought they were in to witness a more exciting second half full of fire works but the beauty of the game was marred by unpopular decisions by referee T.R.K Attifu of Tarkwa.

One of such decisions was in the 79th minute when referee Attifu showed Oly's substitute Ian Acquah the red card just three minutes after he had come on for Wisdom Abbey. Acquah had unintentionally hit Hearts? Emmanuel Osei Kuffour in the face during a struggle for the ball.

Referee Attifu initially left Acquah unpunished but after he had been confronted by Hearts skipper Jacob Nettey, he called Acquah and surprisingly showed him the card.

But Hearts could not capitalise on their numerical advantage to win the day.

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