Hearts beat Olympics to lift President's cup

Accra Hearts of Oak lifted the "Republic Day" trophy donated by the President John Agyekum Kufuor, when they beat city-rivals Accra Great Olympics 2-0 at the Accra sports Stadium on Tuesday.

The match, which was organised to mark Ghana's 43rd Republican Day celebration started on a fast note with Hearts the favourites, slightly ahead as Olympics found it difficult penetrating the Phobians defence, where Eric Nyarko played a great game and succeeded in destroying most of their moves.

With Olympics on the back foot, it did not take much time for Hearts to start finding spaces in the Olympics defensive area. In the fourth minute, a quick exchange of passes left Hearts' Osei Kuffour, unmarked in the Olympics vital area but he over elaborated to allow John Adjetey in post for Olympics to pluck the ball off his feet.

The Hearts dominance continued as they came close again in the sixth minute when Kuffour put Lawrence Adjei through with a good defence splitting pass but again Adjetey in post was the first to react to avert any danger.

Olympics then settled into the game as they stringed some passes together in the midfield but were always cut out at the back by the hard working defence of Hearts.

Hearts opened the scoring in the 34th minute through back-to-form Benard Don Bortey's exquisite volley from a Dan Oppong cross from deep inside midfield over Adjetey to set the whole stadium alight.

The second half was as eventful as the first with Hearts opening up early into the second half almost doubled their lead from a well taken volley from Wisdom Abbey which was met with an equally good diving save from of Adjetey in Olympics post.

Olympics replied the early pressure in the 54th minute through Roger Odamttey's grounder that was kept out with a diving save from Hearts' James Nanor who before that had been on a virtual holiday.

Francis Mantey made Olympics task more difficult in the 56th minute when he was shown the exit after a second yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Bortey, having received the first caution in the first half for a similar offence on the same player.

With a man down, Olympics struggled and were punished further in the 81st minute when hard pressed Numo Mohammed handled a cross in the penalty box for Referee Alex Kotey to whistle for a penalty, which Bortey converted for his second goal of the game.

Olympics with time running out were given a chance for a consolation goal in the 86th minute when they were awarded a penalty kick after Oppong handled the ball in the box, but Nanor pulled out a defiant double save.

After the game, President J.A Kufuor presented the trophy to Osei Kuffour Skipper of Accra Hearts of Oak.