Top4: Hearts and Lions split points

Accra, Jan 30, GNA - Accra Hearts of Oak were on Sunday held to a one all drawn game by Kpando Heart of Lions in the second week of the Coca Cola Top Four Tournament played at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra.

Hearts who came into the game with a set-up made of newly recruited players and some old ones struggled to put their acts together as Lions took overall control of the midfield and subjected the home team to so much pressure in a greater part of the game.

Despite this, the Kpando lads were unable to convert series of chances that came their way during the game with Sadat Bukari, Dramani Haminu and Tanko Adams on numerous occasions failing to convert a lot of chances that came their way, as they easily fumbled in front of goal. Hearts in a bid to find the opener, responded with a less intense pressure on the visitors in the last quarter of the first half with Francis Bossman's pile drive of a free kick saved by Benin's international, Rachal Chitou in the posts for Lions while Louis Agyeman also missed the target in the 37th minute after dummying the defence of Lions.

Lions took up the challenge and stormed the Hearts defence on series of occasions but their inability to take their chances upfront continued to deny them the opener till the end of the first half.

Hearts stand-in coach, Archibald Lamptey who used the match to test the new recruits sent in Eric Nyarko for former Great Olympics star, Kwabena Dodzi with Adjah Tetteh coming in for Francis Bossman when the second half resumed.

This changes however seemed not have any positive impact on the Hearts team until the last quarter as the Phobians continued to struggle in the game and remained under constant pressure from the Lions. The continued onslaught compelled central defender, Dan Oppong to scoop out a goal bound shot in the 61st minute but Hearts finally succumbed to the hard running players of Lions in the 70th minute. This was after Bukari had pounced on a smooth build up from the midfield to fire a grounder after a mix up by the Hearts defenders for the opener.

The goal seemed to recall the Hearts team from its slumber but it was Lions Dramani who shoukld have made it two for his side but his shot at goal was again cleared before it crossed the goal line by defender Dan Coleman in the 75th minute.

As the game progressed towards the end, the introduction of Adjah, Nyarko and Lawrence Adjei in the latter parts of the game started bearing fruits with Hearts making stable build up in front of goal and raided the Lions area in search of the equaliser.

This materialised in the 84th minute when Adjah's header from Adjei's cross, bounced on the ground into the roof of the net for the much-needed equaliser.

Hearts could have increased the tally as they maintained the pressure on Lions after the equaliser but their attackers continued to misfire in front of goal with Agyeman and Don Bortey as the worse culprits to bring the results to remain the same after the regulation time. Keeper Chitou was adjudged player of the match and was presented with a ghetto blaster decorated in the shape of a Coca Cola bottle and some products of the company.