Hearts pip Asante Kotoko 1-0

Kumasi, Oct. 31, GNA- Accra Hearts of Oak on Sunday beat their arch rivals 0AKumasi Asante Kotoko 1-0 in the 9th Week fixture of the Glo Premier League match 0Aat the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.

The lone goal of the titanic encounter was netted by Douglas Nkrumah in the 0A65th minute from a spot kick after his in-swin= ger had hit the stretched arm of Kotoko's defender, Ofosu Appiah in the box.


Playing as if they were doped, Kotoko allowed Hearts to dominate the game 0Aright from the onset and nearly took the lead in the second minute with Nkrumah 0Ahitting the side net with= a powerful left footer after driving through forests 0Aof the legs of the Kotoko defence. Kotoko accepted the challenge and mounted series of attacks to find the 0Aearly lead with Alex Asamoah getting the opportunity in the 13th minute but his 0Ashot was parried to cor= ner by goalkeeper Sammy Adjei and the resultant kick from 0AEkow Benson wa= s wasted. With the pressure on Hearts, goalkeepe= r Adjei was called upon to make 0Aanother magnificent save from Samad Oppong in the 19th minute.


Hearts overturned the heat on t= he Porcupine Warriors and scored a goal in 0Athe 21st minute through Obed Ansah but the effort was ruled off-side. Uriah Asante of Hearts in the 23rd minute hit the cross bar with a perfect 0Ashot with the rebound of a shot from Wilson Ando sailing over the bar to the 0Arelie= f of the home fans.


In the 25th minute Obed Ansa= h was nearly on target again but his header Amissed the post narrowly aft= er Kotoko's goalkeeper Isaac Amoako had failed to 0Amake a first time save of the ball.


Sensing danger and wit= h the vociferous teeming supporter of Kotoko sitting 0Aon E2=80=98thorns= =E2=80=99, Coach Ebo Mends replaced injured Alex Asamoah with Edward Affum but 0Ait was still Hearts who dominated the game as they kept firing cylin= ders of 0Ashots from all angles with the Kotoko defence jittery.


Ever busy Ansah was flagged the yellow card for using hi= s hand to put the 0Aball into the net in the 44th minute from a corner kic= k to end the first half.

The Phobians came back still the stronger side after the recess and played 0Ait had with the defe= nce of Kotoko looking sluggish and weak and finding it 0Adifficult to with= stand the wrath of the Hearts attackers.


With th= e heat on Kotoko, Hearts who showed their determination to carry the 0Aday= , were denied two quick glaring penalties in the 49th and 51st minutes by =0Areferee Cecil Fletcher.


Finding the stage tou= gh and with their pride at stake, Kotoko=E2=80=99s Jordan 0AOpoku took ove= r from Albert Bruce in the 53rd minute but it made no difference 0Aas Hear= ts continued to pile pressure for the leader.


In= the 56th minute, Samad Oppong in a two-man move with Edward Affum and 0Aw= ith only Sammy Adjei to beat fumbled in the box for the ball to be cleared.=


The winning goal for Hearts however came in the 65th minute when they broke the deadlock after they were awarded a penalty this time round when central defender Ofosu Appiah handled the ball in the box, which Douglas Nkrumah made no mistake to score for Hearts to send the Phobia faithful supporters into wild jubilation while some of the supporters of Kotoko starting leaving the arena in 0Adespair.=0A=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Kotoko made their last substitution with veteran Stephen= Oduro replacing 0ASamad Oppong but with a last minute onslaught to level up the scores they could 0Anot penetrate the impregnable defence of Hearts= till the final whistle.