Hearts of Oak held grip of top spot with an unimpressive stalemate against defending champions, Ashantigold SC at the Accra Sports Stadium in their matchday 22 clash.
The Phobians appeared tired after a hard-fought away draw against arch rivals Kumasi Asante Kotoko and bossed the game for just ten minutes.
Chances from either side were few as the attackers showed less hunger and potency in front of goal, but the Phobians were awarded a penalty after Fatau Dauda was penalised for fouling Patrick Razak in a one-on-one encounter.
And captain Robin Gnagne, calmly shot into the lower right side of Dauda’s goal.
But it didn’t take long for the Miners to respond as they piled the pressure which yielded results in the 39th minute. Mumuni Shafiu pounced on a defensive error from Hearts to hit home Ashgold’s equaliser.
The goal was the attacker’s sixth of the season and, he, along with man of the match, Emmanuel Osei Baffour, proved a handful for the Hearts defenders.
The defending champions failed to capitalise on the man advantage after Inusah Musah was shown a second yellow, to record their 14th draw of a disappointing season.
Hearts of Oak failed to make their numerical advantage count as they were held by 10-man Liberty Professionals during their week 17 Ghana Premier League (GPL) fixture.
The Phobians playing as the away team at their favourite Accra Sports Stadium home ground started as the brightest of the two sides, creating a pocket of chances n consequently registering the first shot on target through the in-form Cosmos Dauda, who hit a powerful low shot that hit the top right corner of Stephen Kwaku’s goal after he was brilliantly put through by the entertaining attacking midfielder, Razak Patrick.
Liberty 1-1 Hearts
The Scientific soccer lads immediately responded but Hearts were saved by the cross bar after Sarfo Samuel headed a corner kick straight towards Ebo Mends who saw his goal-bound header bounce off the crossbar.
Liberty Professionals, from then, dominated the game as Hearts were forced to clear their lines with consistent pressure from George Lamptey’s boys.
Caretaker coach of Hearts, Sergio Traguil, who was managing his first official game since his appoitnment, was animated in his technical area throughout the game urging his men forward for the first goal of the game.
Liberty Professionals celebrate their equalizing goal
The instructions paid-off as the man of the moment, Cosmos ‘Neymar’ Dauda, from a counter-attack, was played through by Samudeen Ibrahim and with a sweet first touch, easily skipped past Anthony Nimo and shot with his left foot into the right corner of Stephen Kwaku’s goal to give the Phobians the lead in the 34th minute.
Dauda nearly got his second of the game after picking up a loose ball and just 13-yards from goal,blasted his effort wide off the target as Hearts took a one goal lead into half time.
Hearts fans applauded the team, after referee Awal Mohammed blew his whistle, in acknowledgement of Sergio Traguil’s promise of a Barcelona-esque style of play known as ‘tiki-taka’ on display.
Patrick Razak celebrates Cosmos Dauda’s opening goal
Liberty Professionals, with just five minutes into the second half, got the equaliser from a Latif Blessing assist; a sweet pass from him that found Bernard Arthur in the midst of two Hearts of Oak defenders, who gently tapped into the net to get the home side the equalising goal. The nimble-footed Blessing nearly made it two for Liberty after he skied a lovely cross from Richard Antwi with him unmarked from 12-yards to Samuel Akrugu’s goal.
From then, Liberty appeared to be the hungrier of the two, trying to get the second goal but huffed and puffed to no avail as they had to finish the final 20 minutes of the game with 10-men after Bernard Arthur was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Robin Gnagne.
Aduana Stars got back to winning ways as they thrashed Bechem United in the Brong Ahafo Region derby by 4-goals to two at the Nana Agyemang Badu Park.
Top league scorer and ex Kumasi Asante Kotoko forward, Yahaya Mohammed continued his fine form in front of goal as he hit a brace to extend his goal tally to 11 goals.
CNN Sport Goal of the Week Award winner Bright Adjei also netted a double to consign Bechem United to their defeat of the season.
Bechem went into the game knowing any results than a win will see them drop into the relegation zone and the Bechem side did little to prevent a defeat to Aduana Stars who had a statement to make after losing in Match week 14.
could end the first round in the drop zone if they suffer defeat but there was little they could do to stop the Fire Boys.
Goals from Abednego Tetteh and Aminu Mohammed were just consolatory ones the first round of the week came to an end.
Sekondi Hasaacas recorded a vital away draw as they held Bechem United to a 1-1 stalemate at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in the Ghana Premier League on Wednesday.
