Hearts pip Aduana Stars

Accra, April 4, GNA - Defending League champions, Accra Hearts of Oak managed a lone goal victory over Aduana Stars in the 25th Week Premier League game played at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, Accra on Sunday. Even though both sides have their eyes firmly focussed on the League trophy this season, their performance in the first half was uninspiring with little action up front.

Both sides were unable to create any clear cut chances in the entire 45 minutes of the game, but the second half saw a more purposeful performance from the two sides.

It was, however, Hearts who benefited from the exchanges in the 59th minute when substitute Eric Gawu raced deep into the Aduana defence and delivered a swift cross into the area which was given an equally swift connection from Douglas Nkrumah to beat Aduana's agile Stephen Adams for the only goal of the match.

Inspired by the goal, Hearts mounted a lot of pressure on the visitors for the second as they created three corner kicks in the process and a free kick at the edge of their opponents defence, which could have given them the insurance goal, but the chances were all wasted.

Aduana on the other hand gave a positive response to the challenge and nearly equalized through Richard Addai, who after weaving his way through the Hearts defence rather shot wayward to keep the scores intact. The visitors never relented then after as they continued with their search for the equalizer with Emmanuel Allan providing the arsenals for Addae, Samuel Aseidu and Ibrahim Nuhu, but the Hearts rear of Karim Alhassan and Philip Bampong were strong enough to ward off any threat to their lead. Hearts returned to the game with an 83rd minute race into the opponents goal area by Andrews Aryitey, but Gawu was late in making the needed connection, sending the game back to the visitors in search for an equalizer in the dying minutes as they mounted intense pressure on Hearts but their effort failed to give them the needed goal till the final whistle that saw the players crestfallen and disappointed with their loss.