Asante Kotoko Down, As Hearts Of Oak Beat Them

Days ago, Ghana’s two major clubs- Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak played in a league match which ended in an impasse. The match was rated as perhaps the best game in the league by many sports intellectuals.

Twelve days on, the two greatest clubs played again in the President’s Cup in celebration of Ghana’s Independence Day on 6th March. Kotoko and Hearts clashed on Friday March 4, to fight it out for the Cup.

Kotoko started the game with a solid attack, and secured their defense, by winding up a few perfect passes from the midfield in their endeavor to unlock their rivals Hearts of Oak.

Hearts also continued to stop a few attacks started by Kotoko. With the qulaity play from Hearts’ Sulley Muntari, they also made exactly hardly any reasonable scoring possibilities, yet were stopped by the defense of Kotoko.

The two teams played well, however Hearts midfield was quite composed. The ball moved to either teams’ eighteen yard box, but there was no goal.

The first half was goalless. But in the second half, Accra Hearts of Oak dominated the game and scored their first goal in the 51st minute through a close-range exertion by Afriyie Barnie.

19 year old Hearts’ midfielder Salim Ahmed dictated the game with an unbelievable pass to the right flanks before a wonderful cross came in for Afriyie Barnie to shoot the ball through the defense of the opponent Kotoko to score.

In the 58th minute, Kotoko made a substitution, welcoming on Richard Boadu to replace Lamptey, hungry to get an equaliser. Accra Hearts of Oak continued pressuring their rivals hoping to get a second.

Kotoko, then again, continued to push until they got the equaliser in the 76th minute through Samuel Boateng, who was also brought into the game in the second half. He shot the ball into the net after it has deflected Hearts defense. The phobians were now quietened by Kotoko’s equaliser, but still pushed men forward.

Former Black Stars Midfielder Sulley Muntari, Clearly Deserves An Extolment

In the 89th minute of the game, Hearts of Oak took advantage of a counterattack, of which Patrick Razak who was completely left alone, took the ball, and run a little distance, thump Kotoko’s goalkeeper to twist the ball into the net in style.

The Rainbow Boys once again beat Kumasi Asante Kotoko to lift the Presidents Independence Day Cup. This is Accra Hearts Of Oak’s fifth President’s Cup.

The last President’s Cup was played in Kumasi where Kotoko beat Hearts of Oak by 2-1. But in the 2022 GHALCA President’s Cup, their rivals has beaten them with the same scoreline 2-1.

Meanwhile, former Black Stars midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari has been commended by many fans for his mind blowing play and devotion to the Hearts team, since he joined the Accra-based team.