An early Abdenego Tetteh 13th minute penalty strike gave coach Manuel Zaccarius the lead which got the home fans ecstatic with the hope of moving away from the drop zone.
But second half substitute, Eric Adu Poku equalised for the struggling Hasaacas side after he connected home an Emmanuel Ankobeah free-kick in the 80th minute which ensured the two teams shared the spoils.
Kinsgley Adjei fouled Abednego Tetteh was fouled inside the penalty box by a reckless defending from Kingsley Adjei meant referee Uriah Glah had no option than point to the spot which was clinically finished off by Abednego to record Bechem’s ninth goal in 13 matches.
Hasaacas’s hunger to find an equaliser paid off as they equalised and returned to Sekondi with a valuable one point.
Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs failed to be the first side to score against Hearts in the 2015/16 Ghana premier league season as the two teams played out a goalless draw game in match week 3.
Hearts started the brightest of the two teams after hitting the first goal in target from Foovi Aguidi but was a feeble as was easily gathered by goal keeper, Frank Andoh.
Both defense look disciplined and ready to do battle as either attackers were stifled out to just a pocket full of chances at goal.
The best chance of the first half fell to the home side, Dwarfs Isaac Kwain who shot across the face of the yawning net.
Hearts has four consecutive corners from dangerous play at the Dwarfs goal before the “Abontoabontoa” boys gained one but failed to punish the home side with any of them.
Goalkeepers Soulama Aboubakar and Frank Andoh were spectators for large chunk of the game.
Dwarfs who had lost their first two games of the season against Dreams and New Edubiase started this game with division one goal king Bismark Luiqman starting from the bench, that was the first time this was happening this season.
Isaac Mensah tested goal keeper, Frank Andoh from 20-yards to goal in the dying minutes of the game but the Andoh pulled an excellent save to deny the Phobians and send the home fans into rapturous applauds of appreciation.
The resulting corner kick was wasted and did suggest neither side will have all the three points as Hearts continued their unbeaten run in the season whilst Dwarfs win their first point of the season.
Liberty Professionals picked their first three points of the 2015/16 Ghana Premier League after beating visiting Inter Allies 2-1 at the Karl Reinold Park in Dansoman.
Liberty were given a rude awakening on the match week one fixture when they were beaten 3-0 by Wa All Stars, and they promised to bounce back with a good win against Inter Allies, an action they did.
Liberty showed their intent of picking all three points of the game in the first half. Pressure on Inter Allies saw young keeper Kingsley Kissi put the ball at the back of his own net.
Latif Atta Blessing scored the second goal of the game in the 35th minute to end the first half 2-0.
Back from recess, Inter Allies dominated play and managed to pull one back through substitute Frederick Boateng.
Liberty Professionals eventually held on for the win and their first three points of the 2015/16 Premier League season.
The dream start to life in the Ghana premier league continued for newly promoted side Dreams FC as the Dawu based club maintained their perfect start to the season after beating Bechem United 1-0 at the Theatre of Dreams, Dawu.
A first half strike from midfielder, Ben Nash ensured coach C K Akunnor’s side continue their fine start to the season with another win but this time in front of their fans at their favourite home grounds, the theatre of Dreams at Dawu.
Dreams created a lots of chances after enjoying the lions share of possession and should have scored just 30-minutes into the game.
Nash’s late strike in the first-half sees Dreams retain third spot on the league log and the dream start to life in the league continues.
Accra Hearts of Oak continued their fine start to the 2015/16 Ghana premier league season with a two nil away win over one of the league favourites, Medeama SC.
Second half strikes from forwards Cosmos Dauda and Eric Kumi ensured the Phobians finally won a game against Tom Strands men at the Tarkwa and Aboso park.
The home side started the brightest with string of opportunities that came the way of mauve-and-yellow were all squandered.
Creative midfielder, Eric Kwakwa and forward, Benjamin Bature were the culprits in the sides defeat to Hearts after been made favourites to win the match.
Foovi Agudi in the 69-minute spurn a good chance to give Hearts the lead as the rainbow club lifted their game.
In the 72nd minute, the crossbar denied Medeama after the ball took a deflection from Kwame Boahene’s strike.
Cosmos Dauda beautiful lob over the on rushing Medeama SC goalkeeper, Muntari Tagoe gave Hearts the lead but that came with a price as the forward was replaced after picking up an injury.
Eric Kumi added the second in added time to seal any hope of Medeama returning into the game.
The win sees the Phobians still remain unbeaten in coach Keni’s first two premier league games.
