GPL 2024/25: Lively Lions lash lackluster Hearts
Kpando Heart of Lions inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Accra Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League on Sunday.
Nana Kwame Oppong and Ishmael Addo produced two goals in four minutes at the Kpando Stadium.
Hearts who lost on the opening weekend of the season, made three changes to the lineup for today’s match.
Midfielders Ahmed Ramzay Yussif, Salim Adams, and Raphael Amponsah were dropped to the bench for Hussein Mohammed, Theophilus Collinson and Sanni Mohammed.
When the match started, it was Lions who nearly scored from kick-off when Abednego Tetteh’s hopeful effort from 35 yards, missed the post by inches. Hearts could not match up to Lions intensity and struggled to cope with the of the game.
The Phobians were forced into a couple of late tackles early in the game. It was no surprise when Hearts of Oak’s Mawuli Awyo was shown a yellow card for a similar challenge on Ishmael Addo.
A minute later, striker Asamoah Boateng Afriyie became the second Hearts player to be booked when he left his studs on Lions’ captain Ebenezer Abban.
The successive cautions forced Hearts to calm things down and before long, they created their first chance of the game. After a well-worked move, Yahaya Adraman’s deep cross found Hamza Issah but the striker’s header did not trouble Lions keeper Lawrence Osei.
Hearts came close to scoring again when Sanni Mohammed beautifully dribbled past his marker and set up Hamza Issah inside the box. However, the striker went down in the box and got no sympathy from referee Gabriel Opoku Arhim who waved play on.
The Phobians finished the half stronger with several free kicks in Lions’ half. However, the visitors could not make them count.
Eight minutes after restart Hearts threatened to break free but the counterattack was killed in its wake. In the process, Emmanuel Sakyi was booked for bringing down Mawuli Wayo.
After 65 minutes, Hearts coach Aboubakar Ouattara brought on Isaac Frimpong and Salim Adams for Hamza Issah and Mawuli Wayo.
From then on, Lions grew in the match and were nearly rewarded for their industry.
First, Nana Kwame Oppong found space down the right side of the Hearts defense. However, Kelvin Osei Asibey was on hand to clear Oppong’s cross before Abednego Tetteh could pounce.
Lions went close again when substitute Mustapha Yakubu cut in onto his left and let fly. While the effort was good, it missed Benjamin Asare’s post by inches.
In the 83rd minute, however, there was no denying Lions. Time stood still for all eternity as Kwesi Pong clipped a magical pass with the outside of his foot to find Nana Kwame Oppong. The substitute chest-controlled the ball delightfully before rifling past a helpless Benjamin Asare.
The goal sent the entire Kpando Municipality into a party mood as thousands of fans cheered for the team.
Before the fans could calm down from the high of the first, there was even more to celebrate as Lions carved Hearts open. This time, it was former Phobian, Kwadwo Obeng Junior who supplied the ammunition for Ishmael Addo to cap a fine team goal with a second.
Sunday’s result means the Phobians have suffered consecutive losses at the start of the season, while Lions remain unbeaten having drawn with Aduana on the opening day.
Lions have now kept eight clean sheets in nine home matches, since February 2024.